I was barely eye level to the kitchen counter
When I had my first wondrous visual encounter
Green branching leaves erupted from a clay pot
Fuchsia blooms sparked as though they were hot
Flowers clung to the tips of each segmented spray
As the winter snow climbed it gave a brilliant display
The Christmas cactus was Grandma’s glowing delight
She smiled slightly as observers marveled at the sight
Her eldest grandson gained custody when she passed
Louie tenderly placed it in a cool corner away from drafts
It basks in the sun’s indirect rays and sleeps in the dark
Each Christmas it debuts and receives praising remarks
It’s a lovely flowering cactus and it is still growing strong
When Louie was asked how it managed to thrive for so long
He merely said that it demanded little watering or attention…
Its prized beauty will continue to amaze the next generation
Theresa Ann Moore
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-christmas-cactus/