Inappropriate Poison
The oleanders blossom pinks and whites.
Though grief does not have colors in its soul,
It never turns to pink in satin rites
Of death. The coffin wears a floral stole
Of lavender , perhaps, though hardly pink,
More priestly lavender. Most think of black
For grief. Black has a certain troubling stink
To it since black contains the darkest lack
Of springtime blossoms. Then again pure white
Is far too blank for pastel tints. It too
Makes blandness harsh. But nightmares come at night
In brains with twisted roots like graveyard yew.
We think of lime, though, used to seal the stones
Of mausoleums holding human bones.
~ Phillip Whidden
by phillipw | Apr 13, 2025 | DE, GR, MO |