This week’s poem, written this morning, comes from Joel Nyland.
BACK OFF
WHAT IF DEATH IS OUR BIGGEST GIFT
WHAT IF ALL THIS ANGST ABOUT DEATH IS FOR NOT
ALL THIS ENERGY TO LOOK YOUNG
ALL THIS ENERGY TO LIVE RIGHT
ALL THIS ENERGY TO BE LIKE SOMEONE ELSE
WE ARE BORN ALONE
WE DIE ALONE
PERHAPS THAT IS REASON ENOUGH TO BE OURSELVES
AUTHENTICALLY OURSELVES
YESTERDAY I TOLD A GROWN MAN TO BACK OFF PLEASE
HE WAS IN MY FACE SHOUTING WHAT'S YOUR NAME
I SPELLED BACK OFF MAN AND THEN I ADDED THE PLEASE
WHY DID I ADD PLEASE
THE EXTRA PLEASE WAS FOR MY FRIEND’S MOM
SHE DOESN'T YET BELIEVE WE ARE ADULTS
THE MAN IN MY FACE IS A CAREGIVER
PERHAPS THAT IS HIS VERSION OF CARE
I WAS ALMOST AUTHENTIC WITH HIM
THE PLEASE WAS A LIE
MY MOM WAS READY TO PUNCH HIM
SHE WAS TOTALLY INAUTHENTIC BEHIND HER SMILE
NO JUDGMENT JUST OBSERVATION
THE MAN GOT UP AND LEFT LIKE DEATH IN A FOG
I DOUBT HE WILL REMEMBER ME
HE BRUISED HIS EGO WITH MY COMMENTS
AND IT MAY TAKE HIM A WHILE TO RECOVER
HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO DEATH?
STEVE JOBS ONCE SAID
DEATH IS THE BIGGEST INVITATION TO LIVING
YESTERDAY I WAS LIVING SPEAKING UP TO THAT MAN
FOR TOO MANY YEARS I HAD TO BE SILENT
I WAS WALKING DEATH
I HATED BEING TALKED TO
LIKE I WAS INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED
I HATED THOSE COSTCO DRYER SHEETS THEY STINK
I HATED NOT BEING ABLE TO SAY
I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
YESTERDAY I STOOD UP FOR MYSELF
YESTERDAY I WAS LIVING FULL OUT
TODAY I AM LIVING WITH LOVE
FOR MY AUTHENTIC SELF
Yes!
Wow! Fantastic poem. It has brought tears to my eyes. Such power.