i. when i was a little girl,
i wanted to die on the countryside
my lighthouse eyes straight ahead
and my head laid against the cornfields
to breathe in the daylight and breathe out the mo(u)rn

my mama said that would be
a very long time from now

(i'm sorry to disappoint you, mama)

        ii. my house was whisked away to oz
when i fell asleep beneath the cherry-red poppies
i ran and fell down the rabbit hole on the way back

my hair entangled with the willow trees
autumn leaves stuck to my rain boots
as my jacket stuck to close to my skin
and i felt human for the first time in ages

(i'm not a child anymore)

       iii. asleep during midsummer
i am sunbright and innocent

(someday, my sweetheart)

       iv. little miss sunshine,
i miss your bird sing-song voice
and your bottle-it-up laughter

your macaroni hair and
your sweet acorn eyes
that cheshire cat smile

but most of all, i miss your reminiscence
and the memories we never had together

(now you're sleeping' six feet under)

       v. the sun set in your eyes
for the very first time.


i think of you among the sunflowers.