Sunflower Tears (for Ukraine)

My heart breaks.

Sunflowers against barricades
floral flags of hope and solidarity.
Their brightness and cheer
belies the pain and the fear,
the death and despair.

Flower of my soul,
you captured my heart years ago,
a lonely bud on Mount Qasioun’s
craggy terrain,
urging me through the shadow,
towards love.

You’ve been with me ever since
as I stood with those
others sought to trample
with their might.

Can you ease the pain
with your golden tears?

© Jenny Brav