(blossoms)

The bottle brush
blossoms started
at the top of the tree
and are working
their way down.
I was stunned
to see the bright
red bristles which
had hidden from
my view.
I have watched
the long buds
form, overnight
as nature seems
to work.
The red is creeping
down into sight
from my desk,
the tip of
one bloom descending
past the roof,
the edges of the
green shafts
reddening
but held tightly
in place still
like a ripening
girl afraid
to grow up.

4/27/99