flower

friendship is not
a rose, it is a sunflower
and it must not be watered
with tears, fed by moonlight
or sung to in the shadows.
it needs no promises or paeans
or dirges in the dark
no blood to make its petals proud
or wine to make it flush.
no thorns to warn of its dangers
or careful affection and protection
from the worldly wind or cynical cold.
friendship is built from loyal smiles
not faithful tears, and graced
by compassion, not the crudeness of passion.
friendship is a sunflower
grown to complement green fields
and blue skies, not candlelight or
tenderness or tremblings in the dark.
sunflowers need only sun,
and there is always sun
where sunflowers are found, and
fertile, happy soil.
roses bloom best alone
on envelopes, in pockets, between
gentlemen's teeth, at most in
bouquets of ten or twelve.
sunflowers are unmistakeable, impeccable,
unimpeachably cheerful.
they grow in fields.

you walked toward me, with a flower in hand.
from a distance I could see the joy on your face
but the flowers you brought
were yellow.