Sunflowers beside the railroad tracks, br sunflowers giving back the beauty God gave you br to one lonely traveler br who spies you from a train window br as she passes on her way to another train station. br She wonders if she were like you br rooted to your bit of earth br would she be happy, br would she be satisfied br to have the world glide past and not regret it? br For a moment, she thinks so, br then decides that, no, she never could br and turns back to her book of poetry, br remembering how hard it was to get here br and that flowers have their places as people do br and she cannot simply exchange hers for another, br even though she wants it. br That's how it is. br Her mother told her. br Now she believes her, br although she wishes she didn't. br At fifty-three, she feels the need br to rebel against the inevitable winding down. br She already feels it in her bones, br feels artery deterioration, and imagines br cancerous indications on medical charts br she hopes will never be part of her life, br as she turns back to the window br to catch the last glimpse of the sunflowers br that sent her thoughts on a journey br from which she knows she will never return, br only go on and on br and then just go.