Metaphor Me

Dandelion me.
Youthful glee in splashy yellow dresses.
All sunshine and skipping through fields!
But old age they say can be grizzly.
Those cubs, born hairless and toothless.
Grizzly cubs but not grizzly at first.
No pacifiers. Mother’s nuzzling enough.
Then playful to rambling to belly fat acquired
and hibernation needed. I always liked naps.
Or acorn me. Digging into soil, finding my own way.
Gangly seedling teenage years with
autumnal outbreaks. Cacophony of colorful
fashion fad flairs. To sentinel oak standing
with quiet grace. Am I there yet?
I still feel dandy and fierce. Dandy lioness am I.
Elderly dandelions’ delicate translucent skin
fades slowly until a passing by small child delights
in one puff from chubby cheeks. Giggles as seeds
soar on spring’s born-again breezes.
Dandelionalicious me with walks, hand in hand.
Stops along the way to collect bouquets of flowers
and skip rocks across the pond. With many smiles.
All the while acknowledging life’s delights.

NAPOWRIMO Day 25. Prompt: Write your own poem in which you use at least three metaphors for a single thing, include an exclamation, ruminate on the definition of a word, and come back in the closing line(s) to the image or idea with which you opened the poem.

DEDICATED to my dear friend, Lindsey. Wishing her well.

Metaphors used: comparing my life (anyone’s life) to a dandelion, a grizzly bear, and an acorn growing into an oak tree. Within the grizzly bear section, I ruminate on the meaning of old age. Had fun with this one once I decided how to approach it!

Photo taken many many years ago. And yes, it’s a dandelion in its old age!

Dora April 25, 2026 / 10:12 am

Splashy, I say, in youth and old age! In a good way. There’s a radiance in both. 💛🤍

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- lillian April 28, 2026 / 2:15 pm
  
  Splashy is good at either end of the spectrum! 🙂
  
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Lindsey Ein April 25, 2026 / 10:22 am

You crushed it, Lill. I

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- lillian April 28, 2026 / 2:16 pm
  
  Thanks! Missing you….
  
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VJ April 25, 2026 / 1:12 pm

Lovely – whimsy and melancholy

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- lillian April 28, 2026 / 2:16 pm
  
  Glad you enjoyed!
  
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Colleen Chesebro April 25, 2026 / 1:36 pm

I love your use of metaphors, Lill, especially the dandelion comparisons.

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- lillian April 28, 2026 / 2:17 pm
  
  Thanks, Colleen. This photo, which I took years ago, came to mind when I read the poem….and then the pen in hand just took over.
  
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  - Colleen Chesebro April 28, 2026 / 2:56 pm
    
    That’s the best kind of poetry. The words write themselves.
    
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Carol Jackson April 25, 2026 / 1:42 pm

Especially l like the first line.

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- lillian April 28, 2026 / 2:17 pm
  
  Thanks, Carol. And thanks for reading my post!
  
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