--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hope collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 12 published: 1912-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hope, "The Sunflower. A Poem," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 12 (October 1912): 1119.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15012unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera15012unse start_page: 1119 end_page: 1119 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15012unse publication_year: 1912 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Sunflower. A Poem Clothed are the hills and the valleys below With rich yellow tints in the sun-set glow. To make the rich Autumn scenes the more fair, The countless sun-flowers are blooming there. A whispered welcome to the dawn is sent As to eastward at morn each head is bent. Through the day, you hold to the sun your face To feel his warm kiss through infinite space ; And thus you follow the god on his way Till westward you look at the close of day. Your grace so sturdy, ah : now we may view Nature's gift to Autumn, 'neath skies of blue. By the road you stand till October wan, When the white frost comes and your life is gone. Your days have been honest, and bright, and strong— A glad note you add to Nature's wild song.