Another June rolls languidly into July and I once again ponder the idea of [Insert Adjective] Girl Summer. No maliciousness is meant; they all sound appealing in various ways. Being deeply in love with yourself. Enjoying time with friends. Feeling sexy and free. But maybe there needs to be a little variety inserted into the mix. Maybe we aren’t…
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Oh God, She’s One of Those
I’m no stranger to writing down my thoughts. I’ve been doing so for most of my life. I was inspired to get back into it last fall, after a somewhat challenging year. I started writing daily gratitude in a simple notebook I’d no doubt originally purchased for the pretty cover, but promptly forgot in one of my drawers. I…
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Happy
My legs are tucked up under me. Little aches and pains inform me I will be stiff tomorrow. I look forward to it. The temperatures soared above ninety today, but that didn’t hold me back from the zoo. I ran my hand over the velvet backs of stingrays, and laughed when they lined up for more caresses. A young…
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Human Loom, Human Vessel
Lately I’ve been trying to translate my words into feelings while still in my head. There are selfish reasons for that. My mind is a chatty seamstress; when I leave it alone, it weaves words effortlessly. Gowns of prose, embellishments of thought. When I try to put those words down, make them physical, too often the fabric unravels. It’s…
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The Songbird
We found our songbird dead in the kitchen, His body cold on the cage floor Next to the counter where my husband Caressed the lines of my throat with his tongue the night before. I sat at the window overlooking the street and watched not much at all The red flowers clustered inside the windowsill box The sky a…
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A Story of Love
I will tell you about this silly little dog, with stubby legs and the softest muzzle you’ve ever felt. Enough sass to even give me a run for my money. For such a sweet dog, Jack was a master of the side-eye. You always got the feeling that he knew more than he let on. An inside joke between…
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Feeding Creativity
Coax it with honeyed words Promises of ruin Pray it will emerge, sniff your hand with The delicate timidity of a deer or rabbit Until, satisfied, it stretches open its mouth that suddenly Has too many teeth Take a finger, a hand, my sanity if that’s what you need, I told it I have only one life to get…
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Doubt Came for Me Today
Doubt came for me today Dark as my mind on the nights I can’t escape my thoughts with Venom drops dangling fat from teeth bared Close to my face, close enough spittle collected On my cheeks as it spoke. “Do you really think you are worthy?” Its voice an unholy cross between a cat’s seductive purr And chittering of…
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Glass Prison
It’s been exactly a month since I deactivated my Instagram account. How do I feel? Do I miss it? A: Like I escaped a cult. A: Hell no. I could make a neat little bullet point list of the reasons I left. Obvious ones, like it was making my mental health worse. I could focus on ones you notice more…
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The Fruit
Crush my heart to pulp between your fingers; I’ll smile through the blood in my teeth and ask you to do it again, harder this time. I’ve realized it doesn’t matter if I make love to the wrong person with my words. The words don’t care. They want to be written either way. Either way, I’ll bleed. We’re all…
