Hope

She would awake every morn

Eyes flashing bright as golden corn,

Hearts pulsing; blood freezing;

Breathing accelerates -

When he passes by:

The One whose skin

Glistens as his smile brightens the Earth,

When darkness slowly pines away

As spells of sun step slowly out

Leaving behind trails of Hope.

The One whose eyes bring life

To starry seeds under pure pools of light.

His soul chases away the night,

And every head turns to see

His exquisite beauty.

Inhaling the sweet scent of youthful love

Reaching for those fine feathery limbs,

Hoping that he might notice her bright face from above

As he passes by.

Light fades - Evening comes -

Still his distant light fails to reach her.

Sorrow fills her heart-stems,

Choking her racing soul.

The light passes her by,

Leaving her barren - her heart left to crack -

Her slender, pale body bends in the blowing breezes

Beating her thin green dress.

Her eyes, now charred, crazed, bleached-black

(From the Sun's hateful glare)

No longer keenly watch her love's movement:

East       to      West -

And the once golden-jasper strands of hair

Which flowed loyally in the fresh air

Now hang limp, rigid, frayed,

Like a knotted noose

Over her slumping shoulders.

Her roots unravel - the green veil falls -

Over her boney stalk – petals with red-tinged tears -

As the Sunflower's journey ends

As the Sun makes his final bed.

(This poem was inspired by Blake's poem 'Ah! Sunflower'.)

Copyright © JRFB 2013