Three Poems
by Tanya Young
Sing of the Blooms
the saturday of my 16th birthday
my grandmother took me to a little french cafe
small marble-topped table two dainty metal chairs
a single yellow rose holding its perfume close
we were surrounded by women
hair styled high hemlines grazing the knees
pointed-toe heels fancy shiny shopping bags
streamlined confident legs uncrossed but proper
i loved that place because i loved her
we drift out the door leaning into joy
climb into her 1959 soft yellow convertible
and slowly made our way across town
we pass a greenhouse she slams on brakes
talking to the clerk as she walks arms waving
i’ll take for my granddaughter
all the plants you have with yellow flowers
waving off my protests she swung open the doors
the back seat is heaped with daffodils gladiolus mimosa
forsythia all blooms in our arms.
take them all she said you need to have a happy life
my grandmother died the next week
death quietly sneaking under her living room door
she was reading a book her dress a summer garden
sunflowers by her window bowing to the setting sun.
yellow and yellow and yellow
S&H Green Stamps
my mother is in her long sunny kitchen
soft smoke dances on the tip of her cigarette
her dress the color of dove wings
slim at the waist skirt flaring just enough
to let the folds slightly drape
she takes down her books of S&H green stamps
spreads them on the kitchen table
beside the tins of homemade butter mints
in baby blanket colors
pill pinks lemon yellows seafoam greens
she gathers the loose stamps and starts pasting
dreaming of a Sunbeam toaster oven stainless steel finish
a golden grilled cheese in three minutes
a quick broiled hot dog
all with the quick push of a button
my brother slams the back screened door
twin Lone Ranger cap pistols on each hip
bang bang bang what’s for dinner
she drags deeply on her cigarette
watches a sunbeam dance on the sleek silver fur of the cat
pushes her chair back gets up
grabs a mint of each color
and the tap tap tapping of her shoes
makes a symphony from everything
that did not want her life to sing
How Many Things Love Us Quietly
i am watching a lizard doing push-ups
on the old wall where the hibiscus grows
having his day in the sun
slender tail poised to leap
it’s turquoise blue
a red round bloom on his back love a new delight
he abruptly rises on stiff legs jumping propelling himself
towards the shadows to sleep in the graveyard
to be closer to my grannie
Tanya Young recently received first prize in the 2025 Malovrh-Fenlon Poetry Contest, sponsored by Orchard Street Press, LTD. She is a member of Wildacres Writers of Asheville, NC; Florida State Poets Association and Florida Writers Association. Her poems have been published in Kakalak, Swwim, The Well Anthology 2025, Florida Poets Cadence-2025, Florida Bards Anthology 2025, Old Mountain Press Anthology 2025 and interpreted with dance by Sarasota Contemporary Dance Studio.