Architecture vs flora

What’s a cathedral next to a field of poppies? Not literally next to, I mean; “compared to” a field of poppies, I mean. There’s this field of them — of poppies, not cathedrals — beside the freeway at the moment that is nearly sluttish in its profligacy, sluttish in a holy way, though, that conflagration of red exploding in what started out as a wheat field. Daily I am amazed that it has not caused accidents yet, because I nearly have to pull over onto the shoulder when I see it. Next to that, a cathedral is a dank dead place. When I die, put me wherever you want, because I’ll be dead, in a better or worse place, or no place at all, who knows; but for now I’m alive, and I’ll take the poppies, or the jasmine or the sweet purple bush in my back yard, or little girls with no front teeth saying “Schnackerl”.

One response to “Architecture vs flora

  1. gordon

    They’ve constructed defensive concrete and marble planters around the office building where I work. Everyone now has to march through the narrow spaces between them and admire the flowers before entering the building and setting of the metal detectors with their cell phones. I think it improves the experience, somewhat. If a cathedral is nothing compared to a field of poppies, try a severe glass and steel skyscraper.