Winter rain lets up—
 
I rush to fill the feeder
 
with sunflower seeds.

 
 
 

On long winter nights
 
more than once I’ve been surprised
 
by sunflower dreams.

 
 
 

Summer slips away—
 
the drooping sunflower heads
 
start dropping their seeds.

 
 
 

Two white-crowned sparrows
 
vie for one sunflower seed
 
at the bird feeder.

 
 
 

Before the wind starts,
 
I set out sunflower seeds
 
for white-crowned sparrows.

 
 
 

On my outstretched hand
 
a little brown sparrow lands—
 
sunflower-seed treats.

 
 
 

Not till it flattens
 
every standing sunflower
 
does the wind move on.

 
 
 

Shouting and laughing,
 
two boys knock down sunflowers
 
with their baseball bats.

 
 
 

Wind, relentless wind!
 
Three sunflower heads snap off—
 
great is my keening.

Tales

 
 
 

Doubling with laughter,
 
the old sunflower seller
 
tells me more tall tales.