How to Come Out (To the Jasmine First)

For myself, and for you.

Photo by poet.

To the jasmine first, then to the lilies.

Whisper to the tomatoes:
Did you know already?
Did you know before me?

The bougainvillea are hardy listeners.

The jacaranda won’t judge.
They’ll say: What a beautiful way to be —
some days purple, some days green.

The fig and avocados will tell you their stories,
how it took them years, too.

The grapevine established themself quickly
into their soil; the eucalyptus struggled
and then joyfully branched out in all directions,
found themself beautiful.

Whisper to the sun, to the water, to the prisms
in their shared spaces of shine.

Whisper to yourself, you gorgeous living natural being
of this in-between, everywhere world.

Whisper, and then speak, and then bloom —
in your own season, in your own time.

6/22 UPDATE!