Swimming

I want the water to

wash away

the nightmares

insecurities

Pumping arms legs

thoughts

out of my head

Instead

pressure drums louder through

canals into

my veins

Until

I lose my breath at last

and have to rest

All That We Need

We have all that we need
he says over
fresh tomato cucumbers chopped
lemon dressing
walnuts on top
We have
the moon if we choose to
capture it
laughter and sun
until we are burned
in patches of
skin that gently
his fingers graze
at night

We have
the palm
the pomegranate
pecking at our window
At night when it
startles me
I grasp his hand
tight
Till he smiles
and so I do
too

We have
the strength of the
tree trunk
we watch from our porch
twisting
in wind that takes it
by surprise
like we are taken
And we breathe
in sobs that shake our
beliefs
and still we have
all that we need.

Personal Apocalypse

I promise
I will lose my
too-tired mind
to the sounds of
the sirens ringing, saying,
We are more than you
can take
there is no way
out for you
Crawl under the
too-stiff sheets and
wait for your
too-hot tears to run.

Don't try to imitate
men and
women who
keep their heads
There is no hope
for you, just
let go and sink in
to the reality of your
insanity.