Seeds of Life

a seed is planted in the garden watching it push up slowly through the wet soil green shoots rising in the spring rain she holds the baby in her arms softly cooing in the blazing heat of summer the stem widens, thickens, gets taller green leaves become fuller its yellow petaled head grows larger she blows a kiss putting her on the bus first day of school as cooler autumn winds blow its massive round head filled with black and brown seeds turns towards the waning sunlight she graduates from college with honors they take family pictures across the barren landscape brisk cold air sweeps in as the sunflower bows its head covered in winter's white coat she marries, moves away, raises two children tends her garden growing sunflowers