Dandelion

By the cathedral in late June,
up ahead I saw two young parents and their child out for an evening walk.

The little girl in pigtails stopped by the steps, to pick a single dandelion flower.

Her parents didn’t realize she had drifted behind,

So they kept walking ahead.

The little girl noticed the distance, and started to run with the flower to show them.

The faster she ran, the more those little white umbrellas started to fly off - into the evening air,
 A trail of little dancing petals, flowing behind her tiny steps.

By the time she got to her parents to show them,
There was nothing but the stalk left - clutched in her chubby little hand.

Sometimes I still think of her face,
Breaking into tears.
 She’s probably a grown woman now,

I wonder if she remembers.