poetry

I want to hear my heart beating
When it beats not too slow
And not too fast,
Just beat, beat after beat,
Just slow enough
For me to enjoy this day,
And just fast enough
For my heart to have courage.

My goal for my heart
Is a beat that’s not too slow
And not too fast.
Just like when
I take no note of it.
Just beat and pause.
Just slow enough
For me to enjoy this day,
And just fast enough
For me to have courage.

How can I not love this world?
It’s hard sometimes,
Actually, a lot of the time,
To love the things that hurt me,
The shallow depths
And the things that took you away.
I love every moment
When you still play on my mind
And with my heart.
How can I not love this world?
How can I hold back my tears
When they’re pure joy?
Even losing you –
How can I not love the world
When that’s where you are?
How can I not greet strangers
With a smile?
How can word get to you
That I’ve forgotten how to.
How can I forget
How much I love this world
Because of you.

When I’m anxious in the morning
I shall remember excitement.

When I’m anxious in public
I shall remember I’m not alone.

When I’m anxious at work
I shall remember my value.

When I’m anxious to create
I shall remember my dreams.

When I’m anxious with him
I shall remember patience.

When I’m anxious about the future
I shall remember courage.

When I’m anxious at night
I shall remember peace.

And when I’m anxious in life
I shall remember compassion.

Come rise, you giant,
Made of clay, come rise.
All that belongs to love
Shall be forgiven.

Come lift your sorrow
And bathe in light today.
All that belongs to love
Shall be remembered.

Come reach the top
Of the mountain of life.
All that belongs to love
Shall be lived.

Come bring your heart
And all the joy and pain.
All that belongs to love
Shall be felt.

Come, you, giant, rise!
And rise over again.
All that belongs to love
Shall be reborn.

When we first heard that the world will end,
We felt afraid; we felt betrayed;
Something shattered and time stopped.
We felt alone.

We gasped for air, we said our goodbyes.
And then we waited. We waited for the end,
To be saved, maybe but not really.
We knew nobody was coming.

We thought about us in our old age
And about everything being OK.
We looked at us: the last people,
The best people.

As boredom set in we played music
And danced like nobody was looking.
Eventually, we were moving together.
We came together.

And so we danced at the end of the world.
Foolish, imperfect. Smiling, unimportant;
Resentful and forgiving. Dangerously, Lovingly,
We danced at the end.

Break me, world,
But do not kill me.
I have so much life
To live ahead of me.

Take me, world,
But don’t hide me.
I have so many stories
To inspire you with.

Surprise me, world,
But do not frighten me.
I have so much lust
To wonder at your beauty.

Leave me, world,
But do not abandon me.
I have so much love
To give to you.