First Draft of Poem with a few Words Stolen From Sandra Simonds’ Now-Defunct Blog

The gladiola is the bad behavior is
Something you tried to be furtive about
But couldn’t make a

Flower couldn’t get rid of this ad
Make bottles of beer appear
As often as desired

Making a couldn’t into headache
Into orgasm, into
A soup you called “tom thumb”

When you asked me what my
Favorite flower
And I said Bachelor’s Button

It wasn’t commentary but the way
To say goodbye
To a past much less sexy than I pretend.

To be pretentious can’t be a sin worse
Than suffering close and fast and dead,
Can’t be worse

Than nixing your phlox or canceling your
Reunion show
Because I haven’t loved you good enough.