The Blooming of Peonies
Peonies had reminded me of death.
When Mother cut armfuls of pink
and white blossoms, stuffed them
into buckets for graves on
Decoration Day, I thought
Too show off for sad, cold stones.
But after you kissed me back
to life, I saw spring in a new
light. Ants swarmed over
peony buds, urged petals open
with their sticky juice. You
unfolded me into the fragrance
of your chest, turned me
inside out like Georgia’s flowers.
Voices: Lost and Found
by Jan Duncan-O’Neal
Table of Contents
Mother’s Voice
The Uncles
Neighborhood Crone
Demise
Hold Me, Pa
Dancing with Bob
Transplant
First Love
Dyslexic
Requiem for a Prodigal Daughter
The Great Sphinx
Lament for a Bookstore
Second Chance
Honeymoons
Introspection
New Enlightenment
Pushcart Nominations
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The Lives You Touch Publications
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