The Green Thumb
Havenβt always had a thumb green
happy enough with a mason jar of flowers
My potted plants at best refuse to grow
desiccated roots, crepe paper stems dead
my days root bound, desperate to leaf
etiolating towards the slightest beams of joy
Started with a snake plant, half dead
slender sharp leaves banded verdant green
under my care, one weary leaf
needed to save her, to see her grow
Glass jars of emerald joy
on my sill, my imagination flowers
truculent roots blossoms on a cut leaf
still leathery, two shades of dead
but now with a sprout of joy
helping something grow
my breast burst with flowers
look at my fingertips of green
Sansveria sparked succulent joy
Inebriated on green
drowsy heads of orchid flowers
purple inch plants, flame crotons all dead
but warty tongues and cacti pricks grow
puns aside, turning a new leaf
new speciems replace the dead
something inside ripens; bears flowers
weird wonderful desert gems green
in sight nary a leaf
Savage spines become my joy
from five to fifty the numbers grow
comforted by resilient flowers
my veins pulse evergreen
my collection continues to grow
despite my grief, joy
I am the upturnt leaf
blooming life from the dead