Doe

She said she'd leave the door unlocked for me, to just come in
When I arrived, I went to her bedroom and saw her laying on her bed
Listening to Black Hole Sun and reading Bukowski
She had just painted her nails with nail strengthener so her bedroom smelled like chemicals, incense, and vanilla
She walked up to me to kiss me and she tasted like chocolate and rays of light and September
"What took you so long?" she asked with impatient sweetness
I told her about the traffic jam caused by the accident on Southern and the 101
And her pout turned into concern for the drivers
I love her concern
She wears the coat of a lion but inside she is a doe
She's a cloud inside a bullet
Roses set on fire
I watched her scurry around the kitchen to make us lunch
Little feet pitter-pattering
Small hands twisting and turning
This sweet creature
Tiny but strong
I don't know why she loves me
But I'll take whatever she has to offer
Meals, love, mercy
Oh, mercy me
My sweet doe.

Hymn

I am trying to be better
I am trying to wipe off the dirt and the fear
I ripped myself in two so that I could stitch myself back together with liberation and release
I'm letting go of what no longer injects my veins with fire
Flushing out toxicity and mapping out survival routes
I am coming for everything they said I couldn't have
There will be rest
Until then, keep fighting

I am a storm in a teacup
A supernova in a spoon
I'm ready, I'm ready
I'm ready to go

I only have the glitter on my nails
The bleach in my hair
The fragile bones under my skin
And the infinite above my head
But I'm going to turn them into light and harmony and freedom
So that when I go back home in my spaceship someday
And turn back into stardust
I can say I did my best
For now, I'll take my vitamins, rise with the sun, and breathe in and breathe out
Live my beautiful reckless life
Accept myself for the messy artwork that I am
And sing, sing, sing.