INNER CITY STORIES

She’s a young woman, trapped by vines

Rooted in uncertainty

A woman planted in the wrong soil

Over watered with judgement, causing her to drown in doubt

Her chief desire is finally to bloom

But she’s always been refused the chance to

A young woman neglected by sunlight

Surviving on the pity of others

Her talent and beauty withering away with no one to notice

Or care

 

Yet suddenly she found herself tended by a planter

A planter who is appreciative

So innocently, he recognizes her aptitude

The ability this young woman has to create and produce

With words like maximize your potential

Always remain humble

He opened a crack of light through the dark clouds

And in so little time, the sky that used to smother her now is shining

 

This gardener grabbed his tools

And began tugging

Pulling out the weeds of hesitation

He dug into her dried up roots

Plucked her out of acidic soil and potted her in something new

And finally this young woman has begun to bloom

 

With words like creativity and intuition

This planter so easily

Began to encourage the young woman

Urging her to blossom, to share her talent with other delicate flowers in the garden

Without even knowing how much it means to her

He continues to mentor her

She doesn’t know how to express all the gratitude she has for her gardener

 

All the young woman can tell her gardener is this:

You reap what you sow

And you have reaped a rose

A rose who will always continue with the lessons you teach her

Along with all the other roses, sunflowers, and orchids in the garden

And she wants you to know, you will be a gardener who is never forgotten

 

Dedicated to Dr. Walsh,

Thank you so much for helping me find my talent. Even in just the short time that you have become my writing mentor and teacher, I have seen big changes in myself, which means I have even better things to look forward to in the future.

Victoria Velez