Bed Quote by Willard R. Espy
“All flowers are flirtatious - particularly if they carry hyphenated names. The more hyphens in the name, the flirtier the flower. The one-hyphen flowers - black-eyed Susan; lady-smock; musk-rose - may give you only a shy glance and then drop their eyes; the two-hyphen flowers - forget-me-not; flower-de-luce - keep glancing. Flowers with three or more hyphens flirt all over the garden and continue even when they are cut and arranged in vases. John-go-to-bed-at-noon does not go there simply to sleep.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Language of Flowers, Willard R. Espy, 1975
Flower names with more hyphens are likened to flirtatious behavior, suggesting a playful metaphor for complexity and attention.
In simple terms: Hyphenated names imply flirtation.
Key Takeaway
Notice playful patterns in language.
Themes
humor
language
metaphor
Mood
playful
lighthearted
Type
creative
observational
When to use this quote
- poetry workshops
- branding
- floral design
- marketing copy
- teaching metaphor
Key Concepts
linguistics
creative writing
symbolism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you see similar patterns in other naming conventions?
- How does this affect your perception of the flowers?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overgeneralize and not hold for all names.
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