Peonyverse

By Joshua St. Claire

​the dust
that took Shannon Hoon
ivory peony
 
both minuend
and subtrahend
salmon peony
 
the shadow
of a murmuration
deep peony 
 
another Marlboro
I ash
a scarlet peony
 
the sky
divided by zero
coral peony 
 
burning
from throat to navel
amber peony
 
looking me dead in the eyes
as the elevator door closes
silk peony
 
form over
function
glass peony
 
as it says
on the tin
peonydew
 
the pill she takes
for the side effects
white peony 

---

Joshua St. Claire is an accountant from a small town in Pennsylvania. His poetry has been published or is forthcoming in the /tƐmz/ Review, The Tampa Review, Osiris Poetry, Modern Haiku, and Lana Turner. His haiku have received several rewards, including Rattle: Poets Respond.