Consumed by Crowds

By Danielle Nogales

Sunflowers grow along the trails
of the meadow near my house.
The fake smile I bear stings
for I can no longer go on
with this careless persona.

My laugh deafens my ears.
I no longer recognize
my own charismatic voice.
That sickening optimism I carried
once gave people the benefit of the doubt
even when they didn’t deserve that grace.

Sunflowers grow around me
yet I am nothing but a wildflower,
plucked by the next child
who walks towards them.

People ask, “How can sunflowers
grow in the middle of the frost?”

If only I could tell them
they not only bloomed,
but have grown backbones.
It must be nice to not let
the slightest things phase you.

Danielle Nogales is a poet from Stafford, Virginia, who writes about emotionally rich experiences from her own personal life. She holds a BA in English with a concentration in writing from Christopher Newport University. Her work was featured in LitBreak Magazine.