Poem of the Day: “Sister Sunflowers” by Jolene Moseman

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review is pleased to present “Sister Sunflowers” by Jolene Moseman.  The poet is retired and lives in Nebraska where she now has more time for reading, writing, and genealogy. Her poetry has appeared in: The Untidy Season: An Anthology of Nebraska Women Poets, The Metropolitan, Poetry Depth Quarterly, Plainsongs, and other publications.

Sister Sunflowers

Jolene Moseman

 

They’re the giant variety

With large yellow dinner plate

Sized flowers swaying side by side

In the murmur of the bees

Like a reunion of matronly aunts

With long necks and puffs of curls

Sticking out from under their floppy hats

They smile showing crooked teeth

Laughing at some joke

One has told, their grinning

Cheeks shine in the summer heat

The wind uplifts their blousy skirts

And carries the sound of their voices

As they speak wistfully for rain or

For the ability to walk the dusty path

To the pond and bathe in its cool water

Poet’s Notes:  At the end of my road a neighbor grows a large garden every summer with a row of tall sunflowers toward the front. As I was walking up the road one morning I noticed the sunflowers bobbing in the wind. It was their movements along with their size that reminded me of something both old fashioned and matronly. Eventually I worked it out in this poem.

Editor’s Note:  Flowers are a rather tired subject for poetry these days.  However, as I live in Kansas and adore sunflowers (they grow wild here), I just happen to be a sucker for poems like this.  The imagery is good, and the conceit is playful as well.  It took me to a nice, yellow, petalled place.