The Poppy Seed

The poppy seed that sat atop

a ripe and golden muffin

Amid sprinkles of other friendly poppy seeds

neatly tucked into the brown sugar crumbles

The poppy seed so black it shone purple

Purple like the bruise your brother gave to you in sixth grade when nothing was good

and purple like your favorite lipstick during that time when you thought everything black was cool

and purple like the big black box they carried your mother away in when nothing was ever the same

The poppy seed was small

small like the paychecks you live off of, feeding you day by day

small like the girl next door who always seems to have a party going on

small like the mistake you made that one time that cost you all the other times to repay

The poppy seed sat atop a hill

A golden hill of sweet memories and

Surrounded by other friendly poppy seeds

poppy seeds who thought the one on top was the coolest

because in the horrible heat of the oven he rose to the top

But the poppy seed on top of the muffin

Fell onto the ground

Just a poppy seed

Black as the brown dirt that speckled the grey floor

smaller than the marble the cat is playing with

just a poppy seed

and never any more