FLOWERING CRAB

Ten thousand blooms ignited the flowering crab
With flaming reds and riotous orange flares,
Quite eclipsing her neighboring baby pear’s
Discreet and seemly garments whitely drab.

Today the pear is bearing a modest crop
Of five fruits, affixed to fragile limbs
But promising ten delicious Belles Helenes.
The crab meanwhile is wailing, “Nature, stop.

Each blossom has turned into an ample apple,
And every one is filling up with juice.
My limbs are sagging, cracking, breaking loose,
Rapidly snapping, over sappy, hapless.

Why is love so tied to reproduction?
And why does creation so often imply destruction?”

(45, August 18, l992)

Comments

Each fruit is created from sunlight and water and carbon dioxide… and a spicy mix of metals created in ancient star explosions. Take away any component and
NOTHING.