In order to accept the loss of something
In order to let a flower grow
Your hands have to be open
Enough to let the light in
Enough for the roots to settle into the earth beneath
Sink your toes into dirt already warm from the sun
The smell of soil stuck under fingernails
The decay of old to give room to new blooms
You can touch the petals for a moment
They’re satin soft
Pollinated with kisses
Let them shrivel and preserve up on your windshield
Remember their color
Remember the taste
Remember the feel of their smile
Mourn
Remember each season comes again
Winter pulls in blankets of safety
Snow preserves the flower so it can
Be used up again
Melt it into spring
You’ll bloom again
Admire the beauty
Preserve it if you can
What a bittersweet thing
The gentler your hands
The longer it lasts
Embrace its life with the lingering aftertaste
Lucifer’s Halo 