Still Daffodil

John Doriot

The field is austere but not devoid of life.
There are a hundred less shadows.
Nature’s home has been torn down
by an unwelcome guest.
“I will rebuild,” she whispers.
She has a divine ability to weather
all the storms she encounters,
unlike those who build their home close by.
Their resilience is tested as they mourn,
processing other emotions of fear and uncertainty.  

Time, a close friend of Nature, assists her with renewal.
He is willing to help her neighbors rebuild, alleviate sorrow,
shutting the doors to rooms of pain, yet he never takes
away the key or boards up the windows, because he knows
if he did, they would never see the daffodils bloom.

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John Doriot
John Doriot is an award-winning author and poet. He has written sixteen books and won six Georgia Independent Author of the Year Awards from 2022-2024 for best horror/thriller novel (Litter), best science fiction novel (The Cures), best collection of short stories twice (Grimmer Folk Stories, Idioms), and best poetry collection (From Sorrow To Tomorrow, Slowly, I Grow). He has contributed short stories and poems to Down in the Dirt, Dark Horses, Fright, WestWard Quarterly, The Broken Teacup, and Poems for Tomorrow magazines. He lives in Evans, Georgia, with his very patient wife of 46 years and his dog, Oreo. When not writing, he loves to read, hike, garden, and travel, especially to see his new granddaughter.