The Lumpy Path (for Jennifer Keitzman)

The real thing
the blue of the sky
adheres to the trees
and trickles down
to chartreuse
and off into orange
and red and pale yellow
and lavender of the lumpy path.
Ranunculus is pretty much
better than any other kind of flower
but I am a sucker
for the colors of the hellebore
and the shape
of the passion flower.