the flowers

i am here to see the flowers
heavy with summer wanting
drowned in water's thickness
our lungs should not have to breathe
but breath we must, this pollen dust

that was your name for us:
summer flowers
each morning i played my part
feigning sleep as you breathed me in
and i relished your stubble upon my cheek

i wonder at these petals
falling on freshly dug, well trod earth
these tear-jerks have their superstitions
with tall, impossible wills
that pull water and memory from way back

these are the dozen
tall like the flowers
but far less beautiful
idle wonderers you said
that would keep me in discouragement
now here we all are
breathing thickness and out-of-season flowers

you are not the star of this show
though we be gathered before the earth
present with the weight of the flowers
and these twelve wonderer’s eyes upon me
and this house that houses a baby

it is the fabric that gave it away
i wore a daffodil print
white and light as i promised i would be
here among all the fresh dug earth and flowers
the wonderers with salt tears and fresh wills

you are here with me
though your flesh resides in a pinewood box
i have come only to see the flowers
these too dead things
that live for a little bit of show

i too have become a wonderer
at what these wonderers now think
the present you gave me no secret
obvious like the fresh dug earth about
this present viciously kicking here beneath my dress
no pinewood box nor fresh dug earth shall kill us

she is the seed we planted
and today we plant your flesh within the earth
and yet there will be growth
and tomorrow there shall be a birth
the present: delivered as promised

we have many eyes upon us now
we two are no longer your summer flowers
drowned we are from salt floods
though these flowers have played their part
your flesh we may have lost
but your spirit we carry within our hearts

edit: formatting

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