In almost every garden bed,
the sunflowers seedlings volunteer—
and every year I dig them up
and find them a home along the fence
where they can grow extravagantly.
Oh exuberance, of course
I love the sunflowers, their crazy willingness
to grow amongst the beets, amongst
the greens, amongst the chard
and kale and peas. I love their insistence
on making beauty and reaching for light.
I love their great golden heads,
playground of bees, nodding until
all their petals are gone. I know
they don’t mean to shade everything else,
don’t mean to block out the light.
They’re just doing what they were
designed to do. Grow tall.
Be stunning. Gather light. Make more.