Photo: Kenny Joseph

Sometimes a particular flower just takes over Trinidad . Such has been the rapid proliferation of frangipani blooms dotting the country like manna from heaven.

It seems so easy to share piece (peace?) neighbour with neighbour.

CEPEP too joins in the multiplication on the highways and byways. Not even the devouring caterpillars seem interested in spoiling the miracle.

When Msgr Patrick Anthony shared his delight in the imagery from Derek Walcott's poem The Prodigal , I learnt of the botanic origins of the frangipani.

He speaks of frangere panem the Latin for "to break bread" and compares the frangipani to the communion wafers, petals " on the sky's open palate at early Mass ", making " music out of extreme stillness ."

Now I cannot pass the frangipani without thinking of Eucharist where there is such abundance and sharing of peace. Walcott's words are thought provoking:

" frangere panem, the pain that I break and eat

flower and flour, pain and 'pain'

bright Easter coming, like the sea's white communion "