international women's day

transcription: surrealist temple band

i knew she didn’t like red roses

and i was afraid of falling victim

to unintended symbolism

so at the florist, this afternoon

one day after international women’s day

i asked the florist for some flowers

the colour of an insane asylum

she came in, took the flowers

and said: i never should have printed

the surrealist manifesto for you, should i?

the flowers drooped in her arms.

she said: you brought me four flowers?

in russia, we give four flowers when somebody dies

i tried to explain how i’d instructed the

flower lady in a matter of colour

but hadn’t considered the symbolism

of numbers

anyway she said

i love the colour