when talk therapy isn’t enough
i try other things
like walk therapy
and eat therapy
and kiss therapy
and stretch therapy
and text therapy
and tiktok therapy
and instagram therapy
and new music friday therapy
wake up and walk to the sunrise therapy
morning dew on a lily pad therapy
ocean waves crashing therapy
plunge into the ice cold bay therapy
single americano with pistachio biscotti therapy
roll around giggling in the leaves therapy
mull a move to the redwoods therapy
purchase six nonrefundable flights therapy
dive right in the brasilian wax therapy
throw up crying in the bathroom therapy
decadent cup of chocolate therapy
dance in the club alone therapy
hot femme fun and games therapy
keep it cuuuuuuuuute therapy
take photos in the mirror therapy
snap a million wildflowers therapy
gaze the moon move therapy
jump into the fire therapy
splashing creek therapy
swallow shroom therapy
plan a party therapy
plan another party therapy
call my best friend therapy
call another best friend therapy
call another best friend therapy
call another best friend therapy
go to a friend’s father’s funeral therapy
tell my friends i love them therapy
tell my family i love them therapy
tell myself i love me therapy
meet a new dog therapy
and
look into the eyes of the dog,
and pat the head of the dog,
and feed bits of chicken to the dog,
and scratch the heck outta the neck of the dog,
and imagine myself kissing the head of MY dog,
and remember that she’ll be a dead dog one day,
and remember that i’ll be a dead dog one day,
and remember that i’m alive today,
and remember to live today
like a lucky dog
therapy.
what do I believe to be true?
i am here
and it is now—
i’m alive
and i will die—
peace is the dream
and love is the way.
one day all this hair will fall out
one day my breathing will cease
one day my skull will turn to powder
but until then i’ll dance
until then i’ll breathe
until then i’ll be me
and maybe beyond that too.
bless the sky
and bless the rain
and bless the streets
and bless the people
and bless the brass
and bless the drums
and bless the strings
and bless the voice
and bless the words
that bless these things
and bless your love
and bless your truth
and bless this mess
because the mess is you.
want something to do with you
want love thing to do with you
want dumb thing to do with you
want drunk thing to do with you
want slam dunk to do with you
want anything to do with you
want bunny thing to do with you
want money thing to do with you
want honey thing to do with you
want onion thing to do with you
even if you
don't want anything
to do with me
that's okay because
i
i met a middle-aged woman named Lynn in Denver. i told her i had an an aunt named Lynn in Fort Collins.
i met a young woman named Molly, who had just gotten out of a long relationship, had cried in the train restroom the night before, and the next morning had written poetry about it.
i met a Bengali girl named Zen. i smiled when she told me this. well, she explained, that was not the name her parents had given her, it was the shortened version of a band name she liked, which she’d adopted as her new name. she was 22, and was traveling with her husband, 34. they had fallen in love seven years earlier, she said, but they had known each other for many years before that. she was three months in America, he had been here since childhood. they both considered themselves students of some ice man who argued that icy cold showers and baths made you a more powerful being. freedom was theirs, they believed fiercely, and they fiercely, joyously laughed in love every time they were together. whenever they spoke, they looked directly at me with clear, confident eyes. when i pointed out to Zen that we both had the same purple phone, she softly pinched my hand.
the unicorn and the blackbird
sit in a puddle of tears iridescent
depressed but impressed with the sunshine
still emanating from each others' eyes.
beans and rice and tears
shivers and piano scales
the dog’s worried eyes
no cumin in the pantry.
i believe i am alive.
i believe i am love.
i believe i am salty sea spray of the ocean, mother.
i believe the poets.
i believe music is god.
i believe god is change.
i believe it’s all in rhythm.
i believe harmony is joy.
i believe everything is impermanent.
i believe i will die.
i believe death is an illusion.
i believe life is an illusion.
i believe i am alive.
yes, i am nothing
as is everything
as is god
who i am
a part of
as is everything
which is nothing.