* * *
Tillandsia
Tillandsia; quiet birds of the forests,
Perched and flocked ‘tween ebbing bark,
of arboreal tenements; nests,
of tropical richness where dreams embark.
“What of life do you show?
A liking to lichen ‘n tropical dew?
In dreams of children willing to know:
Thrill of high branches ’n birds’ highest view?
Imbue me your secret theology,
Hem my skewed eyes that see you infect,
Instead, recast them with your phytology,
your wisdom through this humbled reject.
Tillies! Flock to me, cradle my tepid heart,
Deep in your nests, grounded by roots that bind.
Coddle the engrained veneer around me, apart,
and lull me to softness, that I have yet to find.
Remake the curses cast upon me,
and let me know your hallowed words
‘n show me how life can be free
I thank you, dear botanical birds. I thank thee.
Flutter! Chirp! Raise up my hope…
that bird plants can renew a gentle eye,
to endure when joys doth elope.
to foster a little boy’s climb on high.
* * *
Phoenix of Stories
Latency is the way I live my parents,
Whence their strengths and struggles lay,
Seeded, dormant, potent, inherent.
Fertilized by struggle and descent.
Opaque until lived, until stories emerged;
of their seeds sown; broken; submerged
A shared legacy is mine, a one-winged Phoenix unable to soar,
Sticks of shame drawn to beat it down once more.
Suns cross the sky,
Seasons fly, pass, drag time against its cry,
The Phoenix beaten, blamed for its broken wing,
A stain of shame…
Stories told of a flightless Phoenix grew
That took a stick and carved a wing anew
Spread like a virus back through time,
mending broken mirrors and so that shame declined.
Stories of strength and struggles were carved,
Each feather a story on its own,
So that the Phoenix was not broken,
not alone.
It emerged with stories all entwined,
and found a way to soar,
with stories; legacies of earth and stone.
Hewed into feather and bone; illustriously shone.
* * *
Gregory grew up in Guyana and immigrated to the United States after high school. He holds masters degrees in Neuroscience and Psychology. His writing covers topics of identity and wellbeing. As a child he read many nature magazines, spent quiet hours in his mother’s garden observing the insects and plants. He has rediscovered a need for plants in his life, and is a strong supporter of embracing the natural world to heal from psychological alienation and mental health stress. Gregory spends his free time writing poetry, working on his book ideas, and thinking about how he can fit into society, while being aware of it.
featured photos by Gregory
