The verbena still grows
lovelier than ever,
vibrant in violet,
ever reaching toward
the noonday sun.

And yet here I am
in a state of utter confusion,
still looking at the world
through the dullest
shades of gray.

I’m increasingly in awe
of all the flowers in the fields,
the way they sit so simply,
poised in elegance
and imbued with grace.

I reckon I’m more like
the alabaster artichokes,
colorless and thorny on the edges,
still waiting for my chance to revel
in the realm of my full potential.

© 2021 Michelle Cook

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Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/flowers-verbena-violet-blossom-756181/

Writing prompt: Vibrant verbena and alabaster artichokes