if you asked me my name

i didn’t hear, deaf as a

sunflower to anything but

rattling storm.

if you looked at me, really looked at me,

i didn’t see, blind as a

sunflower staring dumb at the sky.

if you smelled like salt and cotton

i didn’t notice, as a

sunflower holds its breath against the acrid

cleansing wind.

if you tasted my secrets

i didn’t mean it, blithe as a

sunflower grown solely for salty seed.

and if you felt something

when we were over

i don’t care

a sunflower only remembers

only lives for

the sun.