Buzzards glide in the cloudless sky
Rock squirrels hurry on the ground
Shadowed by the prickly pear,
The Cereus makes no sound.
This lazy cactus leans upon
Support from kindly neighbors
Waiting for the perfect time
To begin its covert labors.
Once a year the sunset beckons—
And Cereus buds unfold
Their delicate white petals
With centers of soft gold.
A fragrance like vanilla
Spills forth from every core
Luring a local sphinx moth
To pollinate…before…
The first light of the morning
Forever shuts each flower
Without complaint or question,
They meet their final hour.
The secret of the Cereus
Revealed one moonlit night
Fulfill the Maker’s purpose
Inside the span of life.
Buzzards glide in the cloudless sky
Rock squirrels hurry on the ground
Life resumes in the desert heat
But the Cereus makes no sound.
Dear Reader,
“The Serious Cereus” is a revision of a poem which first appeared on my blog entitled “The Secret of the Cereus” in 2016. Check it out. I include much more information about this interesting cactus.
debbieburton.blog 