The following poem reminds me when we planted sunflowers in our backyard. I enjoyed their faces turning towards the sun. The stalks grew much larger than we imagined. In the fall the birds were crazy for the seeds. I decided we needed to ration throughout the season. We dried the huge seed heads in the garage and pulled them out one by one. Since then we’ve bought the black sunflower seeds for our feeders. But this hasn’t been near as much fun as watching them pull apart the seed heads.

Sunflower Seed Frenzy

by Rose Klix

A gathering of autumn bird

visitors arrived unannounced

at the cardinal’s feeding tree.

He’s learned to share —

sometimes. Picky eaters throw

millet and corn on the ground

to mourning doves and

the blue jay clean-up crew.

The summer birdfeeder emptiness

left them gleaning on their own.

Rob pours a new mixture

into the holders.

Black sunflower seeds

are all-time favorites

to create a feeding frenzy

and envy from the blocked squirrel.

Published as a 39th Annual contest winner in Pasque Petals, The Magazine of the South Dakota Poetry Society, Fall 2015, Volume 89:2

If you like Rose Klix’s poem, you might enjoy her poetry collections and published prose writing. Visit her website at www.RoseKlix.com