Author: Annie Xiong

Peonies don’t have thorns. By Annie Xiong.

In this poem, Annie Xiong describes the uncanny link between all life.

Annie Xiong writes of the ignorance of childhood.

Behind a smile is a poem that experiments with unorthodox formatting to derive deeper meaning from the piece. It can be read from top to bottom, left to right, or with one perspective or two; every which way brings a different interpretation to the writing. The smiling motif symbolizes the persona, a mask you wear to hide your authentic self from others. Annie Xiong view this poem as the narrator’s true, vulnerable feelings behind their pained smile.

Annie Xiong tells a story of rebirth and renewal through metaphors and imagery.