Hello, Sunshine.

[I read this poem yesterday, and it struck a deep chord — after 5x it’s still developing meaning. Soo I suggest multiple reads. Enjoy!]

Sometimes from sorrow,
for no reason
you sing.
For no reason,
you accept the way of being lost,
cutting loose from all else and electing a world where you go where you want to.
Arbitrary, sound comes,
a reminder
that a steady center is holding all else.
If you listen, that sound will tell you where it is
and you can slide your way past trouble.
Certain twisted monsters always bar the path-
but that’s when you get going best,
glad to be lost,
learning how real it is
here on the earth,
again and again.

William Stafford

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I pretend I am above it all

pretend that I don’t care

As if there is a girl alive

without worry to her hair

Look who is all together

every body part in place

yet is the one with clouded eyes

who won’t look you in the face

Why avoid his gaze they say?

As if someone would ask

and penetrate the silent wall

of the confident woman’s mask

If women are perfect at any size

how dare these magazines continue the lies

a promise of self-worth:

thin thighs are the prize

But here is a woman, the exception they say

who won’t dare look at that trash

and yet everyday

she looks in the mirror, and what does she say?

“I am a confident beauty, surely a success

if only that power would show in my breasts

I am a winner, I am a catch

I hate my thighs, I hate my flesh.”

I am the paradox, the exception they’ve said

a smart one — the media won’t get to her head

how silly they are, thinking even the best could escape

as she lay down her worth to the sake of her shape.

(*by yours truly!

I hesitated posting because of the negative overtone, but I think it’s overall important because it’s true.)

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Things everywhere that need to be done

Trying again to get back on track

to find my track

Feeling the negative spin on and on

Stress, from the undone

Fears new and old creeping into happy mind

Tummy aches with stress

and numb-ful food choices

Tired, suddenly less-hopeful, suddenly afraid

until i break it

stop it

open eyes

go to bed

smile for tomorrow

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