Houseplants

Written by Alma Mark-Fong

Edited by Emerald Liu

The pothos is dying 

Wilted and shriveled 

For I can’t seem to wake up in time 

To draw the curtains and allow in light 

Maybe it’s a case of bad feng shui 

Too many green things growing 

Too many mirrors 

Too much flowing energy 

In the evenings when sleep can’t find me 

I lie awake instead 

And drown the pothos 

In need of sunlight 

So I sleep in the day 

When the rest of the world 

Is awake 

It keeps me safe 

At night I must keep watch 

For the world that lies sleeping 

And guard over their souls 

In a box for safe-keeping 

But when sleep finally finds me 

I drift off in terror 

Blood pounding in my ears 

For sleep is the nightmare bearer 

It comes like a wind storm 

Cutting ripples into water 

Leaves and sprouting flowers are torn off trees

A spiral of orange and green 

A dance of tumult unforeseen

I look around me and I don’t recognize where I am In

an empty darkened room, the smell of burnt bamboo

My breath catches in my throat 

Does it happen to you too?

Illustration by Peri Law
Instagram: @perijlaw