The century plant

 Larger than life but not as long

10 feet wide and 6 feet tall

arching leaves in grey-green

the color of my eyes

Larger than life but not as long

Heavily spiked with a prickly margin

able to pierce you deeply

a wound slow to heal

Larger than life but not as long 

Flowering just once near its end

mild toxicity becomes Mezcal

my bite reels you in other ways

Agave americana