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The Cactus


In a sunlit corner
of the garden
a large, proud cactus
stood tall in a green pot
in front of a gilded mirror
admiring itself
resplendent 
in its armor 
of long spines
and crowned
with a purple flowering hat,
until yesterday
when it toppled over
decapitated
by a bug
who was hard to see 
and had dined for days
on the gooey center
of its
swollen vanity.

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Daniel Henry Rodgers

Date: 3/20/2024 6:08:00 PM

Hello Paul, I enjoyed your poem of pride and downfall. You show us the fragility of vanity and the unexpected ways in which life's challenges can bring even the proudest to their knees. I loved your imagery of the cactus, once resplendent, now toppled by an unseen bug, is both striking and thought-provoking. It prompts reflection on the transient nature of outward appearances and the importance of humility in the face of adversity. - Blessings, Daniel

Paul Willason
Date: 3/22/2024 2:58:00 PM

There is always an outcome, a price to pay....in this case commentary on the fallout from pride...rather extreme in the form of decapitation but hey, poetic licence. So grateful, once again, to receive yr comments my friend.