A broken tulip by Maaike

A broken tulip by Maaike

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A broken tulip by Maaike
A broken tulip by Maaike
Van Gogh’s “Almond Blossoms” is a tree felled

Van Gogh’s “Almond Blossoms” is a tree felled

by lightning.

Maaike VanderMeer's avatar
Maaike VanderMeer
Dec 26, 2024
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A broken tulip by Maaike
A broken tulip by Maaike
Van Gogh’s “Almond Blossoms” is a tree felled
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I tried, twice, to paint this, 
we all want to chew a corner 
of this big thing he made, say, 
keep us alive, turquoise sky. 

Weeks before the bullet, all he painted was pink 
joy. A woman steps over scorched branches
to lay a wreath for the patron saint of paper birds. 
Three boys tear bread for pigeons. The almond blossoms 
are rubbed white by years …

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