She no longer personified the young flower bud,
that she happened upon last summer,
sweet and delicate, swaying carefree in a field of wildflowers.
No-
after all, she had endured heavy rain,
fierce storms, and unrelenting winds from the West.
She was bold in her quest for sunlight,
and had learnt to stand, unbending,
resistant, in the face of adversity;
No-one was more deserving of the petals
that blossomed for all to see.