I grew this life
out of the shit you gave me
took it
and turned it into fertilizer for my dreams
I didn’t let you make them disposable
make them remnants of a listless soul
didn’t let them get flushed away
like so much waste
instead
I planted new wishes into the manure
and ignored the smell
watched my hopes blossom into fulfillment
and I get it now
the way your constipated heart couldn’t
tolerate my springtime optimism
had to try to bring me down to your level
to make us equally dead inside
but I kept growing baby
I kept going
manure [poem]
Larissa Lee 