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.