Deserted Marigolds Poem by Cloe C

Pretty flowers don't crumble-
they stand tall and stay humble.
We live in a city without trust,
marigolds still stand in these gusts.

Nobody sees more than a Casino.
Anytime people say they're from Reno.
No wonder that's where everyone goes.
It distracts you from your lows.

The air becomes polluted and dim,
while the space around grows grim.
In a city of addiction and agitation,
the deserted marigolds have a strong foundation.

When you don't know where to search,
gambling becomes the new church.
The newest biggest threat-
is the game of death roulette.

The deserted marigolds
scream from their chokehold.
They are battle born,
they have been relentlessly scorned.

They have seen forests turn to wasteland,
from a careless quick flick of a hand.
Buildings filling with more smoke,
as the people inside go broke.

The ones that survive through droughts-
these ones learn how to sprout.
Even without clouds and rain,
the deserted marigolds learn to live through pain.

Don't let the bedbugs bite is a reality.
As most can't turn their oven up one degree.
During the hot August nights,
some can hardly afford to have their lights.

When it finally starts to rain and pour,
the deserted marigold's growth turns to war.
Being submerged in water leads to root rot.
Through the drowning they relentlessly fought.

When the moon replaces the sun,
are the times you might hear the bullets from a gun.
That's when people shoot targets or meth,
getting too close to seeing death.

Their petals are delicate to the touch.
A blazing strike might make it crush.
In a world full of destructive thunder and lightning,
the deserted marigolds keep fighting.

Everything around turns to dust and ash.
It seems like everywhere you look there is trash.
The state gets built into a graveyard,
the land behind forever bombard.

Even though marigolds are easy to grow-
they can still suffer their final blow.
There's certain conditions they demand.
They need to be in warm hands.

Like the ones that give you a dollar for the bus,
or the ones that are there to always discuss.
Like the kind people that let you make a call,
or the ones behind you to catch you when you fall.