Zen and the art of plastic flower maintenance

From time to time, when
I’ve been meditating, and
these things matter, I pick respectfully
the plastic flowers from their vase,
wash the vase, wipe the dust
off the leaves with a moist cloth,
dip the flower-heads in water
as one would give someone
a holy bath

and then replace them in
a slightly new position in the vase,
a slightly new position on the table.

absurdity and
something beautiful
have met and got along together rather well.