Before the transition
I was delivered with care
in the finest of greenhouses
caressed and soothed
by skillful hands and gentle rays
of indirect sunlight
life was full of promise
hope ever boundless
like my ancestors before me
those that sprouted
from the fecund creases
of bark and tufts of moss
like delicate winged barnacles
beautifying tropical trees
with dreams as wide as the jungle
Phalaenopsis
a sophisticated name
for one who now lives in a cluttered room
upon a radiator
oh, how you once adored me
remember how you showed me off
to the cashier?
Have you ever seen such vibrant petals!
Now
I gasp
withered
sepals fallen
roots
parched
Why have you forgotten about me?
Why did you rob me of my beauty?
Why did you ever bring me home?
Poem by Mary C. M. Phillips
Mary C. M. Phillips is a caffeinated wife, mother, writer and musician. Her essays have been published in numerous bestselling anthologies.
Her spoken-word poetry has been featured at the Walt Whitman Birthplace (Huntington, NY), Rock-n-Soul Gospel (WCWP radio), and Bards Revolution (BlogTalk radio) while her written-word poetry appears in a variety of poetry anthologies.
As a musician she has recorded and toured nationally with recording artists such as Matthew Sweet, Marti Jones, Don Dixon, and Chris Stamey. Her latest work, Music of the Forest (Rock-it Science Records) is available on iTunes and streaming platforms.
“Writing poetry is a way of seeking — and conveying — the invisible. It also helps us to see beauty in others.”
Follow her on twitter @marycmphil or at https://CaffeineEpiphanies.com