“Spring is late” by Nolcha Fox and Barbara Leonhard

and flowers burst
light-speed to bask
in summer sun.
The bees are drunk,
they swerve insane
on nectar sweet.
Hollyhocks raise
their gypsy skirts,
last flowers, blooming
just in time to greet
The autumn winds.

I’ve dallied long enough,
delayed my day
to blossom.
The hollyhocks dance 
with bees.
I primp 
in the violet sun.

I’m late no matter what I do.
I think it’s all the primping.
Better to be late, I say,
and show my blooms in style,
than slip through the back door 
right on time
and no one see my petals.

The same old white gown
every season. 
The Traditional Easter Lily.
Not the Stargazer
in her pink parfumerie
and her clutter of butterflies.

Who needs a gown
when I can dress
in butterflies?
Who needs perfume
when busy bees
adorn me with
their pollen?

To do it all. Be it all.
Ready to impress the gardener. 
Stand out. Stem strong.
Be the prettiest.
Bud at any age
with grace and ease.

Copyright © 2023 Nolcha Fox and Barbara Leonhard
All Rights Reserved

Nolcha’s poems have been published in Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Alien Buddha Zine, Medusa’s Kitchen, and others. Her poetry books are available on Amazon. Nominee for 2023 Best of The Net. Editor for Open Arts Forum. Accidental interviewer/reviewer. Faker of fake news. You can follow Nolcha on her Website. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nolcha.fox/. Instagram: nfoxauthor. A review of her latest book, “Memory is that raccoon” can be found here. A review of “Why Chicken Explodes in the Microwave” can be found here.

Barbara is author of Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (EIF- Experiments in Fiction, 2022). A poem from this collection was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2022. Also, on Spillwords, Barbara was voted Author of the Month of October 2021, nominated Author of the Year for 2021, and recognized as a Spillwords Socialite of the Year in 2021. In November 2022, she became Editor for MasticadoresUSA.

Featured Image: by Mystics Art Design on Pixabay

Editor: Barbara Harris Leonhard

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Amazon Best-Selling Author, Three-Penny Memories: A Poetic Memoir (EIF-Experiments in Fiction, 2022);

Pushcart Nominee, 2022

Facebook: Barbara Harris Leonhard /barbara.leonhard; Twitter: @BarbaraLeonhar4; Instagram: @meelosmom123

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Divider Image: by GDJ on Pixabay