Stolen-The Decorative Airport Fern Is Not What It Pretends to Be

[charisstoma]

tsuki_no_bara

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/decorative-airport-fern-not-what-it-pretends-be

"The Decorative Airport Fern Is Not What It Pretends to Be", Jennifer L Knox

and it takes me a triple-take to realize it’s scanning
me, or something near my ear—that must be it. No plant’s
ever complimented my perfume—wait—there it goes
again. Did you see that? [Time passes, drinks] “Sure, I
remember when I thought you were a fern but you were!
Who could blame me?” I tell the what’s now a magnificent
purple tetrahedron, eggplant-sized cilia straining at its corners, just
a hint of ferniness remains in its fingertips—enough to blush.
We hug goodbye. The scent of flowers lingers around me
the next day. Flying home, a decorative airport fern that really
is a decorative airport fern says, “You smell nice.” I don’t
believe it, but it’s still a happy
ending.