Sunflowers

By Christine Rhein

I grow them every summer,
keep the pictures

on my phone — petals
of brilliant yellow,

skies, royal blue — nothing
like gray winter,

gray tanks, headline news.
The whole world

has pictures, explosions
we hold in our palms,

villagers walking us
into farm fields

full of shrapnel. Let it not be
useless to tend

the tractors, to talk of seeds
and seedlings,

of how fast stalks grow,
buds form,

open into blooms that turn–
east, west,

before our eyes — the need
for light to live.

Copyright 2022 Christine Rhein
“Sunflowers” is included in a new poetry anthology, Busy Griefs, Raw Towns, forthcoming from Schuler Press. All proceeds from the sale of the anthology will be forwarded to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to support continuing Ukraine relief efforts.

$20.00
SKU pod9781957169125
Pre-Order. Tentative release date: July 12, 2022
29 voices, 1 unending song

The anthology includes poetry by Anya Bukovietski, Greg Bliss,  Carmen Bugan, Patricia Clark, David Cope, Marcia Davis, Nellie deVries, Alban Fischer, Linda Nemec Foster, Joy Gaines-Friedler, Robbi Hartt, Bill Holm, Reka Jellema, Katie Kalisz, W. Todd Kaneko, Neil Kaufman, GF Korreck, Scott Krieger, David W. Landrum, Elizabeth McBride, Mary McKSchmidt, Mursalata Muhammad, Jeff Munroe, Peg Padnos, Christine Rhein, Jack Ridl, Christine Stephens-Krieger, Rodney Torreson, Debra Wierenga.

Please consider pre-ordering a copy of the book ($20, plus shipping). “As if the blood of every Ukrainian wasn’t enough.” ~Linda Nemec Foster, from her poem News Flash: Putin Bathes in Deer Antler Blood

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Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a writer, poet, and artist.
Learn more about her multi-award winning novel, In the Context of Love.
Learn more about her picture book, Gordy and the Ghost Crab.
Learn more about her poetry chapbook, Security