i began to fear the feeling of being

Illustration by Christopher Mitchell / Equinox Staff

full. felt flowers sprout in my belly, but

could not figure out how to get them out.

i wanted to be covered in beautiful things,

let them bloom from my skin and turn myself

into a garden. maybe then i could see my veins

as roots and curves as tulips. my eyes would become

sunflowers and my lips strawberries, sweet and easily

consumed. i opened wide, expecting vines to

escape and grow around my limbs.

instead only a whisper emerged, for i was

too timid to roar.

it.