From “Hardly Opera”
—tête-à-tête of flowers—
(still at the ambassador’s garden party in the middle of Seoul)
ROSE OF SHARON
How do you do
Mr. Ambassador?
DECLASSIFIED FLOWER
How do you do?
Modern style?
I do
—
AZALEA
Overly ovaries!
General Kim
How do you do?
ROSE OF SHARON
One shot!
No spots!
How many baby azaleas?
—
UPI FLOWER
Did something happen?
The world wants to know
ROSE OF SHARON
Syngman Rhee has left for Hawaii
Modern style of course!
—
UPI FLOWER
Do petals fall and bloom again?
UGLY FLOWER
Tell the world
We want
Coty powder!
—
CHERRY BLOSSOMS
O totally tether!
Does it tatter?
CLASSIFIED FLOWERS
O patter matter!
Do you batter?
—
BABY AZALEAS
O Coty potty!
Hoity naughty
FORSYTHIAS
O pat her met her!
Does she natter?
—
ROSE OF SHARON
I’d rather batter
BLUE HYDRANGEAS
Yes, ma’am
—
—end of tête-à-tête—
From Hardly War (Wave Books, 2016). Copyright © 2016 by Don Mee Choi. Used with the permission of the author and Wave Books.