Reach for the stars, they said

why would I want to reach
 for a bright burning ball of fire
in the middle of deep dark nowhere

you can’t even breathe in space

maybe that’s the point, give my lungs a rest
they must be tired from all that
(inhale the air)
keeping me alive
(exhale the poison)

Roses are red

they said,

Violets are blue

that’s wrong because
violets are violet
not blue
Violet

for some reason they said I meant violent
(sound similar but)

no no no
don’t think like that
flowers are nice and soft and gentle
they don’t have guns or fists
only humans are allowed that sort of thing

they said

I know daisies who do karate
and tulips who throw grenades
and sunflower soldiers
with vicious snapdragon teeth

listen, they said
you can be
whatever you want to be

so here I am,
being exactly what I want to be

I’m a fantasy