In early spring
buds
like
green snouts
become
a rainbow
of
dragons

opening
origami
mouths
into the deep curve of the bowl
the pool of
sweetness.

In time
snug, dark pods
hang
like
skulls

where
once
all that neon
beauty
burned.

/

Cento Sources: Welborn Hope, William Laird, Bruce Taylor, Rae Armantrout, A. H. Melchor/M.
R. Quinn, Lenelle Moise, Paul Muldoon, Devin Johnston, Peter Hargitai, Joyce Sutphen, Robert
Wrigley, Arden Levine, David Trinidad, Stephen Dunn, Nikky Finney, Soul Vang, Charles
Bernstein, Bruce Taylor, Dana Levin, James J. Ryan, Ian MacDonald, Kirk Robertson, Ariana
Reines, Mark Turcotte

Patrice Boyer Claeys is the author of five poetry collections, most recently Earth Cafeteria, a photo-poetry collaboration with Gail Goepfert. Recent work appears in Tupelo Quarterly, NELLE, Scapegoat Review and North Dakota Quarterly. Nominated for Pushcart and Best of the Net, she can be found at www.patriceboyerclaeys.com.