Saucer Magnolia
Queen of the Spring
How can mere tree branches hold
your galaxy of tulips?
Milk-white like pear blossoms never are
and pinker than any crabapple
with thousands of bloomers opened at once
like a cotillion in a teenage boy's dreams.
Sky flowers fall down to earth with no sound
from limbs that were bare last week
and soon will be building a ceiling of leaves
for songbirds now drunk on its sweets.
Great Mother - is that all we really know of you?
Your perfume to remind us you're still here?
