Sunflower stuns in season’s end
Transparent as secrets of summer
Undeniable beauty bows to earth
Vowing warily to return again
Woodpecker chuckles between mouthfuls
Xiphoid petals wilt and wonder
Lillian is hosting “Meeting the Bar” at dVerse.
She has asked us to write an “alphabet sestet” using a six letter sequence.
Feel free to join in!
mishunderstood 
I am sad to see all those sunflowers and petals fall and wilt. Love that beauty of sunflower!!
I love the word xiphoid. Very brave use of the letters. A lovely poem.
Fibonacci miracles that they are, sunflowers are a wonderful sight!
Amazing!
Love this, and you introduced me to a new word!
I like how all the contradictions (transparent secrets/wary vows/wilting wonders) frame your poem and give mystery to the title.
LOVE this, Mish! My most favorite flower is the sunflower. There is a yard here in Ptown, that is on our walk into “town” — we stay on the quiet East end. And it is full of sunflowers! I have so many photos of them……..and oh yes. They begin to bow in their beauty this time of year…and offer refreshment to other creatures. I also loved seeing fields of them in the country where they are grown as a crop….their heads always turned to the sun! 🙂
So glad you A-B-C-ed with me today! 🙂 Happy and smiling I am to see this photo and read your words here.
such a beauty of selected words, the woodpecker chuckles and has his cheeks full too – I can really picture that, and I love this phrase. the colour of the woodpecker and the sunflower seemed to compliment so well
kaykuala
Love the lighted-hearted treatment, Mish!
Hank
Nice line: “Vowing warily to return again”
Put me in mind of the Van Gogh painting. One forgets that sunflower seeds are harvested. Great “X” word.
You picked my favorite flower! Across the street from me, I can see them starting to bend.
love the Sunflower pic…and first line ‘sunflower stuns in seasons end…and hooray! I learned a delicious new word.
Lovely imagery!
The sunflower is simply an amazing flower… and this time of the year it’s like smiling at dusk
Wonderful, Mish. I love sunflowers. They always seem to be smiling–not happy-go-lucky like daisies–but older and wiser. You captured it perfectly.
And Xiphoid, too!
Beautiful sunflower..beautiful poem.
What a wonderful world you have created in six simple lines! I love the chuckling woodpecker and the wary beauty vowing to return. Lovely!
Wonderfully written…and I learned a new “X” word 🙂
Ah… Sunflowers…as beautiful in your poem as in the garden.
A late-sprouting sunflower is still abloom in our garden and yes, that these flush of flowers is the last of the season make the sunflowers all the more beautiful.
Such a beautiful poem; thank you