(According to a German legend, God named all the plants and when a tiny unnamed one cried out, "Forget me not, O Lord!" God replied, "That shall be your name.")
Lovely little flower, your color points to highest
Highness
as if to say “Forget me not, you who are so in love
with earthly vanities that in the end will only
trouble you.”
Know this: whoever remembers me can live content.”
This secret we can learn from you, little moral-teacher.
Your petals, five in number – my memory, using
its five senses, leads me to contemplate
the five most-precious Wounds that point the way to
Life.
Your foliage and green stems teach that we should
hope:
God will not forget us, though we on earth
must endure misfortune and many a cross.
He will bring us to Himself.
Oh, forget me not, Creator! Help even me!
Does not my hope spring from your word?
In you lies much wisdom, little flower, though so
small.
Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
Click here to read this sonnet in the original German.
