Without Flowers Poem by Raj Dronamraju

Infertile hard ground establishes a joyless regimen
A place where the people look like the environment
They worship a beautiful fairy story
But don't practice any of its teachings

We need to come to some sort of an understanding
You will never get anything approaching love here
Instead all that will approach you is brutish routine

Nobody will pick apart a stranger's boastful, made-up stories
There won't be a showdown at noon like in a movie
There'll only be a life without flowers
Without contact, with all chances for honest expression locked up tight

I know there will be someplace different
Within the coverage area of a cellular phone
But that won't make an impact as long as they are able to keep it hushed up

I'll open my mouth
I'll speak of flowers, artist's renderings of flowers
I'll speak of color and form
Flowers as a vehicle for conversational relationships