Such a short life the sunflower has;
but, aah, the glory of it! From its
small, flat, pointed dark-brown seed,
it seeks out the moisture of the soil.
Using summer-sun heat, it bursts,
portending an elongated exterior.
First break in its life-encasing shell
gives way to a sprout, straight up,

ready to go. The stalk displays
the chlorophyll product
of solar rays as its sprint
to meet its creator begins.
Inch begets inch as
cells beget leaf after leaf—
each thick, verdant, curly—
showing off an expansive surface

eager to absorb and transform
light and rain into energy.
This factory continues to
work, day in, day out, until
its efforts begin to pay off
with a much-anticipated reward.
A one-and-only bud forms
on the now-towering stalk.

Thick and rough fibers
stacked side-by-side under
tiny hairs glistening in the sun
give texture to brownish-green stem
join forces to remain erect
able to sway in the gentle
and oft not-so-gentle breezes.
Yellow-gold ray florets begin

to peer out into the world above—
with little thought to what got
them to such great height.
They spread themselves out
proudly in a spiral pattern
handed down to them, ready
for the kiss of the rain and
caress of the butterfly,

forming a vibrant ring around
the future - dense, dark, prickly
to the touch - filled with promise.
As its work is completing,
the sunflower bows its head
to the birth-giving ground,
gives thanks for its season,
waits for the cycle of life to repeat—
this reaching for the light.