Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum the new flower         

The bees hide in the roses  

Small in from, the wild type

Its petals refuse to fall

It is me. Planted mystery

Diavionne, the flower

I know that Pac said

“a rose grew from concrete”

But a chrysanthemum grew

from a broken heart

Roots planted on the edges

of a black hole tainted by

black skin and kinky hair

The flower that everyone forgets

With a name no one can spell

C...H...R...Y...S

D...I...A...V...I

Shards of glass labeled dreams

sprinkled into the soil like rain

Slide off the leaves and down

the small curve of the stem

A rose grew from concrete

But a chrysanthemum grew from asphalt

And honestly, that first part

was supposed to be in Korean

The flower of life still at ease

With petals of chaos

There is no one specific species

There is no one specific type

I am that flower

No not the concrete rose

I am the obvious oddball

defying the norms of what a

flower should be

I am the obvious oddball

defying the norms of what a

“Black girl” should be

Melanin petals

with a multicultural soul

And before you ask

I have no Korean heritage

I am 100% 5 foot 2 inches

African Unicorn American

I’m content with being the unearthly flower

The one with the supernatural petals

And the enticing aroma

A rose grew from concrete

But a chrysanthemum grew

in spite of its expectations

I am in a relationship with myself

And I love myself

And my odd looking petals