30 Going on 15

On the edge of
15.
Pick a job
Any job
What would you like to be?
Career?
Your life.
Choose it.
Pick, pick, pick
Pick pick
Tick, tick, tick
Choose wisely.
Sign,
Here.
And here.
You like to do that thing that you mentioned,
that I wasn’t listening to,
and doesn’t matter because you can’t
make money, money,
money, doing
That
Here?
Thing
Here, here
Here, just take this and that,
and all those, and fill, and sign, here
And here,
And you had a question?
I couldn’t-
Here
Here
Here
And Here
Here you’ll find that anything you do has a paper trail
Change?
No, None here
Here the ink is permanent
That would waste too much
Time to work, work.
Now what was your occupational activity?
Oh yes, that one.
It doesn’t make much money, money
But somehow you’ll have to
Pay at the front,
We accept cash, credit, stocks, bonds, blood
Money to live
To learn,
Money for true happiness
For a good education,
Picket fence,
Marital bliss,
A dog, a house, a car,
2.5 kids.
What? You chose
See page 2000,
Its standard contractual arrangement,
See,
And you’ve already completed parts 4, 5, and 6
A change in the contract brings us back here
We’ve put you together,
Now we must tear you apart.
Now the parts you didn’t read,
You should have before!
No! No tears! There’s no time,
Hurry, you’re a mother,
An adult,
You’re about to be 30!
Now all you have are debts,
Your accomplishments
P(no school, past jobs, and your children don’t count),
Your finances,
Your failures,
Your reason for these claims,
Let’s spread them out.
Trauma? Relive every moment,
and then we’ll “figure something out”.
Childcare? No.
That’s something you must arrange
Should have been better prepared,
For this
For life. You don’t live and learn,
You best just know,
Count the cards just don’t get caught,
This is life,
the luck of the draw,
with notarized agreements.
Ok, you’re complete. Welcome to 30.
Please gather your child, your memories, triumphs, and trials,
and move back half your life,
to 15.

Next.

Sorry.

November 28, 2016

I am sorry,
for my forthcoming,
for my audacity
At the wrong times
my delayed boldness
sometimes,
always,
gets the best of me.
When for me
answers are finally clear
I sometimes overlook the
Other 7.5 billion people here.

I am sorry.
I am not quite sure
what I had expected.
I did not mean to intrude.
There was a reason
I avoided
indulging
these thoughts,
hopes, memories.

I am sorry.
I respect,
As you did,
I do and will respect
as much for you.
Freeman,
I now know
how much is at stake
When sand slips
An entire decade away

I am sorry.
though before
what was written
still holds true.
I am sorry for my
selfishness.
You are a more noble man
Than I.

I am sorry.
May your hearts be full,
And love surrounding;
Healing,
Happiness,
Meaning,
Purpose,
Peace,
because.

Things I Cannot See (Sick)

I am sick of being sick,
Of the mental,
emotional,
physical strain,

I would like to walk,
A few steps would be fine,
Without the blurred vision,
And difficulty,
Of underwater locomotion

I am sick of being sick
Of the meek excuses
I must make
For my body’s every ache

This weekly cycle
Is endless I fear
How I will function
I cannot predict
What is my purpose
In all of this,
To go through life
chronically sick?

I am sick of being sick
Of people being sick
Of me
Forgive me if I complain,
If my body cannot cooperate
With my brain,
Forgive me if I am a burden,
I know how burdens can be,
I wish for once
I could fit
In a “normal” category

I am sick of being sick
Of something I cannot see
Of ghosts haunting my mind
My emotion
My every waking motion

I can tell you
That I am trying
And swear this to be the truth
And I know you will tire of me too
I pray, be patient
Do not abandon me
I am sick of being punished
By things I cannot see.

-July 13, 2005

Nightfall

July 31, 2017
The ripening moon
Hangs above my window
And beckons me
To keep my eyelids raised
An hour longer
She had seduced me
This way before
With promises
In the midnight hour
But this is how
I lost touch
With reality
And the sun
Still, I wonder,
Does she tempt you too?

Remembering “Who I Am”

August 3, 2017
A song I have not heard
For years,
First few chords
And suddenly I am
15 again,
Ambitious and terrified,
Mapping me,
Experimenting in identity apothecary,
Blazing trails as if
I am fearless,
What a facade!
And memories are bittersweet
As I hear the song,
Boldly crooning,
Unapologetically,
Love of “Who I Am”