One lazy afternoon while taking a nap in my chair
With the dog squeezed close... not an inch to spare; 
The smell of sap awoke us.. permeating and intense, 
  Enough to choke us..We  sneezed..It was immense! 

Then suddenly a throng clustered with pink crowns.
Their heads bobbled as they hobbled with long stems~ 
Koki's  mouth  agape.. trembled when she saw them,
She didn't bark.. but she mustered weak sounds!

We were greeted by the leader... boss of the pack,
Who introduced his family.. so many he'd lost track.
He said they were oracles imparting great knowledge;
They performed miracles with the art  form of collage!

He claimed their title was aka Common  Milkweed
But were better known as an aristocratic ilk and breed,
Unlike kin grown in meadows 'show offs' with blooms;
THEY left imprints in their field of houses and rooms!

Well... after listening to their boasts and brags
I agreed with trust to hire this eccentric  bunch;
  They ran to their bus retrieving equipment and rags,
  Whisking away dead bugs who got stuck eating lunch.

The star shaped flowers capered with their brooms~
Sweeping dust balls from floors and mopped til clean.
 They assembled to  paste and wall papered the rooms;
It resembled a forest glade .. dripping with cream.

They molded our chairs into thrones of broad leaves,
 And cushions were filled with silk pod downy fluffing,
Milk-weeds lined  backs wrapping o'er arm sleeves;
 Ah~hh... divine trappings with comforts of soft stuffing! 

It was time to go..they needed to replenish supplies
We tried to stand up.. but stayed glued to our seat~
Cloying incense hung and sprayed its perfume sweet..
As door's loose hinges swung open to let in the flies.

© Copyright by Andrea Jeanne Petersen
Written August 30, 2003