by Brian Yun
At the end of every year, Creative Writing students design and create a final independent project. Julia chose to write a series of flower-themed poems. The poems describe the 5 stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – and are each accompanied by a handmade ceramic pot. Look closely, and you will see that entire poems are carved onto the pots. Each pot has a unique feature or detail which holds a connection to its poem. Try to figure out what they mean!
nightshades (denial) A cluster of nightshades Sleep in a garden Their petals sag As they shy away from the sun They smell Like sewage But I am hungry And they look so sweet They can’t be that bad right?
aconitum napellus (anger) Dull hooded flowers Their colors now Faded Shyly gaze at the soil They stand out amongst The extravagant Bright colors They don’t fit anymore They are ugly They must be removed The trowel Burrows deep Finally the roots bleed Blood slithers into the cuts On the hand that once gave them life The Napellus have won
roses (bargaining) I love the roses They smell so pretty But my hands Are caked with Scars and callouses From tending to them I’ll stop watering them Maybe they’ll die But they look so thirsty Just a little water To quench their never-ending thirst
flowers? (depression) Hello? Flowers? Where are you Please don’t play this game I don’t want to be alone The garden is so barren Soil can’t be loved and nurtured without any flowers I can’t grow any other plants They only ever grow to sprouts Or perish You’re the only plant that ever grew The garden finally felt complete Please come out from where you hide I don’t want to be alone again
Ferns (acceptance) The garden Now plentiful With ferns It feels warm and welcoming Finally it’s my garden
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