POEM A DAY – January 21

On the Path of Whimsy and Grace
For M

M hiked the path of whimsy
well, her tongue did
plosiving and fricativing and gliding
(the statement was heartfelt and wildwoman)
her mouth opened wide enough to fit a foot

then someone called her weirdo
another tongue, but lashing
M semi-deflated like a cornered-balloon
forgotten in a dining room
but M, o M, spit out the foot

(it wasn’t hers)
and about-faced then crossed the path
toward grace: so her cheeks could cool
so her tongue could rise so her mind
could regroup so her cells could inflate

with the magic of her M-ness (all that
happened) and by the glory of self-love
she did the work of not letting someone
else’s discomfort crush her spirit (that
happens; discomfort is heavy)

let this be an exercise we can each
add to our fitness: if your hike is whimsy-pathed
remember that grace runs perpendicular
let that gorgeous tongue of yours rejoice
its luscious sounds – weird is welcoming

kindness is a forest born in each of us
(if you were wondering) so you don’t have
to search for it, you just be in it –
its roots soak the sweat and tears of
your courageous adventures in shining