Holy Cyclops

pink and yellow tulips open first, their
delicate romantic blooms emitting
season’s promising perfume, and presage
passion’s red, carnelian flowering of
hope and life and joy

lavender azaleas spread their petals
wide and welcome giant bumblebees, who
settle there and ravish them like lovers
long forgotten, recently returned to
hope and life and joy

tiger swallowtail appears in sudden
swoop and grazes tulip and azalea,
dancing on the vernal air and vowing
summer’s kiss and kiss and loving kiss of
blossoms’ eager lips, a black and yellow
lepidopteran embodiment of
hope and life and joy

now is time for unrestrained desire
dressed as spring’s exuberant renewal
now is time for new beginnings