Flowers for Your Hair

This piece, from the poet's "Second Selke Cycle" was actually born from an experience where a lover told a mutual friend that flowers he (DeVault) had given her were from a different source. It wounded him when he heard about it, but not so much he died...just enough to give him pain from which to write.

Flowers for Your Hair

if I gave you flowers for your hair
would you wear them? or would
you put them away in a vase somewhere
for future reference...in case you could not find
better blossoms or a better suitor
to dance on the beach with?
and would you be strong enough,
to answer when asked,
where you got the flowers from,
when the jealous boys at the well
asked...their fists clenched in
self-targeted cowardice? there are no
right answers to the riddle. but I have
little time for vases and evasions.
love is meant to be a simple thing
that we poison only with artifice
and our our shortcomings. wear
the flowers and dance with me
in the twilight, and I will everyday
find new flowers to add fragrance
to your life. to your love. to your heart.


William F. DeVault. all rights reserved.