Fashion Hints for May

You may have noticed in these pages the occasional appearance of the writings of my dear late mother. I'm in the process of illustrating her poetry - "doggerel," she called it - a collection of a couple of dozen poems that range from sardonic to sentimental which she typed out on onion skin on her trusty black Royal and bound into a blue three-ring folder. I keep this folder in my travel bag so it is always with me in case inspiration strikes (and I noticed today that the pages are becoming worn from my perusing). This time, my inspiration was nudged by the purple lilac that has begun to bloom all over town. Half the fun was walking the streets after supper looking for the perfect lilac bush to photograph; the other half was the smell.
(the collection - so far - is here)

Fashion Hints for May by Alison Boylston Piazza

Old houses should be dressed in grey,

Pearl-sheened by years of sun and rain,

With frosty white to brighten doors

And outline every window pane.

And then to add a subtle note

Of color and of fragrance rare,

A purple lilac standing tall

Among green leaves should blossom there.