Hi
ChristineB

This is a short, allegorical narrative about the experience of aging, the loss of youthful vitality, and the discovery of a different kind of beauty and self-worth. The story is told from two perspectives: June's and the metaphorical "Glow Weed's."
Detailed Review
The story's central theme is the transition from a physical, externally validated sense of self to an internal, more enduring one. It uses the character of June and the personified "Glow Weed" to explore how we define ourselves and the things we value as we age.
Character Analysis: June
In the first half of the story, June's identity is tied directly to her physical appearance and the validation she receives from others. Her "athletic feminine glow" is her pride, and it's reflected in the vibrant, outward symbols she surrounds herself with—roses, sunflowers, and tulips. This "glow" is a measure of her self-worth, and she finds joy in being seen and admired. Her initial, dismissive address to the "Glow Weed" as a "little wallflower" shows her perspective: she sees herself as a vibrant "rose" and the weed as something insignificant and "hardly decorative."
As June ages, her physical vitality diminishes. The narrative highlights this decline with specific details: she's no longer stopped by strangers, the doctor says she's overweight, and she's forced to do push-ups on her knees. This loss of her "glow" leads to distress and tears, and she projects her frustration onto the Glow Weed, calling it a "simple weed" and a "cabbage cousin." This shows that her sense of self-worth is eroding along with her physical youth.
Symbolism and Personification: The Glow Weed
The Glow Weed is the most important symbolic element in the story. It represents a different kind of beauty and a more constant sense of self.
* "Glow Weed" vs. "Wallflower": The weed introduces itself by explaining its different names. While others might call it a "wallflower," a term for someone shy and on the periphery, it prefers "weed" because it feels unseen and is not conventionally beautiful. However, it is a "Glow Weed," hinting at an inherent, inner light.
* The Unchanging Nature: The weed's core message to June is, "I am Glow Weed, and I have never been anything else; when you were young I was the same." This is the key lesson. While June's beauty and vitality were fleeting and dependent on external factors, the Glow Weed's "glow" has always been constant and internal. It exists regardless of whether it's seen or appreciated.
* The Tickle: The repeated action of the weed "brushing her cheek" or "tickling her nose" is a gentle, persistent reminder. In June's youth, she brushes it off, but as she ages, it becomes a source of both annoyance and eventual comfort. It's a subtle, non-verbal communication of its unchanging presence and simple truth.
Conclusion and Message
The story ends on a note of acceptance and new understanding. June's decision to do push-ups "still" and to "never pluck me out" shows that she has come to a new understanding. She no longer sees the weed as a nuisance or a simple, ugly thing. She seems to have internalized its lesson: that true worth isn't in a fleeting, physical glow, but in an enduring, internal one. By accepting the weed, she is also beginning to accept herself—a self that is still working and growing, even if it's no longer in the same way as before. The poem suggests that true resilience comes not from clinging to the past but from recognizing and appreciating the quiet, constant value that has been there all along...sindbad


My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .