You don't deserve to suffer
You can start over
Start over start over start over
Begin again
Leave
You don't belong here/ need to stay
Where do I belong then?
Not at home, not here, not anywhere?

He probably deserves
to be accidentally thrown
into a garbage truck
some cold Monday morning,

but I don't think it's his fault.
I love him.
I don't know and probably won't
until we're ash.

❦

We don't hold hands every day anymore,
We always used to, as we walked along
A special day was this one-  I felt so free
Your hand in mine, serenity.

A little baby cardinal  fell from its nest,
We walked by it when your sharp eye had spotted it
And your gifted mind suggested us to keep walking...
As you assumed that feeble creature has no chance,
I felt your truth, but my heart had to check
I sensed its thirst and needs for food,
I noticed its trembling little body,
I saw its broken wing,
I realized  it had nobody
To claim its well being,
I scanned the dark, creeping around,
I knew we were the only ones,
The only souls who could even try
To have its fate turned around…
So I picked it up and gave that creature - Hope.
In the palm of my hand,
I had this power all along.
We hurried to find some bread,
You've built a nest out of an old  shoebox,
We fed the starving bird together,
We beamed at its first gulps,
We felt its little heartbeats,
We made sure it has enough warmth,
We've encouraged each other.
We went to sleep filled with hope.

everyone has gone back to suburbia,
city streets are dangerous, if you look
at someone cross eyed, it earns you death.

don’t celebrate this madness,
mourn it in black, it has a taken
a pandemic to school me again.

this a broadcast, shout out, email me
if you know how I’m feeling and can
share what other mutualities crisscross.

Do you like Jazz? Me neither.
Flouncy bouncy dresses? Nah!
Sweats? Unnecessary, I can sweat
just by concentrating.

You like me, own soulful bluesy singers,
femme fatales, who coax and croon,
wet the spun threads of subtle emotive,
who live by light of candles votive,
I live in black, day and nighttime,
write in midnight blue, a woman who!
takes no b.s. and doesn’t ever take no
for an answer...

(a series of haikus)

I will not woo
until this virus is cured
or there are vaccines.

I refuse to kick
my brother until there’s
some police reform.

I won't fight with
my mom 'til we focus on
the environment.

I’m going to hold
my breath ‘til the election
- go, go, sleepy Joe!

I won't buy any
makeup until - heck, who wears
makeup anymore??

I’m giving up
pizza... wait, no I’m NOT.
Forget about THAT!

(promises are subject
to cancellation - any time
- without prior notice)

I need you
As my strength
For my health
As my wealth
For my sheath
As my breath
Till my death!!