Afterlife

Sown in their jostling millions
growing all the same height
till greengold the plains undulate

in unison sunflowers track
dawn to dark their namesake
through the night swing around

so upturned they wait
as if outside kindergarden
facing the door of first light

which goes on each head swiveling
east to west through the south
at dark ratchets back a slow dance

beloved of redwing blackbirds
who splash about sunset colors
upend their calls liquid crystal

all summer long till at last
swollen blackened faces tucked
out of west winds come to rest

each still facing the footsteps
and crack of the coming dawn
with nothing more to learn

from a gaptoothed afterlife
spilling dry tears from the battered
blind satchel it's become

Copyright © 2008 Paul Hunter All rights reserved
from Come the Harvest
Silverfish Review Press
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission