A Year in Bloom

Melissa Calderon-Rougié

Vincent Van Gogh. Irises.

Time escapes a fertile womb
eclipsed by a dawning sun

It seeks the rain in a parched sky
and slips off the backs of my growing children

Often, when doubt takes hold and
I find myself on the far edge of a dreamt-up cliff, I meditate 

         3 minutes beneath a hot running shower

         6 months and half way to a new year

         5 days before another weekend

         Doubts, I learned are like scattered clouds, always looming 

         Abundant in water that will sink into the earth

         Yolks that crack in hurried palms

         Soft-boiled hopes in a year spent learning and unlearning

I’ve dug out space for the way my mind moves in rapid concession
keeping up with the demands of a household born of my body 

And now, spring births better days, new intentions
dissolves our frozen bodies, reminding us where we’ve been  

I awaken free of all my yesterdays
emerge a bruised garden

aún floreciendo.

Melissa Calderon-Rougié (she/her) is a Peruvian-American writer born and raised in New York. Her poetry has been published in various anthologies, literary journals, and has an essay forthcoming with Raising Mothers magazine. Melissa is the eldest daughter of Peruvian immigrants, a mamá who stays home raising her kids and is currently trying to curate the perfect writing playlist. She lives with her husband, daughter and son in Queens, NY. Connect with her on Instagram/twitter/FB:  @mcrwrites