Trees

Everywhere/today
the irises insisted
on waving their blue flags

Hairy tongued things
with mouths
hanging open

as if to fuck the air

O la la la spring
& dying

the usual song

            ‘Every flower in a garden/is a sign
            of a complete failure’
            the landscape designer declared

Why not salute the trees
They take a long time to die

& then can die only half way
for a long time

for a long time
be half alive