Waiting to break open

Milkweed pods
in the morning sun
cradle damp-feathered seeds
and wait for a string of hot dry days;
a chilly night or two
to brown and break open;
to release their secret weapons --
bright fairy wings
that sparkle and dance among the moonbeams,
flutter in the light
and drift across the lawn,
soft like mist
above the grassy blades.


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