Rebellion

I stare outside

At two towers of jacaranda –

Even farther lies

A clump of yellow grevillea;

Ah Spring - the season of colours

But I think, no

This is the season of rebellion

An overwhelming sea

Of shades in the spectrum

Standing defiantly

Until inevitably

There is only one ocean of green

 

First came the magnolias

Then the plums, peaches, apricots

Those delicate Sakura

The golden wattles’ native fight

Finally with the early tints of a dying night

The purple explosion

Of jacaranda every avenue you see

Withstanding the last siege

Of spring’s assault

Until they all disappear

And you cannot find the crab apples

Hiding in plain sight

 

Precocious buds

That come even before their leafy brethren

Get born on summer’s descent

Fighting a lost fight, an existential brawl

The truth is, the world has no time

For spring’s blossoms

Only mundane existence abounds

That we get busy with our lives

But one day, a dreary sky appears

And we suddenly remember, yes

Once upon a time

There was a season of rebellious songs…

 

15^th November 2025

Many trees such as the magnolia, cherry and plum, burst forth in an abundance of flowers just after the stupor of winter, before the leaves can appear. Botanists believe this is to ensure that the stored energy is first prioritised to create flowers, and fruits, to sustain the next generation before leaves can come up, which is a slow, long and energy consuming process. There is also a belief that the concentration of coloured flowers, undisturbed by leaves makes it easier for pollination. The result is, come Spring, there is a riot of colours that sparkle in sharp contrast to the foliage of green, until summer arrives – a seasonal equalizer by when evergreens and deciduous all turn the same, beautiful but a uniform blanket of green…