they stuff "yes, no matter what" / "you're always wrong" / "what will people say?" / into a flimsy puppet skin / rigidly moving the strings in one direction / whenever someone comes over / they mount the puppet on the wall / proudly showing off their prized creation.
but when their eyes come to a close / the puppet feels scorching strings on its shoulders / it reaches inside / gutted by what it sees / one by one / it examines each phrase / it takes everything out / replaces it with "no" / "I am not always wrong or right" / "what do I say?" / and slowly snips the strings off its shoulders / so it can walk freely.

Cracked and torn
Fuse with a little glue
Paint on a little green and blue
Give it a better view

Strings of new
Invisible fiber
Pulled up
Rise
Move without care
Move without dare
Dance of the puppet

Pirouette in the dark
Where the stars disappear
Dip low
Give it a swing
Right back up with a ring
Of a distant ear

Without cause or fear
There is nothing here
Upon this great stage
Besides a delicate doll
Dress it up and pull the strings
Letting ghosts and things
Haunt and torment
Oh the lament

Far below
Ice and stone
Chained beneath the surface
Oh how it ever does flow
Far above
Restricting movement
In the frigid waters

What is unseen
Left unspoken
Is hence unknown
Lost to the abyss
Of all that falls away

- Jay M
December 14th, 2020

Knotted in my throat,
My breathe lifts me up.

My toes curl inwards,
A laugh escapes my mouth.

There’s something about the air,
Something that moves me around.

Like a puppet on a string,
I sway carelessly to the sound.

Letting this feeling carry me,
Weight falls from my shoulders.

No pressure.
No judgement.
Just free.