A flower needs to be this size br to conceal the winter window, br and this color, the red br of a Fiat with the top down, br to impress us, dull as we've grown. br br Months ago the gigantic onion of a bulb br half above the soil br stuck out its green tongue br and slowly, day by day, br the flower itself entered our world, br br closed, like hands that captured a moth, br then open, as eyes open, br and the amaryllis, seeing us, br was somehow undiscouraged. br It stands before us now br br as we eat our soup; br you pour a little of your drinking water br into its saucer, and a few crumbs br of fragrant earth fall br onto the tabletop.