Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Imperatively Yours, Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour & CFFC

#CFFC, #d'Verse, art, photography, The Flower Hour, Thursday Doors 2 Minutes

Bonjour! I am back from my 6-day race around Paris and surrounds.

D’verse: Imperatively Yours

Dora has asked poets to write a poem using the imperative mood. You can learn more about this here: https://dversepoets.com/2026/04/07/poetics-imperatively-yours/. I have written my poem about Paris.

Paris in Spring

You must love Paris

What’s not to love?

The sun shines brightly

The statues gleam whitely

Spring abounds everywhere

Tulips model the new colours

Bedecking flowerbed ramps

Which style do you like best?

While pansies peep shyly

From behind tulip skirts

Waiting for their moment

To steal the show

Who will win best bonnet?

And in the corner

A vivid splash of yellow

Daffodils bow their own horns

Along the path

Water splashes loudly

Come and admire me

The fountain thunders

White feather boas

Streaming upwards

Silvery drops blowing

On the treacherous wind

Sharp reminder

That Old Man Winter

Is still directing

The production

Jardin Du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg was created in 1612 when Marie de’ Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, constructed the Luxembourg Palace as her new residence. This is the number one garden in Paris and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, tennis courts, flowerbeds, model sailboats on its octagonal Grand Bassin. It is also home to the Fontaine de l’Observatoire and Medici Fountain. I’m showcasing the Fontaine de l’Observatoire today.

Click on the slideshow to see the Fontaine de l’Observatoire:

  • Frontal view of the fountain showing the centerpiece in good light.
  • Frontal view of the fountain into the sun. The water sparkles but the statue is a silhouette
  • Close up of the centerpiece of the fountain featuring four female figures representing the four parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa and America, twisting their bodies to turn the sphere.
  • Another view of the fountain featuring the horses in the basin around the fountain.
  • side view of the fountain with the water shooting upwards towards the centre

This is one of my Youtube videos of this fountain:

You can see more of my Paris Youtube videos on my channel.

Thursday Doors

The Universite de Paris Institut d’Art Et d’Archeologie is near the Jardin du Luxembourg. I really liked the brick patterning of this building which is why I took these photographs. It reminded me of lego.

These photographs are for Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge: https://nofacilities.com/2026/04/09/heinz-chapel/

This is a shot of the Universite de Paris Institut d'Art Et d'Archeologie with its interesting brick patterning.
This is the ornate door of the University

The Flower Hour and CFFC, view as we walk

These photographs are of flowers and statues in the Jardin du Luxembourg. They are for Terri’s The Flower Hours (most of the flowers are tulips) and for Dan’s CFFC as these were taken while we walked. We walked approximately 20,000 steps a day for the 6 days I was in Paris.

You can join in Dan’s CFFC challenge here: https://nofacilities.com/2026/04/06/view-as-we-walk-or-hike-cffc/

You can join in Terri’s Flower Hour here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2026/04/07/the-flower-hour-25-pop-go-the-poppies/

A picture of yellow and white tulips - closeup
White Monument to Leconte de Lisle in a flowerbed of orange and yellow tulips
Picture of me with the Le Faune dansant sculpture in the background in a flowerbed of yellow and orange tulips
Flowerbed of orange and yellow tulips with some white flowers
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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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95 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Imperatively Yours, Thursday Doors, The Flower Hour & CFFC”

  5. Thanks for sharing your photos of spring and your thoughts on spring in that lovely poem. I love seeing the spring colors (even the ones in your jacket 🙂 and the doors (and I love fountains. Gret job on all the challenges!

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    1. Hi Dwight, I went to Paris because my husband was posted to Paris for two weeks starting on 7 April. He was in Manchester, UK until 31 March so he couldn’t fly home for Easter. I went to spend a few days (6) with him so it was just great good luck.

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    1. Hi Carol, yes, Paris was very pretty and delightful in many ways. I still like London best. Touring is very organised in London compared to Paris in my opinion. I like organisation so that works very well for me. The tourist spots in Paris were complete chaos even if tickets and tour guides are paid for in advance.

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      1. Yes the French are very laid back us Brits like organisation…here it’s Thai time a good example is yesterday…Lily had a hair appointment at 9am to get plaits done Lily after much prompting from me arrived at 9.30 to get a text from the hairdresser to say she wouldn’t be there until 10.30…so Lily came home and text the hairdresser to let Lily know when she would be there the text came at 11.53 so off went Lily to get her plaits done…Thai time luckily my hairdresser is far more organised I cannot do that waiting but Lily took it in her stride I was not so a accepting and quite verbal 😂😂

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  12. Robbie, your poem moved me to tears, especially the phrase “while pansies peep shyly behind tulip skirts!” Perfect description! Gorgeous pics of the flowers, and those fountains are stunning. Congrats on 20K steps a day!

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    1. HI Audrey, it would be difficult not to appreciate the beauty of the buildings, flowers and gardens in Paris. The very touristy places are overwhelmingly busy but the gardens were not as busy and were largely visited by local people.

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    1. I got back home yesterday after a very long flight. I did enjoy the beauty of Paris in spring (but not the crowds so much – I don’t like being in big crowds of people). I’m delighted you enjoyed this poem and the photographs.

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  16. You’ve convinced me: I love Paris! 🙂 I love too your poem’s delightful conceit of putting on a show, “Tulips model the new colours” . . While pansies peep shyly/From behind tulip skirts.” And the performance keeps getting better climaxing with fountain and “streaming boas. So what a surprise to discover in the end who exactly is directing the “show.”! A thrilling read, Robbie, and enhanced by your photos. I’m enjoying your YouTube shorts of Paris too. 🤗🇫🇷

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    2. HI Dora, I am really delighted you like this poem. It came to me straight away when I read you great prompt. I have used this style a bit in the past but didn’t know it is actually a dedicated style with a name. I was very pleased to know that and plan to use it more in the future. Thanks for taking so much time over your fascinating prompts.

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      1. Thank you, Robbie! I enjoy putting the prompts together and I appreciate so very much your participating in them. ❤️ As for the imperative voice, not sure it’s classed as a poetic style per se, but just a part of the general rhetorical toolbox. And let me just say, you’re definitely a master of it and I am looking forward to seeing how variously you wield it in the future. 🙂🥰🤗

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    1. HI Edward, I am so pleased you enjoyed this post. This was a day of good weather. The other days were overcast and cold but I never worry about weather when I travel. You have to just make the most of it regardless of rain and cold.

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  22. I just LOVE this! Everything from the flowers to the photos and in between. As my father’s mother’s people were from France, I have always wondered if I might connect with distant relatives if were to visit,

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  23. It is a beautiful poem and beautiful pictures. I’ve been to Paris a few times. Some say it is overrated but I don’t think so. If all you do is focus on the most famous attractions like the Eiffel Tower and le Louvre then I can understand, but there’s so much more to experience. I’ve been Jardin du Luxembourg, as well. One lesser known city in France, but a city that is amazing is Aix-En-Provence.

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    1. Hi Thomas, I must agree that in order to really experience any city you must find out where the locals go. We went to two gardens – both lovely, and ate French. I did notice that the American tourists generally stick to Starbucks and American food chains as well as the well known tourist spots.

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      1. Yes I agree. Going to Paris and visiting Starbucks instead of a French café and eating at McDonalds instead of French restaurants is a waste. It’s like visiting Yellowstone National Park to sit in the hotel room and watch TV or playing games the whole time, and then say Yellowstone National Park is overrated. Why go there if you are not going experience it? My wife’s oldest sister and her family live in France (nearby Aix-En-Provence) so she helps us getting a good experience every time we visit France.

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        1. Yes, Thomas, you are also European and I think that also makes a difference. We are used to European cultures and enjoy experiencing the differences. It is not intimidating to us because we grow up with an appreciation of the idea of European difference.

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          1. Yes you are right. It is easier for us to appreciate different cultures and sights and food. My kids have some of that but not entirely.

            I remember when I took my teenage son and his friend to San Antonio here in Texas. San Antonio is a mixed Mexican and American city with a lot of history, attractions, surrounding nature, the Mexican market, the river walk with all kinds of music, entertainment, restaurants, Mexican, American, and international, lots of museums, parks, the Alamo, amusement parks, Sea World, big caves, bat watching in nature, etc. I had to do it all by myself because they sat in the hotel room the whole time, playing games on the TV, and orderering room service for food (pizza and burgers). I was mad but I said nothing because of my son’s friend. Normally I would not have allowed the kids to do that.

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          2. Hi Thomas, your story is a common one, I’m afraid. I try not to allow this either but when my son, Michael, came with me to London and Brussels, he had two duvet days. These were days he chose to stay by himself at the hotel all day in his room. I allowed it because he complained too much about the walking so I was glad to be free of him on those days. I mean this in the nicest way as I know his health has been poor for years and he gets tired. TC never complains and we walked 20,000 steps a day for 6 days in Paris. 🥰

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          3. Yes you are right. I guess it is pretty common teenage behavior. 20,000 steps per day is a lot but I think the same was true for us the last time we were in Paris, but we did not measure. Our daughter is young but she is a good walker and she wants to visit and see things.

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  29. What a lovely post! Your imperative Parisian spring was the perfect prelude to the tour. I agree that Winter is still in charge, and for way too long, but spring has its own imperative and will conquer!

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      1. Likewise. I was only there for a day and enjoyed Versailles and a quick trip down the river in the evening. I’m more a country boy though and the next day took a trip down to close to the Alps, which was more my jam.

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