First Edit: My Apologies

[Richard]

First Edit:

My Apologies

I'm sorry, but I was distracted by poetry.
My first kiss tasted red as overripe strawberries.
When you were born, I fixated
on the rose petals
that fell from your mother.
My fifth drink that night a flag,
each sip rising it towards half mast.
Next to my father's bed, I waited
to catch death with dirty hands,
tiptoeing out the back door,
but I was distracted by poetry.
I'm sorry.

Original:

My Apologies

I'm sorry, but I was distracted by poetry.
Our first kiss tasted red,
lips soft as overripe strawberries.
When you were born, I fixated
on the rose petals and other broken flora
that fell from your mother.
My friend's fifth drink that night a flag,
each sip rising it to half mast.
Next to my father's bed, I waited
to catch death with dirty hands,
tiptoeing out the back door.
I'm sorry, but I was distracted by poetry.