In the gold mouth of a flower
the black smell of spring earth.
No more skulls on our desks

but the pervasive
testing of death—as if we had need
of new ways of dying? No,

we have no need
of new ways of dying.
Death in us goes on

testing the wild
chance of living
as Adam chanced it.

Golden-mouth, the tilted smile
of the moon westering
is at the black window,

Calavera of Spring.
Do you mistake me?
I am speaking of living,

of moving from one moment into
the next, and into the
one after, breathing

death in the spring air,
knowing
air also means
music to sing to.

Calavera:
1) A representation of a human skull or skeleton made for 
or associated with the Mexican celebration, Día de Muertos 
(Day of the Dead); a three-dimensional  decorative skull or 
skeleton figure.

2) A mock epitaph or satirical poem treating a living 
person (often a well-known public figure) as if he or 
she were dead.

3) An item of confectionery shaped to resemble a 
human skull, made for or associated with the Mexican 
celebration, Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead).
                                                 Oxford Lexico