not with yellow flowers
ray heinrich
i start out trying
to write a poem about yellow flowers
about the ones i saw today
these yellow flowers
are the first flowers of spring
even before the skunk cabbages
in the low parts of the river bed
but another poem about yellow flowers?
it’s like making a movie about two
people finding each other and
disliking each other then
falling deeply in love
it’s been done
by wonderful poets
(the yellow flowers, i mean)
but maybe you haven’t read them
those wonderful poets
and you’re reading me right now
so possibly
i can get away with it
but i want more
and who has more?
TV
the TV knows
i turn on
the “today’s worst” news
and listen to the body counts
of the firearms companies
and watch
how that couple from the 23rd floor
learned to fly
and listen
to the 911 recording
that child left
see
it works
that’s how you do it
not with yellow flowers
