As the idiot
Eats and swallows the
Poppy flower
So long ago.  
Did he know
That his stupidity
Opened a new world.

I went to the tattoo parlour
Hoping to get something
That tells my life
Story
Yet realistic and 3D
So I ask for
An ***** poppy
For I was misunderstood
For most of my life
Like the plant
Containing two huge
Pearls
For the two
People who understand
And love me
When society doesn’t.

Little red
Wildflower
A Poppy
In a field with others
Like him
Gently sway in the in the breeze
Sometimes watching the other
Poppies
Sometimes
a couple of lovers
Coupling.

Guns are all now silent,
The killings all been done,
The boys are coming home,
The war’s ended, but not for some,

The war to end all wars ended,
One hundred years ago,
The killings started over again,
No poppies in the meadow,

Civil war in Yemen,
The Saudis and Iran,
Russia starts an arms race,
Trump’s wall building plan,

Caravan from Honduras,
Fleeing death and repulsion,
Troops at the Mexican border,
With guns and no discussion,

Mothers fears and lovers tears,
Of family they’ll never see again,
Shootings at schools and bars,
Talk of gun control all in vain.

One hundred years ago
There was silence
We hoped it was forever
Forever is a short time historically
But, it stopped
For a while
And there was peace
For a while

The silence was loud
It was heard around the world
For a while
Soon, the silence faded
But there was silence
For a while

One hundred years ago
The war ended
It was the war to end all others
For a while
One hundred years ago
There was silence
Except for the wind in the poppies
For a while

some species of plants close their petals at night
as the sun greets the sky and begins to warm the world,
each petal begins to slowly uncurl itself, as if to welcome the warmth of its radiant companion
it isn't exactly known why our self sufficient friends tuck themselves in for the night
one theory says they're trying to conserve energy
another says they want to protect their pollen from not so pollinating others
i wish i could learn to be like these flowers
able to open my soul for others come inside
able to shut the gate when too much of me is being used up
it's been quite awhile
my leaves are beginning to brown and i can't even stand up straight
the sun asks why i can't rest for a while?
close up shop until i'm strong enough to try again?
my answer:
i will remain open for minutes upon hours upon days
hoping he'll show up, hoping that he stays