Simply Elegant, Elegantly simple

The Doily

Handmade doily:  frilly, fancy, mimicking lace,

Giving the Victorian style to any space,

Placed deliberately; with a purpose in mind,

Many of these crocheted wonders were one-of-a-kind,

Protecting the furniture from china and glass,

Presenting an air of sophistication and class,

The doily, long forgotten, is quite special to me,

It is delicate, yet defending, like a mother’s love can be,

Hand-crafted, which makes it a true work of art,

Intricately patterned, bringing warmth to my heart,

What is my infatuation with this Victorian design?

I don’t know why, but it is a favorite of mine,

Aged and yellowed doilies of old,

Antiques, frequently bought and sold,

Now paper doilies have use for those who bake,

Nicely displaying the cookies or red velvet cake,

It just adds to the splendor;  It is all about presentation,

Simply elegant, elegantly simple –a quintessential decoration,

In the floral world, the doily found its place,

Wrapping stems of flowers with ultimate grace,

A tussie-mussie was bound by a doily traditionally,

With flowers speaking the language of love unconditionally,

The doily certainly has its place in history,

Why it fell out of vogue remains a mystery.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  9/7/2018