constructing poetry

lilacs in ice

I sit in the window
watching your taillights disappear
on the wings of the storm.
you left me.
the ice creeps within,
surrounding me with its
frozen protection.

through dry eyes I see them,
tiny lilac flowers
clustered at the end of each branch
as though huddling together
against the ice.
they shine.
each hapless blossom
covered as though dipped in wax,
the layer of ice beautiful,
even as its brittle cold kills.

we are doomed.
no icepick can free us,
thaw our tender petals,
free the scent of spring
with its warm, healing presence.

an owl glides through the night,
lands on the branch,
its talons cruel.
it stares at me through the window
in cruel judgment.

the owl floats away.
the bush shakes.
the lilac shatters.

line count: 30

Prompt for: April 18, 2016 ▼

(fyn)
Subject or Theme: Pick one of these flowers: lilac, daffodil, tulip, hyacinth, or snowdrop. Also pick one of these emotions/states of feeling: frustration, despondency, loneliness, or exhaustion. Use the flower as a metaphor in describing the emotion. (If you do not understand metaphor in poetry, look it up.)
Word(s) to Include: wax, icepick, owl (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): feel, need, want, down, out, balance, sad (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)
Additional Parameters: Minimum of 24 lines, non-rhyming
Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description. CHECK CAREFULLY!!!