Poppies - a Deadly Beauty

"Poppies ... yes, poppies! Poppies will put them to sleep! Poppies!" The rather prophetic irony is not lost on me, sadly, and the reality of an epidemic that has taken many lives ... and even MORE souls ... It takes your soul FIRST ... then your will, your job, your spouse, your children, your home, your car, your teeth, your self-respect, your sanity ... It's a slow death, but an effective suicide nonetheless ... just more costly, more painful, and more torturous, (for everyone) ... No Wizard's balloon to fly you back to reality, no Good Witch to wave her wand, no Ruby Slippers to tap you back to a better time ... Just a nightmare that never ends, and a flying monkey that's all too happy to remind you what's at stake, even if you DO get him off your back ... I dream of a Yellow Brick Road and an Emerald City, but it's just that - a dream - and in-between? All those gorgeous, heavenly poppies ... And you know there's little chance you'll never get past their beauty and aroma ... even though it's all just a spell.