New Petals Growing Poem by GORDON GILHULY

imagine this:

he was given a handful of rose petals.



when he was drifting away from the harbour

he forgot that he had such talismans.

later floating in the wake

they were not a highway.



after awhile in the ripeness of August

he forgets that spring

has different appetites.



in the yearning of September

he sees that roses and poetry cannot take root

in the self-absorption of concrete.



and even now in this next darkness

he feels new petals growing