Besos
after “The Act” by William Carlos Williams
Cut it down
tongue clean the blade
of caught-off-guard
the sudden beauty
of never-lasting
Chop it off
preserve the ineffable
wilting improbability
petals browned
by fingers’ oily mar
Hack away
and hermetically seal
the exhale
visible only
to the naked eye
Scrape your tines
against the bark
so new foliage will have
no choice but to form
around your mark
