gardening -- poetry by Jack He

how much longer must i scrub

to wash these

feelings away–

dandelions are spreading through

my body, my skin 

is a wasteland of soil

where my fingers go to mourn.

why does it melt

           like sunflowers choked into oil

           or rivers down my legs.

lay me down, slowly

       into this estranged bathtub.

i want to feel the needles of water,

i want to sink like gutted bycatch,

i want to watch my hands disappear in the waves,

i want to bloom into a million pieces.

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Jack He is a 16-year-old writer from Miami, Florida. He has been nationally recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. In his free time, he enjoys reading manhwa, playing guitar, and staring at ceilings.