I Was Once a Sunflower

Sunshine

Sunshine. 

I once glowed with it. 

rays beaming from my body,

undiluted radiance shone on my face. 

I was sunshine, 

and then you poured on me like a

thunderstorm in the middle of a hot July. 

relentless, unwavering. 

fire extinguished, I forgot how to glow.

smiles stopped reaching the corners of my eyes,

my laughter ceased to be belly-deep. 

I used to float above the world on clouds,

pretending that if I didn't look down,

only the peaceful sky existed. 

when you pulled me back to this dreary earth,

drowning out all golden streaks along the way with

your masterly strokes of black and grey and brown,

I learned to fall in love with the stars. 

stars, surrounded by darkness, still

luminous as ever.

glowing. 

I am no longer sunshine,

but I have landed among the stars. 

my light will never cease to exist,

and even though my sunshine grew

too bright for your spiteful eyes,

I glowed in the dark. 

survived.