| Blossoms and thorns through a writer’s lens. Blossoming writers from Richmond’s public schools and adult literacy project—190 wordsmiths in all—recently turned their pens to topics such as leaving a beloved home, starting a new life, and keeping a culture alive. Contestants in a competition sponsored by the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission, the students wrote in response to an exhibit at the Richmond Art Center titled Blossoms and Thorns: The Legacy of Richmond’s Japanese American Nurseries. A series of 81 poignant photographs (available in book form at blurb.com), the exhibit depicted the weathered, bittersweet beauty of nursery sites that were abandoned in the 1940s when their Japanese-American owners were interned in war relocation camps. Below, a handful of student haikus that capture the many moods of the photos (some included here) from an urban perspective. —The editors Fragile Remnants Roses still unveil Work of gardeners who left Shattered hearts and glass. —Roger Li, Salesian High School When You Were Born What do you think about when the wind blows across your face in the night air. —Janette Brown, LEAP (Literacy for Every Adult Project) Untitled Roses once grew in The land of the rising sun Petals fall like tears —Denica Garcia, Salesian High School Death Shooting, killing, down Sad, crying, funerals, death ashes, home, empty —Maya Simpson, Washington Elementary School Sun Shine Every Morning Sun shine every morning like my passion shines every day to reach my every dream —Sherly Oglivie, LEAP Maybe It Was Dead Maybe it was dead so I poked it with a stick it twitched and I ran —Broushon Broussard, LEAP Origami Rose Origami Rose, Can cut by Paper or Thorn, A fragile Beauty. —Abigail Deleon, Salesian High School Gone Away The rustle of a tree the whisper of the wind This is not home —Che Cevallos, Mira Vista Elementary Roses of the Bay Alone, what survives? Only sadness, pain, and hurt? No, joy will come soon. —Rebecca Lambert, Salesian High School
“Rose Escapes” by Ken Osborn.
“Faithful Spring” by Ellen Gailing.
“Climbing Rose” by Matt Matsuoka.
“Gone to Seed” by Fletcher Oakes.
