They start as hunter green leaves
shaped like a heart. Uncoiling from the ground,
stems emerge with tiny buds, tight as a fist,
hint of what’s to come. Black centers are hidden
underneath sun yellow petals.
Unfurling slowly, they straighten
to reveal more of the center. Finally,
petals extend to their full length,
exposing black eyes to many small
wasp pollinators.
Fall comes, flower heads begin to wilt leaving
only the centers for birds. Dried stalks
are winter homes for beetles, leaves melt back
into the mulch covering the roots
from winter’s cold.
In the Yard II
Old Mountain Press
