Luminous petals, lush

Swirls of lustrous butter, magenta or snow white

Sheltering a bulbous spiky yellow

Center, I liked you before I knew your name

Languid hairy stems, splayed leaves

Beneath your heady blossoms

An inner weed, tenacious, dangerous

To be beautiful and bitter

A floral femme fatale yet your name

Ranunculus, a tongue twister

Setting you apart from commonplace cousins spearwort and buttercups

Setting you above supermarket specials roses and carnations

Makes you my bright favorite