An excerpt from my poetry chapbook Holding Glass in honour of today, Universal Children’s Day.

Heart Flowers

My house is sprouting dandelion bouquets,

small, droopy yellows lend light to dull surfaces.

Plucked with serious intent,

handed over with grins that clear

the tracks of my darkened trail.

Is there any way to resist these creatures

with stained sunshine

on their hands and noses?

“These are for you.”

Doomsday when I cease receiving

these weeds,

when I curse their belligerent patterns on my lawn

and moan about a sore back and a rusty trowel.

Copyright © Anne Langford

For more on language and poetry:

• Besmirched, lacklustre and dauntless: Hurrah for words!