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.
