Day 18 by Zee Zalinski

Day 18

they tell me that the african violet is a notioriously tricky plant to nurture

her leaves will rot if exposed to water

she is highly sensitive to temperature changes and requires 8 hours of total darkness

she likes moderate to bright, indirect light

loamy soil, and just enough water to thrive

but not so little she dries out

or drowns

i am no expert in vitality

i know that when she is ready,

she will bloom.

her first bud grew from my negligence

as i scratched my head as a new plant parent

i didn't know what she needed

except sunlight and water

so i left her be

and she flowered

and i couldn't help but wonder

how it is we still find the strength to thrive

when we're completely left alone

for months, in unfavourable situations

i named her Vivian

because it means "Vitality"

it has been 18 days since i've last had direct human contact

since i've last hugged another being goodbye

i give Vivian the rawest parts of me

i sing her songs and read her poetry

i don't know if plants can hear me

but i figure there's no harm in the transference of all of this watery energy

every weekend, i rehydrate her pot and photograph her progress

i take a gentle hand, ever steady, to remove the dead growth

i make her a promise that we'll both make it out alive

and every weekend, Vivian shows me what it means

to survive.

Zee Zelinski is a queer, disabled, POC writer and visual artist from Seattle, Washington. If they were not socially isolating right now, they would probably be at a park with their family or scouring the local plant shops.