it is easier
to keep the rind on.
to look at the orange
on the counter
and pretend
it isn't going soft
from the inside out.
we think we're
saving ourselves
from the stinging spray,
the way the juice
burns the small cuts
on our thumbs.
but the longer
we leave it unpeeled,
the more
the sweetness rots.
and eventually,
we aren't avoiding
a mess—
we are living
in one.
don't wait
until the fruit
is too far gone
to share.
peel it now.
let it sting.
at least
you will finally
know the taste
of the truth.
Apr 8
Apr 8, 2026 at 10:55 PM UTC
it is easier
to keep the rind on.
to look at the orange
on the counter
and pretend
it isn't going soft
from the inside out.
we think we're
saving ourselves
from the stinging spray,
the way the juice
burns the small cuts
on our thumbs.
but the longer
we leave it unpeeled,
the more
the sweetness rots.
and eventually,
we aren't avoiding
a mess—
we are living
in one.
don't wait
until the fruit
is too far gone
to share.
peel it now.
let it sting.
at least
you will finally
know the taste
of the truth.
