talk,
speak,
see how they do.
let every noise
let every noise loose,
let every voice
let every voice loose,
and speak,
see how they do.
this is okay with everyone but you,
and you always want to be the exception,
don’t you?
you have to be.
speak.
-
isn’t anything to it
-
why i feel weird about you at happy hour
it’s just that
i had a drunk
as a friend
from the time my life began
to the time he ended hisand then
i had another drunk
from then
to the time i discovered it
on the call
and driving her to the hospitalthis poem will make space for the pain i’m in
without it controlling me
and you must keep space to have a drink
without being controlled by it or the pain in me -
Pairs of Cinnamon Teal
pairs of Cinnamon Teal
look the same until god wants somethingand so I glow without permission
until god tells me to stopCinnamon Teal are quiet
I think I should be -
the vote
three birds and rain
i can’t see the sun
two ferns and every politician
soakthe musicality of love
we want our ideasdon’t wait
don’t waitdon’t think we’re not the same
feudal italy
spanish inquiries
the worst thing you can believe
is that we’re not the sameit didn’t rain
bushes and birds
and trees, they had trees
the worst thing we ever invented
was the illusion of control -
I notice that the more I treat children how I would treat adults
the more other teachers accuse me of “babying” the childrenhow dare I give them a choice
how dare I not force them to sit down and shut up
how dare I let them tell me “no” and explain their reason why
how dare I, you know,
let them grow -
The Beautiful “No”
Bluebird and Mourning Dove love to play.
They play in the meadow.
They play near the pond.
They play around the tree.
One day Bluebird wanted to fly to the far away pond with Mourning Dove by their side.
When Mourning Dove thought of flying so far away their need for safety and security came up.
Mourning Dove began to feel very scared and very sad.
Mourning Dove said “I think the far away pond is just too far away for me.”
Bluebird grieved.
Bluebird really thought that flying to far away pond would meet their need for adventure today
After some time Bluebird had a new idea
“what if we fly to the flowery meadow?” Bluebird exclaimed
“that sounds fun for me!” said Morning Dove
So together they flew, just a little far away
That day they learned that it’s okay to say no
and by sharing their needs they found a new way to play
and that’s what we call a beautiful no
when we stand up for our needs
without saying mean things.
-
the name of happiness
when a single Harper Adams dies
the earth of seeds & petals cry
a low and quiet cry:: cup your hands over your ears
to hear ::the lull of mindfulness we want to feel
in child’s pose
to drink the drink of happiness
from the yellow of the rosewhose name we say is meaningless
unto the content of its soul
but all we want is happiness
& all we do
is name
and name and name
even the naming of the rose -
directions to mattering’s house
mattering’s house is present
it can feel elusive but isn’tyou’ll pass every tombstone and birth certificate
look for its window toward the future
that’s where mattering sometimes sits for breakfastif you pass the moment you have gone too far
but carry on if you still see anything behind youmattering’s house is present
they can’t live anywhere elselook for the mayfly or dandelion seed in the air
they aren’t exactly there but at least you’ll know you’re nearwe’ve passed the house I think a thousand times while reading this
but don’t worry it is still thereoh, and their house has everything in it
you will love being, well,
here -
feel awake
i want to feel awake
i like to be baptized
so that a man’s hand on my back can shoot me up from the water
you forget
there is a last time you’ll swim with your father
in a plastic pool or city lake
and even if he mostly held you under
sometimes still
he shot you up from the water
and the water looking on
and us awake
i keep pulling the sheets off of my head
but it’s not the same -
3-4yr olds (twice as much)
for every minute you’re teaching them
you need two
of play togetheringfor every time they look up at you
or come and find you
you need two
where you saw and found them firstfor every project you make them do
you need two
invented on their ownand when all eleven voices
are begging for attention
you need twenty two separate times
you offered them attention firstwhatever you ask of them
twice as much
you must giveand from whatever love you put in
twice as much
you will get
nathanael.ink 