When depressed,
My head shrinks —
A pitted black olive.When happy,
My soul blooms —
A lusty red dahlia.Yesterday I fell in love
With a fig,
And devoured its golden pulp.Then, at home,
My orchid, jealous —
Died of excess water.Alone, I mused
On poppies and prunes
And nights without days.
Jay Neugeboren is the author of twenty-one books. His new novel, Max Baer and the Star of David, will be published in fall 2015.
