You Will Always Be Beautiful by Barbara Glover

The sun shone down

You peeked and poked your green shoot through

The rich brown soil

Uncoiling your long graceful neck

You sought its warming rays.

When rains came, you drew moisture

Inside you so you could grow, grow strong.

And strong you did grow.

Up, up and up shot your stem,

Reaching higher and higher

Trying to touch the sun.

Your petals exploded like great yellow Umbrellas

opening up and framing,

Your warm honey heart.

The sun called you throughout the day

You answered and danced, a dance full of life.

Your head turning

Always towards the sun, towards tomorrow.

It beckoned to you, like a sunny promise.

 

Life was good, you were alive.  Your world unfolded, before you.

Your own seedlings sprouted and were taking root

In your good soil, you’d carefully cultivated for them.

You knew they too would dance with the sun.

I went to bed, and the winds blew and the house shook.

In the morning, when I surveyed my garden,

All looked well, though a bit tossed for wear.

Then I stopped. My eyes spied you.

I screamed, “No, no! Not you!! How could this be?”

I saw you bent.  Your strong stem battered down. 

Strange things hung about you. 

You could not lift your head.

You no longer follow the sun or dance with its course.

Your strong yellow petals are greying now, drying up,

Cracking off. 

You falter and falter, closer you lean to the earth each day.

You were strong. You were young.

This should not be.

But even now my friend, Sunflower,

Golden one,

You are still beautiful. Your honey heart still glows.

Even as you fade - You will always be beautiful.