Photography of Jiaqi Chen by Melissa Lully, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Broken Mirror Beauty 

A Rose from Concrete: A Poem and Excerpt 

For thousands of years, we had a stable climate that allowed our species to thrive.

We laid down roots. Grew crops, made babies, built families and futures.

Buildings went up. As the sun went down:

Each day a new chance to change.  

We all went about our business. We drilled, baby, drilled.

Ignored all of the broken pieces—swept them all aside: good riddance.

We pursued beauty, perfection.

Photography of Jiaqi Chen by Melissa Lully, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Broken Mirror Beauty 

Built even bigger things, something brand new

Fresh: shining like a bright red rose until 

Its thorn pricked a finger and a

Storm came. Each year bigger 

With more destruction.

Storm Photography by Melissa Lully, Broken Mirror Beauty 

Chaos...

Another "hottest year on record." Earth so dry if feels like

Concrete. 3 times more storms than 100 years ago, yet still

They deny. Distract, divide conquer. Knock down

Buildings. Take names. Break up families. Like

Hurricane Andrew: Everybody 

Move! ...Gravity is 

A bitch.