Desserts and Blossoms

By Grace Lee

Deep, dark chocolate the shade of walnuts
with a hard, shell exterior, 
when bitten down on, cold brushes the tongue—
the chill of fresh, sweet strawberries.

Frosting like a heart—pink and red
atop a brown, foiled pastry, and adorned 
with sprinkles on each curve and the elevated center.
Sprinkles like hearts, shades of red.

Small, carmine sausages in a thick bread roll
had darkened edges and crispy tips.
Altogether, gathered in a white, stubby bowl,
like pigs in a blanket, rolling in the snow.

Maroon and aureolin mingled in the beaker, 
and when raised to the shimmering, shining sun, 
every bit of pulp is palpable to sight.
Ice cubes jostled, fruit slices swirled.

Alongside candles, forks, flowers, and wrappers, 
the plates were placed on a cerulean checkered blanket, 
enveloping the mat, like a nourishing, 
fulfilling labyrinth of desserts and blossoms.

The blanket rested atop a soft, fluffy patch of grass,
and the maple tree above, with bunches of leaves like clouds,
shaded the desserts before me, and the flowers around—
a picturesque, sunny, tranquil summer day.

Grace Lee, a high school student in Seoul, South Korea, is passionate about words. Whether crafting stories or poems, she blends her unique perspective with Seoul’s vibrant culture. Excited to contribute to the literary landscape, Grace’s writing reflects the universal themes of adolescence in a big city.