Nancy Davies

Flor de Mayo
April, 2021

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The Flor de Mayo blooms in April

a sign of hope, or possible hope

like visiting Santa: rich, you get

whatever you asked for,

religious, less likely.

 

Flor de Mayo in April makes

our hearts go bonkers: a pledge

in rose or yellow, of something

good yet to come.  My heart

puts on its roller skates heavy

with hope nailed to my feet

with a metal key, the road

paved with tar smooth and hard

until July. Along the row

of porches the cry goes up

All-i, All-i Home-free;

we took to the streets.

 

The Flor de Mayo blossoms

land on cactus thorns

as gently as a mother patting

her baby’s back. Sure enough-

a burp, a bud, up come magenta

cactus flowers. The rains began

like milk engorged in breasts

trying to give without

drowning this hungry child.

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