Friday Flowers: Hibiscus

Pink Hibiscus

Poem to Kali

(By Ramprasad Sen)

The most exalted experience of bliss
in any realm of being
is directly knowing the universal Mother,
the supremely blissful one.
Ecstatic lovers of Kali the Sublime
are not pilgrims to sacred shrines,
for they hear all existence
singing the glory of the Goddess.

I could have gone many different ways with a Hibiscus-related poem, but I went with a good old bhakti poem to the Hindu goddess Kali. Why not a poet from the American South or a cozy tea-related bit of verse? Because I just realized that those flowers associated with Bengalese images of Kali are hibiscus. Yeow! That's something that I should have known!!!

Years of serious study in myth, religion, symbolism, and iconography. . . Well, you learn something new every day. ;-)


Perhaps it's because I'm not a fan of hibiscus. Sure, they're pretty flowers, but a little too modest for my tastes. Bring on the orchids, tulips, roses, dahlias, fuchsias, and sunflowers! I like my flowers bold.



Pink Hibiscus


Of course, I'll defer to the aesthetic floral discernment of any lady wielding big swords and severed heads. Good karma, good karma, good karma. :-)

Here's a vid featuring Ramprasad Sen's poetry in song.

Enjoy!!!