the leggy stalks support crowns of spines
sun-glazed to points, circling mounded rounds
of yellow thread-burst     this is comfort
along the belly of the bee, preening
pollen into hair-baskets mounted
on her hindlegs or the goldfinch fluttering
over swollen seedheads    winter atrophies
the stems, stiff and porous in the fog, spines
fallen away, the heads waste to pale
gray flannel buttons