Ecosophy*-T, Part II

Image: Michael Castaño

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.