Daffodils (Narcissus jonquilla)
They had yellow hearts
or a midnight sheen.
Some of them
were seasick green.
They bared fiery teeth,
showed petticoats
or moon-colored wings.
Every winter, Dad and I chose
more from the catalog.
Better than a calendar,
they marked the time
every spring.
On dewy blue mornings
I went out, sliced through
crunch of stem, crammed
all the color I could
into a jar. I brought them
to school, carried them
from class to class, studied them
instead of books.
They had rain inside and out. My life
was so boring. The stalks
leaked and drank where I cut them.
I had no idea how lucky I was.
Twitter: @thndrkat
Editor’s note: The imagery is unique and tactile, but it’s the last line that will make me remember this poem.
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