a seed breaks open underground, pushing through the tangled dark. light slips in, without a sound— growth moves where none remark
wind stirs the branches, leaves release, falling soft without a name
no sudden drop, no clash of grief, just cyclical change the same
the swell of my heart against the storm, a silent rise, a breath withheld— the tide retreats, but not by force, leaving shores once overwhelmed
the river wears its jagged edge, its waters rise, relentlessly strong— but grasses bend beside the flood, and find their way along
Shel Zhou is a 17-year-old from the Midwest with a passion for healthcare, public health, and universal healthcare. As an advocate for gender-affirming healthcare and reducing healthcare disparities, Shel aims to make a difference in these fields. Their writing has appeared in Harmony Literary Magazine, Cloudgazer Magazine, Buttermochi Journal, and Young Writers Journal. Shel also serves as an editor for the Young Global Scientists Journal and is the founder of Inkbloom Literary Review and The Hummingbird Campaign.
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