GRIEF Poem: Garden, by Davelyn Hill

“A world of grief and pain
Flowers bloom
Even then”. Kobayashi Issa

When I wake up to the sun and wish I hadn’t
Even then flowers bloom

When the coffee is too hot and
my partner is cold to the touch

When my 52 weeks a year mean
15,734 emails and phone calls

Even then flowers bloom

When my black body incites
Cat calls and police sirens

When I can’t remember why
I slice my wrist

Even then flowers bloom

When comedies and dramas
On the big screen bring no relief

When it feels like I’m walking
In mud up to my knees

When I lie down twisting
The sheets into mummification
of my nightmares and dreams

When touching the empty
cool side of my bed

When conflict with heart-
friends that break my heart

Even then flowers bloom

When I dream holding my grandmother’s Bible
Instead of her hands

When I wake up to the sun instead of her smile

Flowers still bloom