blue flame danced
under a beaker unknown
it sends us mere molecules on
a journey which lasts a lifetime.

in this chemical adventure
we are all impure substances
energised by idealised passion
we break out of social bonds
free like vapour to chase dreams.

we rise condense again
back down to reality
repeat

i stare ahead
there are other molecules that rise quicker
achieving better
how could i compare?

as we drip down into the distillate flask
remember the laughter and tears and memories
and we know that

in the end,
throughout the arduous process,
we become the purest and truest forms of ourselves.

Written by Josephine Law. Edited by Nancy Qiang. Published on 06/08/2019. Header image by Isabel Li.