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Prose of a Con

Poetry and Prose by Russell Wardlow

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Plucked Flowers

October 24, 2020 by Russell Wardlow Leave a Comment

We’re all plucked flowers

paying attention to the surface

while the reality beneath is of decay

maybe it mirrors us

Who are we when the water and sun touches us?

What is your water and sun?

How preserved is that superficial beauty we hold onto?

Is our surface just a symbol of décor

while what’s inside dies slowly

holding onto when it was once grounded

But once it became display for the world

slowly, day by day

it lost itself

stuck in a vase

taking form in the many aesthetics we run to

but uh, everyone knows a pulled flower is dying right

literally right before your eyes

and as you try to hold onto that gift of vanity and love

life overruns you

and like your shallow desires

you eventually decay along with them

wilting away inside far before you let on to your truth externally

how long will you die inside

uprooted from your truth

before you escape that lie

and get back grounded in your truth

where your roots stretch

connecting to everything deep

your dirt is your truth

your dirt is your soil

our shame is where we grow

taking ourselves out of that shame by fear

only traps us within the superficial dirt

that clings to us

never again feeling clean

no matter what we seek as our water and sun

Filed Under: Culture, Love, Mercy

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Prose of a Con

Prose of a Con is a collection of Russell Wardlow’s prose and poetry written entirely behind bars. Through writings on family, spirituality, freedom, love, justice, redemption, and vulnerability, Russell seeks to show the humanity and hope of individuals like himself who are incarcerated.

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