BLACK FLOWERS.

Black flowers blossom,

at a loss for words am I.

Yielding velvet ebony,

seductive to the eye.

I've never seen such flowers.

Powerless am I to fight

the urge to just caress it.

The temptation makes it right.

Enticement notwithstanding,

handling such a foreign thing,

may reap unwanted consequence.

Expose a hidden sting.

What's up with my hesitance?

Pleasantness is what I see.

I could just reach out and stroke it.

What's this feeling stopping me?

My guide, a humble brochure

assures when I'm in doubt.

But what I see on the first page

damn near knocks me out!

Black flowers may be tempting,

exempting but one fact:

poison thorns beneath the petals!

How swiftly I react!

Incredulous, I take a hold

and fold the petal back.

Amazed, I find the book is right!

Look what's beneath the black!

Scarlet teardrops trickle

from prickles down the side.

Aghast, I jerk my hand away.

Thank God I had my guide!

The flowers that so many choose

ooze venom from the spines.

But why can't others see it?

Can't they read between the lines?

I turn and face the gathered crowd.

Aloud I say, "don't touch!

The beauty hides a danger,

causes death and pain and such!"

The seduction of the flowers

overpowers any warning.

My fevered cry for cautiousness

is sadly met with scorning.

And the one who grew the flowers

glowers smugly at my rue.

He and I both know its beauty

blind them as to what is true.

They barge past me and caress

its essence, stupefied with glee.

And they scoff at how such beauty

seems so sinister to me.

Yet even as the spindles fiercely

pierce their outstretched hand,

they consciously ignore the poison!

Can't they understand?!

I realise now that people feel

appeal dictates what's pure.

With the world's support, black flowers

will always blossom and endure.

And however hard I hold my ears,

my fears are soon fulfilled

by the screams of those who welcomed death,

and to their surprise……were killed.

*

Genesis 3:4 – "You will not surely die," said the Serpent.

And sure enough, they did. Thanks for reading.