Magnolia Blossom<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Who knew so many shades of white
\ncould exist in one blossom?
\nPopcorn and sourdough,
\nbleached jean and sand.
\nAll the satiny tones of wedding dress
\nand mayonnaise, cuticle and tusk.
\nAnd rising from the dizzying
\nwhirl of snowy petals
\na swollen, clitoral seed tower
\nall bread fruit and ivory,
\nsticky as shredded coconut.
\nThey say white is not absence
\nof color, but its fullness.
\nA painter’s box laden with pearl necklace,
\ncigarette smoke, bone china, milk.
\nCloudbank and table linen,
\noyster shell, starlight.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Peter Pereira<\/a>\u00a0is a physician, a poet, and the founder of Floating Bridge Press.<\/a> His poetry collections include Saying the World<\/a><\/em> (winner of the Hayden Carruth Prize and a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award) and What’s Written on the Body,<\/em> <\/a>both published by Copper Canyon Press. <\/a>\u00a0His work has been\u00a0included in many anthologies, including\u00a0Best American Poetry<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0To Come to Light: Perspectives on Chronic Illness in Modern Literature<\/em>.<\/p>\n “Magnolia Blossom” is an ekphrastic poem based on a photo of the same name by Imogen Cunningham.<\/p>\n Magnolia Blossom Who knew so many shades of white could exist in one blossom? Popcorn and sourdough, bleached jean and sand. All the satiny tones of wedding dress and mayonnaise, cuticle and tusk. And rising from the dizzying whirl … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.photoliaison.com\/Images\/Small_Images\/Imogen_Cunningham_Magnolia_Blossom_Signed.jpg\")
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