The Giant Zinnia Tune Played On The Xylophone

giant zinnias were on our planet

large enough for the puppy to play with

ambushing, sunbursting, magenta

tangerine or tamarind

with a sticky loquaciousness

the colour of dark amber

fuschia. or faded strawberry.

near match to our Fanta sodas

sipped = slowly near the milkweed patch

i favored with its lily spokes speaking in small

constellations near to the oleander

giant zinnias how can I tell the sun from you

you are like great clocks

ruby fireworks rooted in fine soil.

and your fragrance is like bitter grass right under the vast

picture window of the piano studio.

hi Grandmother. we can see you from outside.

she smiles her piano smile

I want to go back in a while to the same yard in full summer's

receding tide and under a pomegranate moon

to see my Grandfather planting them again

in his pea green jacket and his fedora.

and sing my zinnia zither tune for him with my sister

how majestic they were as if we lived among the first light

flowers small queens of all the hours who

just wandered in

into an unalienable kingdom;we were that lucky

and spun round till we were dizzy so that the stars came out

early in the afternoon.

in the same colours exactly.

and Grandmother said, come in girls

it's getting cool outside.

mary angela douglas 22 march 2020