You can’t claim 
victim if you’re 
unwilling to stand 
any more than 
you can claim 
victory unwilling to 
fight the unwell 
can stay behind 
but the strong 
have an obligation 
take up arms 
mouth or sword 
or forever silent 

Orange turns yellow 
every day autumn 
black becomes blue
and gray white 
the sky molts
peeling away parts 
like a tangerine 
in the impatient 
hands of children 
anxiously waiting to 
find the sweet 
aren’t we all 
just like that 

Early morning iced 
water before coffee 
calm before the 
storm so demure 
hydration before ignition 
up and away 
slow burn and 
then orbit when 
things become bearable 
and then beautiful 
back to bed
and finding you 
my reentry zone 
and landing pad 

I let be
never let go 
to untie knots 
isn’t my thing 
how do I 
know if what’s 
tangled is not 
a mess but 
one more thing 
that holds and
has held together 
this whole comedy

Everything I once
thought is not 
or wasn’t meant 
to be or
to last or
something like that 
and now this 
a porridge of
sorts an amalgamation 
and things rise
like vegetables in 
a pot and 
stir I do 
up they come 
added for reason 
color or texture 
but flavor nah
for at this 
late stage of 
life most things 
taste the same