The Last Day of a Red Tulip

One early morning, before the sun's ascent,
Stood a red bud in my front lawn.
Tall and erect, illustrating kind of phallic
Arrogance.  Like Lord Shiva in a temple.
As dawn unfurled, its light on the scene, 
The tulip stepped out of its male disguise.
Unveiling itself like a brazen maiden
In a late-night nude show. In Copenhagen.
Throughout the day, it danced in solar bliss, 
Paying no heed to the flame that charred 
And chafed its skin, leaving it cringed.
Cringed, Redder & Wounded. 
At dusk the sun's piercing shaft departed
To tease another red tulip far afield, 
Whilst my tulip's blood oozed & dropped 
On the grass. Scattered red petals.
And I remained at the window. Wondering 
About the life of a tulip, and its dubious essence.
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Written in 1982 at the F7 Airforce Base, Sweden.

Dilruba Z. Ara is the author of internationally acclaimed novels: A List of Offences and Blame in addition to a collection of stories titled Detached Belonging. Her novels, stories, translated work and poetry serve as touchstones for scholars worldwide while her visual art adds a multifaceted view into the depths of her creative soul. Raised on Greek mythology and international fairy tales, Ara's literary journey began at age eight. She is multilingual and adept in writing three languages, with her works published worldwide. Currently residing in Sweden, Ara imparts her expertise in both Swedish and English.