Dear Flower | Poem by Alexis Thompson, Park Orchard fifth grader

Kent’s Park Orchard Elementary student Alexis Thompson read the following poem as part of the Writers in the Schools Student Reading and Celebration June 1 at the downtown Seattle Public Library. She also read the poem June 22 in front of the Kent School Board.

Dear Flower

by Alexis Thompson

Flower flower

I can’t abide without you

I need a friend

A friend that sits beautifully on the green meadow

With the most scrumptious honey

Yes, you have spontaneous honey

Warm, soft sweet and delicate honey

Oh dear I cannot live without you

Without you

I am just a honey less bee

Without my flower

All the other bees will make fun of me

Please, you are one exquisite flower

Your fragile but soft yellow petals

They are like a pillow

What will I do when it rains?

Where will I find cover for my wings?

Flower, you have to know

You are the ray of my sun

I’m flying around the snowy white covered meadow

I’m shivering, gritting my teeth

All is empty

I missed you so much

that I had hallucinations of you

Oh my, what am I going to do without you?

At night, I dream about hugging your petals

Tasting your delicious honey

Showing you off

and being your friend

I thought it would never end

Flower, it might have been my best memory of you

I will never forget it

Flower, please come back as soon as you can

At least, when it’s warm and sunny

Miss you,

Bee

Alexis Thompson is a fifth-grade student at Park Orchard Elementary in Kent.

Park Orchard, 11010 S.E. 232nd St., was the first Kent school to partner with Seattle Arts and Lectures to offer the Writers in the Schools program. Park Orchard joined the Writers in the Schools program two years ago. Each school in the program houses a professional writer in resident who visits classrooms once a week.

The poem will be published in the Writers in the Schools anthology.