Before We Had Words to Name Flowers
Exploring the limitations of light in a shining city on a hill.
I feel myself (again) transforming Beyond the survival of cat scratch ferocity Water and wind soothe the hardness of me Unsteady, my mouth tries to sing Within this shaky song I feel the shape of forgotten music (salvation notes on my tongue) I recognize this music from a long-ago journey. A harmonized melody. Music only found in flowers that choose to open through crucible and stardust. No longer scared of my skin I begin opening myself too I sense gentleness finding it’s way to me. I remember this thing This thing coming toward me I remember it as beauty Beauty from a whispered universe that calls the uncomplicated sophistication of flowers, Home. On hot tin and mendacity That feral sky drifts further away Through roots and mud, Things long-shadowed Things shackled to limitation Transform into cool, wet seeds Turning through hot scorched earth (Reaching upward they begin shaping their own light.) Pressing through sacred toes further into earth, a curiosity synchronizes memory and desire. My only intention now Is tending to this wild, limitless garden (of who I am) Reclaiming those parts (that have always been within me) … before I followed others who wanted me to believe that we had words to name flowers.
JOURNAL EXERCISE: Becoming a Wonderpreneur
Lesson: Reclaiming Wonder in Your Entrepreneurial Life
Recognize how growth, creativity, and your sense of self are shaped by both challenges and moments of wonder.
Step 1: Reflect on a Line
Read this line from my poem: "No longer scared of my skin, I begin opening myself too."
Question: When have you felt the courage to open yourself fully—at work or in life?
Journal Prompt: Write about that moment. What helped you embrace it?
Step 2: Notice Your Growth
Seeds in the poem push through "hot scorched earth" to create their own light. You face obstacles in your work and life too.
Question: What's one limitation you’ve faced recently?
Journal Prompt: Describe how you’ve grown or adapted because of it.
Step 3: Reconnect with Wonder
Entrepreneurship isn’t just about building products or services. It’s also about tending to your internal creativity—the “wild, limitless garden” within you.
Question: What inspires your creativity right now?
Journal Prompt: Write one simple action you can take this week to nurture that inspiration.
Reflection Reminder:
Over time, these small reflections will create your own journal of growth and insight. Revisit your responses regularly and see how your story evolves.
My recommendations for further reading.
If you like the themes explored here, then you might enjoy these.
Mary Oliver – "The Journey"~ Personal transformation and reclaiming one's voice and truth.
Rainer Maria Rilke – "Go to the Limits of Your Longing"~ Embracing the mystery and beauty of life’s inner and outer worlds.
Joy Harjo – "Remember"~ Connection to nature, memory, and identity.
Derek Walcott – "Love After Love"~ Reconciliation with one's true self after a period of alienation.
Pablo Neruda – "Keeping Quiet"~ Reflection, stillness, and the power of transformation through awareness.
Naomi Shihab Nye – "Kindness" ~ The transformative power of suffering and healing.
My Other Places, Other Frames
My Culture Futurist Substack Site for Business, Innovation & Future of Work
Personal Website: Culture Futurist
About the Author
Theo Edmonds, Culture Futurist® & Founder, Creativity America | Bridging Creative Industries and Brain Science with Future of Work & Wondervation®
©2025 Theo Edmonds | All Rights Reserved. This article contains proprietary intellectual property. Reproduction, distribution, or adaptation, in whole or in part, requires accurate attribution. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of any affiliated organization or institution.