Band of Saints
still in his garden
light
he apologized to his sunflowers
promising things would
change
he swore by all that’s right
that he would end his
war
with the earth that brings them forth
on stalks thick as
thieves
upon which bright heads
turn from north
leaves
open as palms of supplicating hands
in rows of six foot stems a
wall
dense as the barnside to the east
its shadow pall upon baptisia
space
and soil each umber face and corolla
together a mute coro de oro
true
as a band of saints to whom he
genuflects and greets
.
by Jim Culleny, 7/18/11