Moonflowers

Moonflowers bloom in the dark I long to learn their secret for it doesn’t appear the sun will ever shine on me to let me out of the shell of my seed to sprout I planted them along the fence at the back of the garden to block out the ugliness beyond their vines winding wild around the wires large luminescent pearly petals gracefully twirling open under the lunar light producing nocturnal perfume that permeates the sultry night air disguising the stench of stale beer staining the concrete and the slight scent of rot wafting from the dumpster setting in the parking lot across the alley I alone am awake to appreciate them I do not need to sleep to dream Every futile fantasy slicing away another sliver of me until I eventually wither as my moonflowers will with winter’s chill