Snapdragons
Eric Machan Howd
are so small their fiery breath
can only be seen up close
hundreds of tiny dragons curled
next to one another on the stem
exhaling hues of springtime meadows
fairy wings and baby’s first breath
their yawns sound like many fingers
snapping out of sync in the field
they never speak to one another
and huddle close in heavy rain
like siblings who don’t know what
to say after their parents have died
so beautiful – this patch of fury
this bed of make-believe
where one can only see flowers
in vibrant colors up and down
sturdy green stems and new growth
always new growth from old death
Eric Machan Howd
Eric Machan Howd (Ithaca, NY) is a poet, musician, and educator. His work has been seen in such publications as River City, Nimrod, Stone Canoe, Caesura, and The Healing Muse. In 2021, his fifth collection of poetry, "Universal Monsters," was published by The Orchard Street Press. He is currently working on an erasure project using a work by author H.P. Lovecraft.