Even on the whitest of creatures
the shadows underwing are tinted
with the vibrancy of the sky above
and the colors below their flight.
Even within the defined geometry of pillars and panes
the wings of that creature are curved
along the limitless lines of the sky above
and the webbing of all that below.
On January 14th this year, I sowed four different types of tree seeds in my pursuit of growing bonsai from seed. I don’t really have a green thumb, but since we can’t have pets in our dorms, I thought that growing a tree that would in effect grow and age with me would be a nice pastime.
I used scarification, which involves removing part of the seed shell prior to soaking them, for two of the four types (Delonix regia and Pinus aristata), curious to see if it would help the seeds to germinate faster.
Well, as of today, January 25th, a few of the scarified seeds have sprouted! We have 4 little sprouts now, and if all goes well, the others will too. Considering that the original instructions said that the seeds take on average 3 to 5 weeks to germinate, I’m amazed by how quickly these four have grown.
Each instance I attempt to organize revisited is one frame
Nostalgic it could be said, reminiscence at blame
No detail have I left to find in this photograph of mine
The same names carved into the wall behind us
The same depth of breath, the same blemishes on our skin
I wonder, then, why those dimples look so unfamiliar
when days ago I could claim to have been their founder
Perchance it be I’ve no longer your face in perfect recall
but that countenance is not one I should forget; forgive me
let me recapture that visage through glossy remembrances
much have I traced our smiles with my fingertips that the ink
has erased in the swirls of my hands —ah, I fear
from features too polished have come crude wax models
your eyes, do they grow crueler by my touch? I knew them cold;
I recognize well that look, from first acquaintance
in later meetings was I greeted with a smile, but I wonder
had those ever reached your eyes?—they grow not crueler
in optimism did I fail to recognize the scorn in your laugh
Foolish, did I think those expressions happy before?
I must’ve remembered wrong, those sneers you wore.
RGS Journal 