Linnaeus in Northern Light

Siberian corydalis (Corydalis nobilis)

These blooms with a bad yellowhave a thousand-year love with ants whoeat its seeds.Nothing can kiss like thatwithout pain. Still the plant makes its violet-coloredsweetness, not knowing whowill wound it.These ants are specialists in a body’s joints;this flower wants to come apart.

Glacier buttercup (Ranunculus glacialis)

Clings to lasting patches of snowwhile winter rations its finalstipend.If you are tender to them,under the chin they reveal how easy it is to adore what        cannot nourish you.

Rock cinquefoil (Potentilla rupestris)

Keen blades sprout in the granite cracks—maybe the rock is heaven’s vault to them.In the oil lamp’s glow, I devotemyself to these unscrolling shoots, as if searching the facesof saintly women.

Siberian crab apple (Malus baCCata)

I’ve spent many nights without a bed.I remember home,        its copper-red slats,the two crab apple trees standing guard.There are many books about the eyesof plants,but the figures walking the hallwaysof that house appear featurelessin dreams.On this patch of moss, the moon claims me.