Silk Flowers

They do not fade.
Strands of silk
woven into flowers.
Pupal web of ersatz color.
Covey of butterflies,
tropical birds.
Opalescent tones of coal
on white brocade,
like snow
fading in the grass.
Illusion of catacomb and sea.
Chrysalis of a woman’s fancy
on the masculine surface
of the table.
It brightens the air
of the room.
A sentimental sonnet.
An oratorio of the person
who arranged
and put them there,
Mary.