Alstroemeria

inca lily

with all the toughness

of porcelain laid

for lawn mower blades

can't stand up

exactly straight

or keep

yourself

from being cut

so you grace

for days

and days

tables at

the center of

decorated rooms

and restaurants

floating in

tinted water

of a glass vase

until your petals wilt and fall

and what's the point

you often wonder

to live and die for others

who admire you for a few moments

then toss you in the trash

what you want most is to return

to the tall mountains

your ancestors ascend

given the timeless beauty

of your flowers

and the propensity

of people here

to want it all

without paying full price

there's never

much chance for that