By Jihu Choi, VI Form

Editor’s notes: Jihu Choi is the recipient of the William Otis Prize. The William Otis Prize is given in memory of a member of the Class of 1907 and is awarded to that student who, in the judgment of the English Department, has submitted an outstanding verse during the past year.

hey plum, hey.

your Life so purple, why can’t 

you see It in

Light? you,

you want the World

to see

You so Bad

but read 

how magnolias 

grow. bruised 

& purpled. Know,

they aren’t free. until they

break

Open, and none are

trying, you see?

they aren’t trying to look

up.

Be

cause they broke.

broke Open.

Break.

go belly up,

burst Open, record

“What is inside you?”

you have the Light

in your Flesh? is

It tart?

or does It

give Life?

hey Plum. 

hey, tell me something i don’t

know, it’d Hurt for You to break

open Your Soft flesh,

Breathe out the things You Kept from me

until:

yellow to Brown

white to Purple. open and

Speak

of something 

only You would know.