[Glenn Wright]

Flower Child

You love the fragile, feathery balls
one little puff can blow apart—
a tiny flurry that recalls
a wintry storm in summer’s heart.

You pluck the golden crowns and twist
wilting chains in an endless wave
to adorn your mother’s hair or wrist,
or decorate your hamster’s grave.

You know them well. The root grows deep
and if you eat the leaves, it’s said,
you’ll see the future in your sleep—
but eat too much, you’ll wet the bed.

A yellow flower beneath your chin
will tell you whether you’ll be rich
by shining golden on your skin.
The stem’s white sap will make you itch.

But then one day the magic fades,
and they become the gardener’s foe.
Sprays and powders, trowels and blades
attack the shoots before they grow.

My childhood lasted till the day
the yellow tufts and fuzzy clocks
of dandelions in wild display
were simply weeds among the rocks.
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Edits:
Title: Dandelions > Flower Child
L1-4: Moved to the end.
S1L1: For children love the fragile balls > All children love the fragile balls > You love the fragile, feathery balls
S2L1: They pluck the golden crowns and weave > You pluck the golden crowns and twist
S2L2: their wilting chains to decorate > their wilting chains in an endless wave > wilting chains in an endless wave
S2L3: their mothers’ hair or neck or sleeve, > your mother’s hair, or neck, or sleeve, > to adorn your mother’s hair or sleeve > to adorn your mother’s hair or wrist
S2L4: or pets’ graves to commemorate. > or your hamster’s grave to venerate. > or decorate your hamster’s grave.
S3L1: They know the lore. > You know the lore. > You know them well.
S5: Try to blow the seeds away
from a blowball—however many
seeds upon the flower stalk stay
tell your children’s number, if any. > Delete
S5L4: tell how many your children, if any. > tell your children’s number, if any.
S7L1: Childhood lasts until the day > Your childhood lasts until the day > My childhood lasted till the day
S7L4: are simply weeds among the rocks. > were simply weeds among the rocks.