Talicha J. :: “Another Year Sprouts”

eager to                unfold.
every goal i made for the last one
                                                                          wilted,
the walking pad and dumbbells collected
dust & dog fur, the bank accounts           withered and decayed,
the unwatered plant purchased on a whim
                                                                                  browned
on the side table beneath the lamp.
i was selfish,      hungry               for aesthetics, to be       a plant girlie.
snapping photos with a filter while my first philodendron birkin
                 dried up.           i did not know how or even if i could
save it,                  i barely tried.
tossed it in the trash,
                                                  decorative pot and all.

Talicha J. is a Black, Queer, Poet, and Workshop Facilitator. She is currently nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Talicha J. has competed in national slams with Respect Da Mic and Art Amok slam teams. After the release of her debut poetry collection, Falling in Love with Picking Myself Up, in 2015, she toured the U.S. She is currently putting the finishing touches on her sophomore collection. She facilitates weekly writing editing sprints and monthly generative workshops online. Talicha J. firmly believes in the power of writing with community. Her work has been featured in several literary magazines and on the popular Button Poetry YouTube channel.