Is there anything more defiant
than a crowd of Mexican sunflowers
in full bloom,
against the rainy grey gloom
like a blazing bonfire
flaring on a misty twilight hillside?
Their colours clash with the brooding sky,
refusing to soften or match its mood,
refusing to blend
or understand the sky’s grief.
Each petal stands mischievously,
bold against the cool pall of rain
like a sudden burst of laughter
in a solemn funeral parlour.