Part of WFYI's local activities around the new Ken Burns and Lynn Novick documentary, Hemingway, the Truest Sentence is a series of commissioned works from local authors. Below is Januarie York's contribution, "Bloom." Find additional pieces at the Hemingway activities page.

Bloom
by Januarie York

Tulips are always
excited to welcome the spring.
They push past the final frost,
delicately brushing human peripherals with a glimpse of what’s to come.
It’s the equinox of rebirth.
Just as the freshest spring sunshine fills the temperature of the soil,
people begin to rejoice on front porches,
lining sidewalks with bird feed for those who sing us awake,
in the dawn of the morning
Slightly coiled from the twist of well-lit expectations,
tulip leaves burst through hopeful mid-March grounds
like protective pillars,
leaving just enough fragrance to signal their arrival.
Inside,
They hold sweet pastels awaiting the grand cylinder bloom.
I am enamored by their determination.
I’m inspired from their glee;
They waste no time
making room for themselves.
They arrive when they are supposed to,
And retreat after the party is over.
They teach us
that our turn always comes around
And when it does
We stand.
We smile.
And like tulips at the awakening of spring,
We bloom.

Januarie York is a freelance writer, published author and poet who was recently named the Center for Black Literature and Culture's first Poet Laureate. In addition to performing original works of poetry, she has produced several of her own spoken word theatrical shows that focus on uplifting and inspiring women. She has her MBA in Positive Psychology and her bachelor's in Criminal Justice. She resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, where in addition to curating poetry shows, she has created several community healing events and developed a poetry activity book based on increasing Black well-being. Her first full-length book, nomaD, will be released in 2021.