1. Carrion Flower - Blooming Moment Certain rare birds Can regrow wings and learn to fly again. — Raggedy Andy Outside my heart garden, I keep her in a metal cage Wings clipped, exiled—too dangerous to be let out— I could keep an eye on her here, This way, she won’t hurt anyone, I’m sure. She suffers 1000 tortures from other lives I can’t stand her screams So I bring her a single rare flower, A Carrion Flower, black tongue licking out Of a purple ruffled wing, It smells like its name. She smiles her caged up grin And I ask if she is able to hear me, Her head bobbed in all directions, I can’t tell if the answer is yes or no I love you the way you are, And you are in here for a good reason! The last words roll into the sewer As lost coins. The real truth? I am afraid of her. Given half a chance she would kill me— First for ignoring her—then for locking her up. So on the next visit, I bring her more flowers with different scents All in pots so they are living beings First daisies, then tulips then a whole field of daffodils. She looks through the bars at me and laughs Then organizes herself into a lotus position On the cold floor, tears damming under her eyes. After a while, in a veil of golden smoke She sprouts her new wings and Disappears, and somehow Takes the flowers with her! I put the skeleton key into the lock And opened the empty cage. She leaves me a note, I didn’t know she could write, Your turn honey, Now it’s your turn to Surrender. Ha, ha! 2. Carrion Flower - Falling Moment They say he stuffed Mullein leaves In his underwear To protect from those sirens. He ordered his men to do the same, And had them press those soft Leaves into their ears, Then apply wax, To seal against their song. He had his men sew him a cape Of Mullein leaves then strap him To the mast. Only Ulysses’ ears were open To listen to their seductive choir And his binds would protect him from those whispers And sighs from their groans and gyrations From going mad, From turning his ship into the rocks. Poor Ulysses. What of the night? Did you really think? You could stop any hot-blooded Siren From seeping into your dreams? ***