Royal St. Flower Bed, April 1, 2006

Dead cigarettes,
peanut shells, earthworms, roots
And
The living body
of a purple tiger-face pansy
all
in my hands
As I open the earth
Like a surgeon
With his tools
Fingers gloved and god-like
Cradling (I love breathing like this).
Lowering (and holding it like this).
the beating heart
into the earth.