Wildflower O'Clock

borrego badlands in blossom shock,

seed impatient imperial valley surprises

where a sweet delicate scent rises.

early march sky rosily powders sweet talk

blots dry damp desert soil, so precisely

opening at wildflower o’clock...

sunflower yellow fields and parish’s poppies

sandblast the painted carpet superbloom,

damson plum of verbena dune.

delicate hued beavertail cactus blend

with arizona lupine across coyote canyon

springs, unexpected sand lilies portend.

sea-purslane detours to san sebastian

wash, fonts point, mal pais for jones's linanthus;

strike white vespertine in last hours.

orcutt’s scrubby aster is a solitary lavender,

russian thistle, succulent pussypaws, desert five spot

a flat-tail horned lizard in the monkey flowers.