Significant concerns are valid
with each flourishing of the pen
every sweeping signature
a single man changes the World.

TAKE CHANCES
TAKE THAT ANXIETY IN YOUR GUT AND LIGHT IT ON FIRE
AND USE THAT FIRE
USE IT TO SAY ***** YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE IT
AND I LOVE YOU TO THE PEOPLE THAT DESERVE IT

BE COURAGEOUS
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO JUMP OFF LEDGES AND START A REVOLUTION
START A REVOLUTION INSIDE YOURSELF THAT YOU NEED TO FIGHT FOR

WORK FOR NOBODY BUT THE PASSION THAT KEEPS YOU BREATHING
OH
AND IDENTIFY THAT PASSION THAT KEEPS YOU BREATHING
LET IT BE THE DOOR YOU BUST OPEN LIKE YOU OPEN YOUR HEART
AND FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE OPEN YOUR HEART
BECAUSE WHEN YOU REALIZE NOBODY IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DOOR YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A KEY
THAT KEY IS YOUR HEART
THE DOOR OPENS WHEN YOU DO

YOU DO YOU
YOU BE WHOEVER YOU NEED TO BE WHENEVER YOU NEED TO BE IT
IF YOU WANT TO BE MORE HONEST
DON'T WAIT FOR THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY TO COME CLEAN
DO IT NOW
IF YOU WANT TO SWITCH POLITICAL PARTIES
DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE RALLY IS OVER
DO IT NOW
IF YOU WANT TO PRAY TO GOD FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE YOU WERE A CHILD
DON'T WAIT TIL SUNDAY
DO IT NOW

START OVER
OR CONTINUE
WRITE NEW SONGS
OR SING OLD ONES
TAKE CHANCES

THERE COULD BE A LIST OF A MILLION THINGS THAT WILL HOLD YOU BACK
LIFE'S TOO SHORT TO BE ON THAT LIST
TAKE CHANCES

These moments - cold,
in the bathroom,
naked except for the blister plasters
and the indent across my ribs
from the new bra.

Before the eyeliner is scrubbed away.
Before I’m back to that flushed girl
with big dreams.

These moments - fresher
than the rest.

And in the end, always,
I’m churning everything inside me,
making pretty songs. But especially moments
like this.

Moments with clothes curled
on the tiles, with blue clarity,
the moments wondering if it matters
that my **** are lopsided.

Always poetry.

There are boys swimming in my head,
boys I once knew,
boys I might know,
girls I want to find. All
poetry.

Suds down the drain. Sponge on skin.
Every moment in every bathroom -
every grimy, cold bathroom,
stacks of them, in my head.

Holy baths and sloppy showers,
moments for renewal,
moments of ***** thoughts.
Underwear kicked off, inside out,
door locked so only
this moment
exists - here - in front
of the mirror, the same crooked
grimace, the same curious brows.

Moments of steam and condensation,
bed socks twisted together.
Cold weight of wet hair, always
the same cycle. Water
rolling down my back.

I am my own ******, in all these moments.