Laura writes…

I woke up to a clear blue sky, a fine and sunny day,
Inspired to tell you quite the tale, that all began in May.
While out to buy the milk and bread, I saw some sunflower seed,
I bought them on a whim that day — a bargain, 50p!
I spent the afternoon outside, I planted them all out,
With baited breath, I waited then, for them to start to sprout.

The picture on the packet showed them standing proud and tall,
They won’t all grow, I was so sure — sowed 30 of them all!
As I thought, after a week, the seeds were yet to grow,
Oh well I thought, at least I gave some gardening a go.
But then one morning I looked down and saw a tiny shoot,
A miracle, those tiny seeds, had started taking root.

And one by one, I watched in awe as they all started sprouting,
My chances of repotting them were something I was doubting.
My garden was a tarmac patch and not a sunflower plot,
Pots and soil and canes and forks, I had to buy to the lot.
And so came hours of time and love and care and hope and toil,
To give the seeds the love they’d need to grow straight from the soil.

sdr

As weeks went by they grew and grew and raced to touch the sky,
More soil and pots, support canes too, were things I had to buy.
The stalks became quite sturdy, the leaves increased in size,
They mostly topped 6ft at least so much to my surprise!
And then one day a pattern formed, a green and pointy flower,
The fist unfurled, revealed in time, a light atop the tower.

dav

dig

And from then on, I found great joy, in seeing giants smile,
Fingers open one by one, the flowers had such style.
They didn’t bloom alone, oh no, the bees they found their scent,
They buzzed and fluttered round the head, with pollen off they went.
The giants bowed their heads at night, when summer days were done,
No matter what the time of day their guidance was the sun.

dav

My friends who saw them bloom and glow were always quite amazed,
A tarmac patch, alive with life, a mesmerising daze.
The yellow heads, a sight to see, of which to stop and stare,
Big and bold and brash and bright — they really didn’t care.
They were not fazed by wind and rain, they needed them to thrive,
They stood their ground, and rocked and swayed, continued to survive.

And at the end, they bowed their heads, in one last final spot,
Then came the birds, and squirrels too, to forage on the plot.
New life that would not be without the giants and their cheer,
I did not doubt their memory would last year after year.
To watch them reach the heights they did, I must now frankly state:
It really was a joy to see their beauty radiate.

Their life was full of hope and warmth: short and sweet and bright,
And as I watched them bloom I felt that all would be alright.
A miracle to see a life achieve its full potential,
A lesson to inspire us all, so true and influential.
Alas my giants are now gone, and just the seeds remain,
So next year when the time is right, I’ll spread their joy again.