This is Marsh Marigold (caltha palustris) blooming at the edge of the old cow pond here. It's happiest when standing in water. Prior to the 16th century English Reformation of Henry VIII, all the flowers and herbs had names with religious connotations—most of them Marian. A few holdovers like Marigold, Lady's Slippers, Lady's Mantle have survived and are still with us, though I imagine few people realize that Marigold is really Mary's Gold, or that the Lady references are to the Virgin Mary.
Anyway, Marsh Marigold used to be called, Mary's Smock. Maybe the plant's broad leaves reminded someone in the Middle Ages of a smock, which is a loose fitting garment that goes over one's everyday clothing to help the worker stay clean. Did homemaker Mary wear one? We might remember in kindergarten or first grade, wearing one of dad's old shirts while standing at the paint easel. When I was a young teacher I had a colleague who wore a smock during the school day to keep herself free of chalk dust.
These hundreds of plants, herbs and shrubs having Marian names give evidence of a culture that was permeated with a child's innocent imagination. There's not much room for that kind of religious/spiritual sensitivity today. Our loss!
Perhaps we can ponder this lovely plant, standing in clear water, with its yolk-yellow flowers, and prayerfully request the protections we need as the word smock suggests.
Protect me, O Lady,
from the festering wound of resentments.
Protect me, O Lady,
from that willful ignorance
which leaves me comfortable and undisturbed.
Protect me, O Lady,
from carrying weapons in my heart.
Protect me, O Lady,
from enemies who menace
or do not wish me well.
Protect me, O Lady,
from depressive fatigue
which weakens right relatedness.
Protect me, O Lady
from the inner arguments—
fighting for recognition
and winning.
Protect me, O Lady,
from the loss of Holy Spirit,
stealing away creativity,
zest for life,
even my prayer and love for God.
And protect us, O Lady,
for a great nation,
empire,
culture or civilization
can come to ruin,
not by outside enemies
but from within.
