Botany Lessons

I remember the moment the translucent soap bubble of clarity popped
listening to the radio as a back drop, occasional distraction to mundane housework
I had no interest in the gardening show, just too lazy to turn the dial
when a few snippets resonated, drawing my attention

like dust particles surfing air currents
or streaks on the bay window
suddenly illuminated by the afternoon sun

prefers indirect sunlight
doesn’t like wet feet
African violets flourish with benign neglect

Huh, that explains it
the masses of tender velvet leaves and yellow dotted
purple pedals while the Bird of Paradise droops, depressed

I expand my repertoire to include a Christmas
Cactus. Likes to be pot-bound. Needs several weeks of cool,
dark and dry to bud. With minimal effort, I’m rewarded
with a multitude of triple decker blossoms. So what
if they bloom in February. I don’t like
to force anything

If only I had learned sooner
that some lovers are tropical
and some thrive in the desert
I’d have been fewer botanical disasters in my past

First published in The Banister, Volume 31 (2016)

I remember the moment the translucent soap bubble of clarity popped
 listening to the radio as a back drop, occasional distraction to mundane housework
 I had no interest in the gardening show, just too lazy to turn the dial
 when a few snippets resonated, drawing my attention
  
 like dust particles surfing air currents
 or streaks on the bay window
 suddenly illuminated by the afternoon sun
  
 prefers indirect sunlight
 doesn’t like wet feet
 African violets flourish with benign neglect
  
 Huh, that explains it
 the masses of tender velvet leaves and yellow dotted 
 purple pedals while the Bird of Paradise droops, depressed
  
 I expand my repertoire to include a Christmas 
 Cactus. Likes to be pot-bound. Needs several weeks of cool, 
 dark and dry to bud. With minimal effort, I’m rewarded
 with a multitude of triple decker blossoms. So what
 if they bloom in February. I don’t like 
 to force anything
  
 If only I had learned sooner
 that some lovers are tropical
 and some thrive in the desert
 I’d have been fewer botanical disasters in my past
  
  
 First published in The Banister, Volume 31 (2016)