Helianthus

bed of sunflower
Turning toward the light of day,
the tall, stately blooms line up
with military precision,
stretched over the acreage.

They reach out to touch neighbors
and morph into a chorus line
each bright petal shades
of gold, yellow, orange.

Except for the little sprout
that tries to push its red leaves
toward its sun god,
blocked by the masses

until it is noticed, given a helping hand,
its seeds fall to earth—
it will survive
and plant a field.

Arlene Geller

Poet/lyricist Arlene Geller has been fascinated with words from a young age and is passionate about writing. Her poetry has been published in newspapers, magazines, and journals, including Better Than Starbucks, Tiferet Journal, The Penwood Review, The Jewish Writing Project, and White Enso. Two poetry collections, The Earth Claims Her and Hear Her Voice, will be published by Plan B Press and Kelsay Books, respectively, in 2023. Collaborations with composers include commissioned pieces, such as: Voices Unfolding, which was selected as the class anthem for a commencement at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey; Elusive Peace, which premiered as part of Service of Lessons and Carols at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York; and River Song, featured in the world premiere of I Rise: Women in Song at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and performed in numerous national and international locations. Learn more about her work at arlenegeller.com.