This year, my husband and I planted several varieties of sunflowers. The first to bloom was orange and on fire. The second was giant and beautiful yellow. And the third? Well I’m not sure how long it took me to notice. It’s shorter than the others, far more simple, easily lost in the vibrancy and height of the ones “ahead” of it.

So, this poem came about after my delightful discovery of the shorter, simpler sunflower.