A single sunflower planted itself
along our driveway, grew seven feet tall,
bloomed for four days
and has been dying ever since
while our bright mums burgeoned.
The sunflower stalk still stands,
but the leaves paled; the head droops
as if grandeur lost its job
or carried too much too long.
God spared King Solomon
and cursed his descendants.
I've committed sins, like judging people
and putting five sugars in my tea
and being impatient, but that isn't why
anything. I'm a good person,
and the sunflower was good, too.
Copyright © 2016 Gail Carson Levine. All rights reserved.
