Laudanum

You have to admire
the delicate chemistry

of the brain. Flowers
trigger dopamine,

they tell me.
And, so, we take joy

in abundance and the arrival
of spring. It’s a miracle,

really, what goes on
in there.

On the way to your next show,
buy chrysanthemums

and sit them on the backseat
beside you.

The same thing works
with poppies or with roses.

Consider each dozen
a dozen doses.

They’ll activate
your oxytocin,

even as you sleep,
uneasily in the backseat.

If not, simply
add whiskey

and a little laudanum
to the recipe.

It’s a miracle, really,
what goes on in there.

Have your driver
hang onto the flowers.

–December 30, 2017