Poem of the Week: The Summer Party

Lois Batchelor Howard
Palm Springs, CA Branch

 

I look into the corner

of my backyard

and the green and flowering

plants

are huddled together.

They look like a cocktail party

with too many guests.

Whom shall I uninvite?

Shears in my hand I approach

the foxtail lily desert candles

the wall germandus

the fairy bells

the bougainvillea

I know this is rude to say to them,

but I do.  “It is too crowded here.”

They laugh and I hear their thoughts

become audible in the late afternoon sun,

“but none of us wants to leave.”

I look at my shears, put them down,

and return with a cocktail to join them.

 

13 comments

  1. Ellison Walcott says:

    I love the tone and images…and the humor…The ending is surprising. I expected a vase…

    • I’m with Brenda, Lois. You so endeared yourself to us by creating a poem which is like a short short story with an O. Henry twist. Count me in for a Cosmo. Happy gardening–and watering–to all.

  2. Virginia Franklin Campbell says:

    Love it Lois, I hope we get to meet someday. I have enjoyed the collection you sent me. You’ll hear more about Ekphrasis in the not to distant future.

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