my sunflowers
eight-feet high
if they're an inch
stretch to face
to greet the sky
behind which lies
a heaven
even they surely doubt

they say goodnight all day
and wave good-bye all night
to the sky
behind which lies
a heaven i doubt

they wave good-bye

i cry
and they stand outside
and wave goodbye

i grew them from seeds
for my mother who died

she loved them in life
so i planted a garden this spring
and to my surprise
the place is an untamed wild

i'm so proud and ashamed
at the same time
for how i acted
what i said
when she was alive
now she is dead

i did not look in her eyes
the very last
time that we passed
and the past is the past
is the ink black acetic past

and i hate everything that has come out of this
except all the flowers i've grown
and something beneath all the bitterness
singing words of wisdom
let it be

07/15/2011

Posted on 07/16/2011
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