When you find yourself
Broken and beaten down
Beyond the reach of hope
Look to the sky
It’s beauty will rescue you
-
Them
Sitting on the edge of the bed
He held an apology in his throat
A near empty bottle in his hand
She sat at the kitchen table
Holding a chipped coffee cup
Tears trickling down
As she drank the last drop
She held a goodbye in her throat
Neither of them would hear
-
Our Stories
This is for those
Battling depression
Grappling with anxiety
Struggling to sleep
Trying to keep their chin up
Trying to find the positive
Trying to stay connected
Forging their way through
Who do not tell a soul
How much they are suffering
For a mountain of reasons
Know that you are not alone
Years from now we will all
Have powerful stories to tell
Of making it through this
We are living them now
-
Is it you or me
We should be in love by now
What a mystery
-
Being in denial
Is not the worst place to be
If it keeps you sane
-
She can be ice cold
Or so full of love and warmth
Your cold heart defrosts
-
You will gain nothing
By expressing your concern
Radio silence
-
You choose to tune out
What you prefer not to hear
Tell me the reason
-
If it is frightening
To tell him that you love him
He is not your love
-
Just let your heart be
Stop trying to control it
Let it take the lead
-
In the quiet night
She dances inside my heart
As I fall for her
-
What should I tell her
Here in magical limbo
On the brink of love
-
Her indifference
Her absence of jealousy
Perplexes my heart
-
Above
Look up to the stars
When you are lost and lonely
Millions of wishes granted
Floating above you
Shrug off the timeline
Dare to believe
Wish for our miracle
-
In times of intense stress
I think we all return to our default settings
Our better selves dissolve
-
The Date
I wish I marked down the date
You last held me in your arms
I would turn back the pages of my calendar
Find the month and circle the date
Before our evolving love faded
By what could not survive distance
We would have broken our hearts
If we had become an us
-
Be free
Let go of the narrative
Let your days unfold
You will gradually find
Your fate will be revealed
When you least expect it
When love decides for you
-
Big Question
Who do you want to be when you grow up
Would be the the question we should pose
In place of our standard query to a child
What do you want to be when you grow up
For what you do is only part of who you are
Our young souls have far more to give to this earth
-
Decision
Back in 2007
I read in the books
It was bad to isolate
It makes things much worse
Better get out there
Meet people make friends
Best thing for your health
So I made myself
Enough years went by
I forgot what it was like
To want to be left alone
I remember now
So I just pretend
This is what I want
Watching long movies
Reading stacks of books
Sleeping for 12 hour stretches
It is not so bad
Just a way to pass the time
I find I like it
Not like 13 years ago
When I did all the same things
But I didn’t choose
What I did or didn’t do
My depression did
-
Panic
Anxiety is an intruder
With unparalleled power
Tailored to fuel your fears
Conjuring a history of hurt
You are outmatched
Pain in your chest
Sudden brimming tears
Little kid level sniffles
Taking a seat transforming
To a collapse on the floor
Sobs finally give way
To labored breaths
Gradually you shakily rise
Without hesitation or shame
To find your phone
Scrolling to the number
You thought you didn’t need
And call for help
-
Theater
Theater is life
Lived bravely
Watched with courage
As we dare to feel
Ever present together
For two hours plus
In the stillness
Of human connection
You can hear a pin drop
With the recognition
Of the familiar
Laughter breaking down a wall
At all that is fleeting
Applause calls a curtain
Hands held with smiles found
With a united bow
We all rise up
We stand together somehow
-
Believe
Keep your deepest faith
In the true blue geniuses
Fighting this virus every day
Probing for discoveries
Attacking from all angles
Relentlessly working
Around the clock
To find a way to stop this
A mission they will
Never abandon
Not until we can
All hear freedom ring
Thank them
Bless them
Remember them
When despair creeps in
Have faith in
The great breaking news
That will arrive one day
On your phone,computer,TV
Brought on by their
Determined work
That day will come
-
Monday
Start right where you are
Change direction if needed
Your future is yoursWhat if
Make a wish today
Then get out of your own way
Begin to grant itHope
Benefits of hope
You can lose it completely
Then find it againHere
Here on shaky ground
Hanging on by a thin thread
Just treading waterWindow
Look out the window
Decide what you want to see
Now enjoy the viewThinker
Been thinking too much
At least I think I have been
Better think againTired
Need to fight off stress
Make a wish in the morning
See if it comes trueCat Dreams
Cats have a tenth life
A parallel universe
Made of daily dreamsSmile
Positive people
Have often endured great pain
They smiled to surviveDating Advice
Never follow up
Guys who like you will reply
It is that simpleNo shrugs
Put the string away
Be with him or not with him
Just rule out limboGrumpy Cat
Your beautiful frown
Turned all of ours upside down
Our lost joy was foundGrumpy Cat
Such a good kitty
You made us laugh at ourselves
What a gift you wereMonday afternoon
A walk in the sun
On a Monday afternoon
Has magic in itAnswers
I got distracted
Then the answer came to me
Funny how that worksGoals
Knowing what you want
Reveals all the obstacles
You can overcomeLife
You only get one
Decide what chances to take
Live the life you wantWorry
Nerves thrive on inaction
Doing fends off worrying
Get to work todayTry
Just decide to try
See what miracles unfold
You may be surprised
-
Ready
On a long dreary day
Being met with a bright smile
Like an unexpected rainbow
Will carry you through
-
Be Not Afraid
Monsters cannot comprehend
People who hold within them
Kind-hearted integrity
Born of who they are
Without agenda
Built on the recognition
Of our shared humanity
When faced with cruelty
These noble souls
Do not retaliate
Against their adversary
Witnessing such empathy
Monsters fade to humans
Shook by a gentle presence
Fury melts into relief
Tears spill from their eyes
Cleansing a hateful heart
Because you do not leave them
Alone with their hidden pain
-
Depression
Looking out the window at the rest of the world.
There’s me and there’s everyone else I wish I could be.
The old man in the coffee shop quietly sipping coffee and reading the newspaper, while I smoke outside trying to steady chronically shaky hands.
The young, pretty mother in the supermarket helping her little girl tie her shoe, while I wish I were the younger, better man who married her.
The guy tearing my ticket with a smile at the movie theater who seems destined for greatness somehow, while I pray a movie can silence my crazy mind.
But instead I remain unsettled disordered me.
-
Word Mirage
The weight we assign
To text messages
Saddens this heart of mine
The number of messages
The rate of response
The length of replies
Who initiates
Mixed up emojis
A tragic triple text
Do not fret dear one
Technology is new
Love is blessedly ancient
Your lovely purple lilacs
Your hand written letter
Your secret surprise
Will arrive on Saturday
At 8pm on the dot
I will text you then
To let you know
I am at your door
