ALL THAT BLUE IN THE FIELDS

 ALL THAT BLUE IN THE FIELDS

When I was a child, our lower field was blanketed 

with myriad cornflowers in late summer. 

I marveled at their variety and depth of color. 

Indigo and woad. I coveted the ones with the purple hearts, 

of course, as purple was color of forgiveness, 

something I was always in short supply of.

When I went to the Ukraine in late summer, 

I was surprised by cornflowers, blue eyes in the wheat. 

And there you have the the colors of the Ukrainian flag. 

The wheat and the sunflowers, and the cornflowers and sky.

And sometimes there were wind poppies 

remembrance for all the blood that was shed.

4/7 PAD

first draft: When I was a child, our lower field was blanketed with bachelor buttons in late summer. I marveled at their variety of color. Coveting the purple ones, of course. When I went to the Ukraine, I was surprised to see corn flowers, or bachelor buttons in the wheat. And there you have the Ukrainian flag. The wheat or sunflowers, or cornflowers and sky.