Like soldiers of comically varying heights
I line up my pill bottles along the border
  of my place mat for morning roll call
Some plastic, some glass—
  Green, white, purple, yellow, and gold
Each with their own earnest promise—
Energy, metabolism, muscle function,
  allergy relief
And I earnestly swallow each down
Willing each to complete their mission
To find success in the battle against time
Willing them to bring new life
  to this tired body of mine

© 2025 Joan Zaruba. All rights reserved.

Everyone's busy,

me too, if I don't take care --


and forget myself.

Let's put that phone away and stretch our bodies.

Tucked in kindness

Setting controlled burns
from a safe distance

Fairy floss floating

Unloading old cargo
without second thoughts

Warm juice weather

Opening windows
to let out odd heat

Yesterday was
hot tear-smudged eyeliner
over-picked nails
and stress-blanched thoughts

Today is
cool bruise-soothing gel packs
light hugging cardigan
and summer blanket rest

Hidden in gentleness

Departing hurts
replaced by lovely scars

Tucked in kindness

I can breathe again,
A weight lifted from my chest,
Colors brighter,
Sounds clearer,
My mind, no longer at war with itself.

I can live again,
Fully present,
Not just existing,
But thriving,
One breath at a time.

I can cry again,
Tears of sadness and joy,
Releasing old pain,
Healing my heart.

I can rest again,
My mind at peace,
Trusting my instincts,
My body free from tension.

I can hope again,
For a brighter future,
A new beginning,
A life filled with joy and contentment.

I can trust again,
Myself, my thoughts,
My emotions,
My instincts,
My heart.

I can forgive again,
Releasing the weight of grudges,
Finding peace within,
No longer burdened by anger or resentment.

I can grow stronger again,
Embracing challenges,
Learning from mistakes,
Building resilience and confidence.

I can celebrate myself again,
Recognizing my worth,
Acknowledging my progress,
And feeling proud of who I am.

Every morning when I wake up,
I tell myself how much I love myself.

I look in the mirror,
and say:
How beautiful!

I listen to myself
when I have a problem.

I prepare a delicious breakfast,
after work,
in the evenings, I train.

I take care of my friendships
and also my nutrition.

I take care of my appearance
and my thoughts.

I caress myself,
I give myself gifts,
and words of encouragement.

"Every gesture I give myself
is a hug to my soul,
and to my inner child.
I take care of myself, I love myself."

Always searching
For a reason

Always looking
For a sign

Always seeking
For an answer

Always hunting
All my life

But…

What If
I’m the one who’s lost?

What if
I need to be found?

What if
I’m the one who’s dying?

What if
I’m the one who’s drowned?

Nah… that’s impossible

As I grow older
There were more big problems
Overshadowing the small ones
And so I stopped tending to those small things

Like brushing teeth
Or going for walks
Or bathing
Or eating
Or sleeping

Huh… I think I might be dying