Daffodils of Detroit

by Jeni De La O

---

lured by hot lick sunshine
and mud that swallows
whole,
they  never   had  a chance ( 
bloomed too early.
).

I peeped you, Daffodil,
swaying
you good, you good
in the breeze of every exhaust
too good, and sweet    your neck
can’t turn back on itself
to see   
what was  coming        for  you  from
the moment you split              seed:
unexpected expected frost.
hear them laughing?
fake spring, second spring, spring breakers
break
spring          and now,

I see your little limp body and wonder,
you good
(
         or?
) ;
I’ll see you next year.

---

Jeni De La O is an AfroCuban poet and storyteller out of Detroit. She is a co-founder of the Estuary Collective and Managing Editor of Kissing Dynamite Poetry. Her monthly column, BROWN STUDY, can be found at The Poetry Question. Catch up wth her at www.croquetalessinthecity.com