In dormant form I rest under fifty
feet of snow buffeted by howling
winds high on the tundra of Rocky
Mountain National Park beneath
towering peaks above 13,000 feet.
Ever so gradually in April the snows
begin to melt and by June, between
strands of icy snow, I, in a cluster of
tiny lavender blossoms, peek at the
sun and enjoy my brief existence
until autumn comes in August. So,
for heaven’s sake, do not forget me
when you visit the tundra to see my
tiny blossoms growing at your feet!
Richard F. Fleck
Richard F. Fleck has his poetry published in numerous journals in US and abroad including Appalachia, Boston Review, La France, and Poetry Nippon. His latest collection is Bamboo in the Sun: Poems of Japan.