Twinflower (Linnaea borealis L.)
As we enter the winter months, I like to remember the woodland plants now waiting under the layers of fallen leaves to flower again next spring.
Twin-flower (Linnaea borealis L. var. americana (Forbes) Rehd.) is a low-growing, creeping evergreen, found blooming in late June in wooded swamps, coniferous bogs and clearings.
Each slender stalk bears a set of two delicate, nodding, fragrant flowers, white in color and tinged with pink. Other names for the plant are pink bells and, in French, linnée boréale. The specific name is from the Latin borealis, meaning northern.
The European variety was a special favorite of Linnaeus, the founder of the present system of naming flowers.
Twinflower
Linnaea borealis L.
~
conifer cathedral
slanting light
Linnaea carpets
stains the forest floor
to the edge
near the forest door
a woodland pool
~
on slender stem
mirrored
in the pool
and in the air
twinflower rings
pink boreal bells
at vespers
in whispers
a whisper
the rule
~
creeps under roots
and fallen leaves
Linnaea trails
over rude beams fallen
from fences built
when woods
were pasture
~
twin flowers
settle back to back
nodding heads
they cease to ring
and sleep
~
© Jane Tims 1992
nichepoetryandprose 
Dear Jane,
What a beautiful poem! Here in Finland We have a lot of these beautiful flowers.
I’m doing a school project about twinflower and I would like to ask your permission to add your poem to the project. It will not be published anywhere and it’ll only be used in my school.
Best regards,
Miina
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Miina Savolainen
May 26, 2018 at 9:40 am
Hi Miina. I would be honoured to have my poem used in this way. Just quote the source. Best wishes in your school endeavors!!!! Glad this flower blooms in your country too! Jane
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jane tims
May 28, 2018 at 3:52 pm
I’ve always loved the Scandinavian girl’s name, Linnea, and the delicate and subtle flower found on the bone china pattern… They must be so pretty in the woods, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in the wild around New England. I love your drawing and poem.
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Barbara Rodgers
November 14, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Hi Barbara. Thanks. The flowers also have a scent as delicate as they look. Jane
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jane tims
November 14, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Nice drawing Jane. Your poem blends in well…pink boreal bells
at vespers
in whispers
a whisper
the rule
Nicely done!
-Denis
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JD
November 12, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Thanks for the comment. Always, when writing poetry, there are uncertainties. For those lines, it was a question … should I repeat the word ‘whisper’? Jane
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jane tims
November 13, 2011 at 7:30 am
Of course … the poet makes the rules. Having rules set by others takes away the uncertainties, takes away the romance of poetry.
-Denis
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JD
November 13, 2011 at 8:55 am
Hi Denis. I think you are right… the poem is more organic than a set of rules, for sure. I have to remember this…Jane
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jane tims
November 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm
It’s always a pleasant anticipation when in February one starts looking for the early wildflowers to peek up from the snow!
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Watching Seasons
November 12, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Hi. Right now, spring seems so far away. I think my thinking about wildflowers is the same as getting out the seed catalogues in early spring! Jane
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jane tims
November 12, 2011 at 4:51 pm