I. Sprout (growth)—
i fell from childhood
afraid, trembling, i no longer
matter
took no notice of blossoms
or petals
or yellows
only stems
only stems only stems
why isn’t growing... prettier?:
twigs snap and branches extend (and it seemed okay until i realized that twigs can
snap under boys’ hands. and it was still up to me to extend my branches even while they made
songs by snapping twigs under their feet, dancing on top of... me?)
II. Fruit (hm...mm)—
how am i supposed to reconcile the meaning of fruit?
bold and brash
sweet sour tasty mm mm
no ! seeds and birds and bees
the fruit is lovely and brave and strong
does that mean i am?
can i love fruit? feel it? taste it?
i don’t know
III. Sky (blend)—
i’ve been thinking about the sky lately
and how to blend into it
seamlessly
but i haven’t figured it out
for instance:
the sunset/rise set/rose down/up in the sky
like i’ve been trying to do
but i’m stuck in a line
that can’t seem to bend
or blend
but i’m trying i’m
trying i’m trying
IV. Earth (HER)—
realizing... SHE hasn’t calmed
down for
anyone
meant finding the curve
(the bend) in my line
there are no either/ors in HER—
the sun sets/rises up/down in the sky
none of these are fallacies
SHE loves and shines and provides
and rages and toils and destroys
none of these are fallacies
can i find myself in HER?
of course, i must i must We must;
but it is not quite so easy
to remember how to
bend and how to
blend and how to
disappear into the soil, into the sun, into the trees, into the sky, into the twigs, into
the branches, into the tsunami earthquake hurricane, into the fruits and flowers and birds and
bees, into the jungle, into the forest, into the sea, into the... ... ...
this can’t be listed in totality
and just as SHE cannot—WE cannot
Artist and Author: Olivia Jimenez
Olivia Jimenez is twenty years old from Miami, Florida. She is a student at Georgetown University where she is studying English and Psychology with a minor in Film and Media Studies. In her free time, you can find her watching The Office, thinking about house plants, or searching for a chocolate chip cookie. She is excited to join the Make Muse team to develop her feminism and artistic expression while contributing to a necessary and beautiful space.