Bleeding Flowers
My heart is a grave
in the cold ground.
Flowers have grown upon it
despite its frozen darkness,
and their petals bleed
for all that lies inside.
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Siegel's words bleed and blossom into poems which reach deep within your soul to remind you, you are not alone.
Bleeding Flowers is a collection of poems, some are true events—all are true feelings. Shay Siegel explores desolation, betrayal, and suffering with raw honesty. These poems are for those who have been broken, whether it be through relationships, deep thoughts, or profound loneliness. Readers will find the ability to face their pain with the knowledge that it will pass only to come again, the same as each season. Solace is always present in nature to aid in our survival.
'My heart burns
from the middle
to the edges
when I think of you'
Bleeding Flowers by Shay Siegel begins with a selection of poems written for someone long lost; the someone we all have dwelling in our past who knew us as we once were. 'We Were Who We Were' is a wonderful, nostalgic ode to missing someone you no longer know, 'You Weren't There' demonstrates how the memories we keep and hold onto are always a distorted reality, whilst 'The Friendship Necklace' reminds us everything must come to end. Siegel also explores the grief and hurt which accompanies loss in pieces such as 'Sweet Lies', 'Slowly' and 'Roots'. These poems warn us about how falsehoods can be lullabies, sometimes it is too late to change a situation, and often our roots are strangled by those we believed we could trust.
'I feel you,
pressing existence out
through the seams of my skin.'
Siegel continues to stun as the collection continues; 'Within Her' is a sublime and visceral portrayal of self-worth and innocence being lost.
Yet, Bleeding Flowers also offers the reader a taste of hope.
'Teach me how to be heard
how to live in the open
like a whistle of wind
saying,
I'm here.'
'The Flower Grew' is a resounding message of hope; 'Sandcastle' sings of the healing and escape which comes with a visit to the sea, and 'Tree House in the Woods' is simply one of the most beautiful poems I have read in a long time.
All the while, Siegel never loses sight of the soul at the centre of it all and how we are often defined by our possessions. Such as 'The Red Sweater', a poem about the importance we assign to objects. It is a reminder that even though loss and healing feel overwhelming; they are emotions which can begin and end with us. We do not need to wilt, we can bloom no matter how much we have bled.
Reviewed by
I am a writer and freelance editor/proofreader based in the UK. I have self-published two poetry collections (Between the Trees and Flowers on the Wall). I enjoy reviewing poetry, short stories, literary fiction and historical fiction. I am the Editor-in-Chief for Free Verse Revolution magazine.
Bleeding Flowers is a collection of poems, some are true events—all are true feelings. Shay Siegel explores desolation, betrayal, and suffering with raw honesty. These poems are for those who have been broken, whether it be through relationships, deep thoughts, or profound loneliness. Readers will find the ability to face their pain with the knowledge that it will pass only to come again, the same as each season. Solace is always present in nature to aid in our survival.
About the author
Shay Siegel is from Long Island, New York. She received a B.A. in English from Tulane University, where she was also a member of the women's tennis team. She went on to earn an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. She currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina. view profile
Published on June 10, 2019
4000 words
Contains mild explicit content ⚠️
Genre: Poetry
Reviewed by
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