San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly

Toti O'Brien
BLOOMS

 

Then I
fell in love
briefly. An
impromptu crush
for someone
unreachable a
stranger an
actor
 
That day I
felt the
air become
porous
full of scents
rich with
deeper
vibrations
 
‘N the cactus
I earlier
dug out of
a wall’s crack
‘n stuck in
new soil
hoping for its
revival
 
(it remained
mute and
neutral
for months
its destiny
obscure)
bloomed
suddenly
 
With one
flower
only
so glorious
‘n huge
I could
not
believe it
 
When its
features
exploded
against the green
backdrop
of the banana
tree I took
its picture
 
It did last
a few days
then fell off
(its stem
blackened
out as if
burned by an
invisible flame)
 
Although
I have a
proof
printed on
paper
I doubt
I ever
saw it