Adenium Sap and the Paradigmatic Element of Life

that delightfully delicate desert rose,
that same alluring adenium multiflorum bearing the wondrous pinkish-fuchsia petals & white outlining angles 
brings with it the death-sap used by hunters in africa,
that which in a barrage of many poison soaked arrows
will slowly kill a giraffe as it tries so desperately to
get away from its
trackers---
as the magnificent animal
of gorgeous sepia, sienna, amber & saffron
treads closer to the ground with every step
as the cardiac glycosides fill its body through its bloodstream at an extreme
toxic
level,
our minds run rampant with horror
our hearts gush red with a disgustingly hypocritical sense of 
“compassion” which 
stares at us back from the mirror of
time,
laughing at our own self-corruption,
as orwell in shooting his elephant,
fleeing the body before it had actually passed,
not able to watch what he himself had caused the death of,
hearing only later that it took the beautiful creature
a half hour to die---
with this same thirst for beauty,
we ourselves approach the objects which operate with a thin skin
holding a vat of toxin within themselves
ready to explode
the moment we ingest them physically, metaphorically or whatever you claim to be
“spiritually,”
if you believe in such idiocy---
regardless,
we all pay the price,
walking for hours, maybe days
in the desert &
choking,
while our fellow humans,
the trackers, follow,
like the grim reaper’s own paparazzi 
ready to report back 
as to how our whole story played out,
sickly & stupid as we were,
seeking sweet nectar where there wasn’t even a taste &
justifiably suffering the 
consequences.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2011

Poem

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Jones Avatar
August 6, 2011 at 10:29 AM
wow. this is amazing, the way you put words to the mood I woke up in this morning. Thank you VERY much for this write!
Delapruch Avatar
August 6, 2011 at 1:41 PM
@ Nancy Jones. Glad I could be of service : ) Thanks for taking the time to read my work!
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace