"Those were hard things for me to come by, and I offer them to you for what they may be worth." - Toby Wolff



Friday, December 30, 2022

The Meadow

The bee told me there was nothing to fear.
We could both romp in the meadow.
It was our playground
and if I got stung
it was a mistake.

"Mine or yours?" I asked.
The bee said he couldn't point fingers
as he had none.

I listened to the buzz of his departure
as I considered the meadow,
so drawn to it
yet so afraid.

The buzzing grew louder and stronger
the bees seeming to multiply before my very eyes,
yet my feet, still only two.
My feet knew fear
had felt sting.

I had always thought to save the feet
but never considered to save the bee.
If I romped slowly
with considerate feet
would it still be fun?

I realized then
that too narrow focus on feet or bee
was the thief of joy
so why go to the meadow at all?

Or...
I could romp through the meadow knowing
freedom and pain play hand in hand.
You can't have one without the other
and there isn't always fault in it...
isn't always intent.

My feet need the meadow,
the meadow needs the bee,
and we will just do our best by each other.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Dissociating

I watch the light
leak through the cracks of flesh walls.
I cannot contain it
and I cannot find more.
I am the vessel of darkness,
it's steward,
curator.

It is the museum I visit
with no placards to explain the awful black voids
where art should hang.

I don't want to visit the museum anymore.
I don't want to keep paying with my life.

I should burn it down...
let the fire be my light
and the ashes
my masterpiece.