Scarecrow Garden

Late summer squash put out to sea
in coastal storms. All day, wet
leaves let go. I cut down three
sunflowers, a foot through the heart.
Their dried crowns counsel me to turn
my head and pierce the cloud.
As Van Gogh understood, gold comes
in many forms: the best is art.

Madeline DeFrees is working on a New and Selected Poems. Her most recent book is POSSIBLE SIBYLS.