Our final Poem of the Week for 2018 (we'll be taking a break over Xmas/New Year) is by Alexandra Rockwell Lorenz. At the time of year when days are short, her poem Sunflower gives a nod in its title to the long days of summer. Our thanks to Alexandra for her responses to our Q&A, and our congratulations to all the poets who've had their work chosen over the course of the year. We look forward to highlighting more poems through the course of 2019.

What got you into writing poetry?
I started writing poetry about 2-3 years ago after getting though a really tough time. I discovered that I could roll all my sadness, loneliness, pain into little poems and suddenly the weight on my shoulders was a little lighter. It became a true form of therapy for me, not just a way to express myself.

How long have you been writing?
I have loved writing since I was 8 or 9 years old, but I never shared my work with anyone until 2 years ago.

Do you go to any open-mic nights?
I've been to a few, but I'm terrified of reading aloud because it never sounds quite the same as it did in my head.

What’s your favourite poet/poem?
Syvlia Plath remains the only poet I really care to read. I connect with many of her themes and I just think it's beautiful.

You're cast away on a desert island. What's your luxury?
Swimming in the ocean, sleeping in the sun, foraging for food. I don't think I would need anything else, but I'm a bit of a weirdo.

Sunflower
by Alexandra Rockwell Lorenz

She grew in my hands
until I could no longer
hold her weight
and her flower
eclipsed my face
I cried as I buried her
and the earth swallowed
my tears with thirsty gulps
she drank from me until
I was dry and I was dry for weeks
Proudly, she stood under my window
sill, with bright petals and a strong stem
she waited for me to come again
But I did not want to cry anymore