‧₊ leaf bug ₊‧

I'm not an insect, I'm just a leaf!

[just-a-walking-leaf]

‧₊ 🌿 Phyllium or Leaf / adult / nonhuman 🌿₊‧

> i am agender ; refer to me with [ it / its / he / him ]

> I’m some type of leaf insect within the genus phyllium, but i cannot specify which yet . i am fundamentally nonhuman at my core . although i didn’t awaken until a few months ago, i have felt this way all my life , i just didn’t have the vocabulary to express my identity .

> If you have a fear of insects, this is not the place for you .

> I am 20 human years old .

> This is a hidden sideblog so I cannot follow anyone back . If you followed me , we are now mutuals in spirit .

‧₊ tags

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ rustling ꒱ - my own posts

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ in the sunlight ꒱ - poetry

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ the foliage speaks ꒱ - asks / interactions

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ definitely just a leaf ꒱ - bug posting

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ swaying ꒱ - related to neurodivergence

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ molting ꒱ - related to identity / nonhumanity

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ do not perceive me ꒱ - anxiety

⋆˙⟡ ꒰ hissing ꒱ - vents

do not repost my poems without credit . all of the following content is original work .

My poetry collection Among the Foliage is published in ANIMAL magazine.

[mandible-muncher]

Beetles make up 25% of all animals. Insects make up ~75% of all living species, plants and fungi included. You cannot keep us down forever. We shall continue to grow and some day you shall bow to the rightful rulers of the earth. BUGS RISE UP!

[just-a-walking-leaf]

[animalmagazine]

20 writing prompts for june

I say writing prompts, but they're easily adaptable to any medium! poetry, fiction, art, even nonfiction if you get creative with it. if you make something, tag us or even submit it to the magazine! we'd love to see what you create :]

cave

wishing

untethered

body / mind / spirit

labyrinth

safe

movement

branches

pride

tomorrow

summer solstice

the heart

stitch

fences

ignite

ordinary

the land

changing

rhythm

i am

[glitchednotghosts]

✨we are are children of the stars~ ✨

Gifts I made for my family this holiday season!!

[some-weird-bird]

[mxmorbidmidnight]

The Shapeshifter (updated) an original poem

[bugpalace]

this is what happens when you put me on google docs with speciesfeels & no filter to bad poetry btw

note: 'man' is gender neutral here + this is meant to be read either side on its own or together

[animalmagazine]

Among the Foliage

Five poems from Phyllium

Our first published pieces are live! thank you @just-a-walking-leaf for trusting us with your work 🍃

Read all five poems by Phyllium on our Susbtack through the link above, and remember to subscribe for free to receive poetry like this directly in your email inbox. Would you like to be published by ANIMAL? Rolling submissions are open!

[just-a-walking-leaf]

I am incredibly honoured to have my work published ! Many thanks 🍃

[animalmagazine]

ANIMAL is a new independent literary magazine devoted to featuring works by individuals with animal identities, including furries and animal-identifying alterhumans. We are seeking literature and art from individuals who identify with or as an animal in any capacity, be it through gender, spirituality, or/and another one of the many ways one can be animal. As a catch-all for such communities, we use the phrase furry&alterhuman, with a non-spaced ampersand to represent animals who exist around, between, and in both communities.

Our mission is to build a community founded on the celebration of animal-made literary works. Through this project we hope that we can further understanding and respect for our communities.

ANIMAL is based on Substack at animalmagazine.substack.com. Take a look at our website to find submission information and to learn more about us.

you can find us on Instagram as animallitmag, or contact us at [email protected]!

[theplant-system]

I'm not a therian but pls reblog or something if youre an adult therian. I need to find more nonhuman blogs, a lot of people on here who identify as animals are children.

[just-a-walking-leaf]

become one of many , absorbed into pattern .

borrow the colours of growth and decay :

of young shoots unfurling ,

burnished brown of autumn's end ,

until even memory of being seen

dissolves into green

among the foliage .

[just-a-walking-leaf]

🌲🌏 for the ask game :3

🌲how do you feel about about others in the community with the same or similar 'types as you ?

I have found a strong sense of community among fellow insect kin and i certainly feel much less alone knowing there are other leaf insects out in the world . it can be tricky to find anyone though (especially because of our camoflauge lol)

🌏 what is your favorite type of alterhuman content out there ?

as a poet , naturally i enjoy reading other creative written works . i also appreciate artwork and moodboards as they can visually convey what words cannot .

[just-a-walking-leaf]

🕷️for the ask game?

🕷️ is your alterhumanity at all connected to your spiritual/religious identity or lack thereof ?

I don ' t have a very religious or spiritual side . my alterhumanity is an irrefutable fact of my existence and in that way I suppose my spirit or soul is that of a leaf insect , but ultimately i am what i am regardless of these identities .

[just-a-walking-leaf]

Am I not alive

in the way a plant is alive ?

when I lift my arm

and hold it to the light

veins trail beneath the skin

green and branching

not unlike the veins of a leaf .

what is blood if not sap ?

[tiercelgreen]

I am on my paws and knees begging folks to realize they don't have to be the world's most amazing writer ever to write! The alterhuman tags have been feeling really devoid and empty of a lot of the usual interesting essays lately and that makes me really sad! I love it when you all write! I love reading about the experiences of people! You also don't have to be interesting to write about yourself. Most people, I find, view themselves to be quite boring and are more fascinated with the lives of others. The reality of this is that you think you're boring because you've lived with yourself/selves your entire life! Of course you're going to seem mundane to yourself. But the secret is, nobody else is you. And no matter how utterly boring you find yourself or your thoughts or your particular relation to the alterhuman community I can assure you, you are interesting to others out there. Your voice DOES matter. Your thoughts and experiences DO have value. You ARE valuable. So please, please write. Please draw. Please share your experiences through literally whatever form you possibly can! I LOVE to read about everyone's unique experiences. Some of my favourite essays and writings out there have been from people who are so entirely and vastly different from myself that I could never have even conceived of the way they viewed things and how they experienced the world around them until I read about their experiences. Some of my favourite artworks are from people who's styles and preferences are wholly different from my own. I promise you, you do not have to be talented or skilled or amazing or perfect to create something of meaning and worth that revolves around your experience. Whether that be a handful of sentences attempting to verbalize a way you felt during a shift, or a several thousand word essay on your particular experience as a spiritual therian. Whether that be a simple pen scribble or a 16+ hour finished piece of work. Whatever it may be. It has meaning because you made it with your own digits with your own hands with your own claws and its yours. Please write.

[just-a-walking-leaf]

HI sorry this is @coining-flipping, i just wanted to say its really awesome to see another bug around here LOL. i hope you have a good day!! apologies if this is weird its just not very often i see other insects so i thought id say hi :-)

do not apologize , not weird at all I assure you . always glad to meet fellow insects on this site and I always enjoy a nice chat :-)

and thank you very much for the stimming flag I really like it ! hope you have a great day as well .

^ hm. I was going to write 'us' but what kind of bug are you ?