At the sight of my rotten roots
people usually turn away
“you’re a lost cause”
“it’ll be a waste of time to stay”
they say.
If they listened for a minute I would tell me them:
“If you’re gentle with me
and water me with low pressure
mist me and let me breathe
those drops of care
slowly seep into me.
And if you lift me and begin to untangle me
I will love you freely
and I will grow
and my rotten roots will not be
the death of me
trust me and you will see.”
But by then they are already on their way
and my words are delivered only
to my rotten roots.
When I was younger, I overwatered a plant, out of love but not with care, and gave it plant rot. It was an accident but with a little bit of care and research it could have been avoided. We saved the plant and it's still alive on my kitchen side. Everyone has roots that we cannot see. We should be gentle with each other to help one another heal and grow.