collage by a.c. 2005

no holds barred

rise
greet the day
water in
kinks out
caffeine down
except the tea
tee up!
detox
erase the damage
of the last few years
start all your days right
keep to the straight and narrow
no more forks in the road
grief is never linear
doesn't have to throw you off
keep going

There's a reason poets often say, 'Poetry saved my life,' for often the the blank page is the only one listening to the soul's suffering, the only one registering the story completely, the only one receiving all softly and without condemnation.  -Clarissa Pinkola Estes