marigolds

A Poem by Marshall

a stray row of marigolds
defied autumns call
straggled along a fence
leading to a gate
where a burlesque woman
spoke gently to a cow.

the brazen marigold patch
clung cleverly to the winds shadow
and stayed put
until sons in seeds matured
and laughing at the woman
fenced in by the cow

split its pods
and withered as winter clutched
the surrounding grass verge
and neatly stapled fence
posts at internals
as sturdy as the seasons

the seeds burrowed deep
and waited for spring to pull
the tender hearts from the earth
learned from its parents.

spring will have a bigger clutch
of marigolds this coming sunshine.