I've always wondered why these flowers had the kickname of "Bleeding Hearts." Does it come from its obvious physical resemblance to a bleeding heart (the most likely explanation) or did some forlorn woman look at the plant and see her own heart manifesting itself in the flowers? Her own heart "bleeding" from the heavy sharp wounds of love and pain. Perhaps it is a Victorian sentiment but an intriquing one nonetheless.
The downward curve of the flower indicated an almost weary expression of life. The heart growing heavy and no longer light. Then as if to further excerbate its "death" the flower buds spill open on the bottom, the contents of the "heart" exposed for all of the world to see. It is a heart that has been wounded and bleeding, all of its inner feelings, desires, and pain tumbling out. There is nothing left for it to all hold together and one by the one, each flower splits open and the plant itself becomes the perfect botanical representation of the most basic and powerful human emotions: love and loss.
All in all, the little, "Jane Eyre" book educated girl inside of me, will still look at this flower and wonder with a wistful sight, "If only....if only."
Her own bleeding heart carefully concealed.
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