Pockets Full of Sunflower Seeds

 

they were grandmothers

but they met the occupying soldiers

face to face

armed only with their defiance

and baskets of sunflower seeds

they left the baskets with the soldiers

with the instructions to fill their pockets

with the sunflower seeds

so their graves would grow beautiful sunflowers

as their bodies decomposed in the Ukrainian soil

 

they left the baskets

so they could go back home to make “cocktails”

from a recipe

that was broadcast on Ukrainian television

they had many cocktails to make

because there were so many soldiers

and it would be getting dark soon

and they vowed to keep fighting

even if they ran out of glass bottles

or gasoline

 

they would resist with whatever they could find

right down to the last egg

or water balloon

or the last liter of diet Coke

and Mentos

 

but they kept sunflower seeds

 in their own pockets

 just in case