The poem "Unbosoming" by the male poet Michael Field describes the magical reproduction cycle of the Iris flower. Field has a keen eye for beauty in the natural world, as is seen in his detailed account of the seasonal mating ritual of the Iris. The Iris gets its name from the Greek word for rainbow, which indicates that Field has a deep appreciation for the vibrant colors nature provides. This is clear by his use of color imagery, such as his reference to "a thousand vermillion-beads", the "silver scrip", and the harvest-secret as "burning red".
The form of the poem is not quite free verse, but certainly without any consistent meter or rhyme scheme until line 9, when he begins speaking in couplets. The switch in rhyme scheme indicates a switch from the chaotic process of fertilization and pollination to the steady step by step process of reproducing. This act of conception is referred to near the end of the poem in line 14, where he refers to the "harvest-secret is burning red". The poem eloquently describes the natural reproduction cycle to reflect his love for a lucky lady. As readers we can only hope their offspring will be as beautiful as the Iris (or, if you are Greek, rainbow) in the spring time.
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