you asked me once what my favorite flower was. I said ‘sunflower’ and as I smiled you told me you could see the resemblance. I thought of our relationship as a plant – nurture feed grow lush. and after you left what we had – our plant our flower – died had I cared for it wrong? nature rarely fails. as I emptied our pot you apologized for never getting me flowers. but didn’t you bloom? didn’t you burrow your roots deep beneath my concrete shell? didn’t you feel it too – the shifting weight of my stones my foundations? didn’t you see my barren landscape and choose to bring me color? yes you apologized but your words didn’t hold any water so I just smiled and decided I would wait to let tears water the seeds that I would plant myself.