Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Sunflower Sutra

The Sunflower Sutra, a poem created by Allen Ginsberg, talks of the writer finding a sunflower that is covered in a pollution caused by mankind. Although there is a sexual (possibly gay) as well as nature versus industrialism, I will focus mainly on what I first observed.

The sunflower represents hope. It represents a soul covered up by grime and pollution. Although dirty and gray, the sunflower stands up against the mechanical junk lying around it and tries to shine. The writer tells the flower not to forget what it really is, that, although surrounded by filth and even at times covered by it, it is a sunflower.

Another example of this is when you looks into the mirror. What do you see? Do you see the extra weight you're carrying? The fine lines of age starting to appear around your eyes and the thinning of your hair as it lies flat and lifeless, no longer vibrant.

But what about inside?

You are still a sunflower. Bright and full of joy. Surrounded by impurities of others, destruction of others, and grime of others. Even your thoughts have tried to cover the sunflower like ashes. Slowly dulling it's color. But it's still there. You are still you. You are still a sunflower.

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