Sunflower Tuesday

He's started asking again

At 15 as he had when 5

Mamma, can we plant 

Sunflowers?

He cranes his neck

When we pass gardens

Or see a few lone, strong stems

Wild and glorious

Beside highway 7

Where few admire or even notice

Their brilliance

We must plant earlier, chelda

I explain

Dig deep, set the distance between,

Prep a rich soul

Next year, okay baba? I say

Next year after the last frost

Lets do this together

Sunflowers, life: same lessons

Yet he sighs

My son

When he sees sunflowers

And that sigh tugs at my heartstrings

And embeds its claws deep inside 

The list of

things left undone 

this summer

He doesn't ask for more you know

My son

He endures, rises above the new normal

He wipes down counters

Fills ice trays, takes out the trash

Watches me for signs of sadness

Pats my back like my grandfather did

Teaches me about popular culture

Computers and Broadway

Steers me away from pain

 

So I walked directly to a tub

And bought a bouquet

Had it wrapped in fancy paper

 

And gave it to him

For me! His face lit up

To see fat, golden sunflowers

 

From someone else's garden this year

Store bought

Sunflowers

 

A promise of shared sunshine

With his mother- me

 

Someday I hope

Two hands stronger than mine

Will dig deeper in rich soil

And plant sunflowers