Carl, Sitting, watching the sunset at the pond, with our shoulders touching, something stopped. I’m unsure who is more mirror-like: the sky, the pond, or you. Your stillness made me feel as if all time had been condensed into this. Everything contained. Every sorrow, joy, panic, put to rest
Paul, Thanks for joining me at the farm today. You carried those two bags of feed on your shoulders with ease. The new Scovy boys really like you. Next time we will need to bring more treats. I could tell you enjoyed it. The sunlight in your eyes gave it
Edmond, Thank you for joining me in my dance class. The mirrors caught your grace perfectly. I noticed you never touch the dance floor. I think the lightness of your heart lifts you, not so much that you float away. A balance between sinking into the earth and soaring beyond
Paul, There is a depth to you. A box within a box, within another box. I don’t know what you are protecting, but it feels painful. The pain reaches in the arrows you shoot at me, from behind the walls you’ve built around it. It doesn’t hurt
Thomas, I noticed the child spark in your eyes today. It’s never left you. It’s full of kindness, laughter, and a joy for life which turns garbage into cardboard palaces. I’m glad you and Julie are figuring it out. Yes, life is hard. Your words describe trouble
Edmond, I missed saying goodbye today, when you rushed off. You had a hop in your step which was like a kiss. I’m glad you are happy! That is the biggest gift, not only to me, but to the world. Your happiness is not ordinary, it’s radiant! You
Carl, You have a chair in my heart. You visit it often. We chat. You give me updates on your life. What you've been doing over the years, your worries, your happy moments, your successes. I don't actually hear your words. I feel them. Regardless of
when you ask me to share my journey the discovery of myself what is your motive? underneath are you mentally gatekeeping? asking is she a SHE? so I may verify what details should I know about your conception?
after walking together for twenty-eight years our paths divided with a year between us, I see we walked with separate eyes in sorrow I ask are we traveling or dancing? when someone enters should we press our fingers together bend in rhythm spin away laughing when the music stops?
it’s not my space anymore asked to leave because I’m me a woman with transgender history as I go my print-less steps echo in my broken heart
while having a difficult conversation about my gender transition I asked as we've been talking do you feel you’re talking with a man or a woman she replied it feels like I'm talking with myself
every woman is unique so I don’t mind you knowing I’m transgender there’s only one critic whose gaze cuts deep she is brutal she is kind she is Satan she is Christ when she says I don’t pass I wither beneath her scorn when she says
The Edge of Circles
I know what it’s like to have zero friends from the top of the pulpit I was given the solution a role to put on the promise was simple and the only truth this turned out to be the venom of snakes when I shed that fake skin crawling
Sanctified Dust
like a sailor caught at sea boys cannot save themselves from the patriarchy women must we see through the fog because of our vantage point our experience despite knowing we are the lighthouse we may look to the power we grasp as we look inward beyond our heart deeper a
Sanctified Dust
If a man wants to destroy a sandcastle he stomps on it If a woman wants to destroy it she raises the tide wave upon wave she softly whisks away the castle little by little, it erodes and with the grains of sand she creates the beach
Sanctified Dust
I don't even know what masturbation is but I know I've done it the sin next to the sin next to murder when I spray semen, Christ sprays blood his pain enables my pleasure do I feel guilty? deeply his pain covers this also I stir
Being Her
a rattle in the mind or is it my body? I can’t tell who is speaking the voices are all familiar but they layer on each other like a drum machine random notes incomprehensible melodies they speak in fragments and yet, somehow have more power than full complete novels
Nightmind
I trace back down the paths I’ve taken regretting the turns I should have made knowledge known afterwards rattles in my head useless treasure like keys found in ashes from a burned-down house
Love Unwoven
we are trying to separate why do you grasp so tightly? I offer you all the possessions including physical custody why do you insist on taking my identity you've never loved me oh, you've said the words done the deed dropped tears in confession but not
Nightmind
tick tock at 3 am I awake alarm set for 7 I study the patterns of my closed eyelids colors without names shapes without edges at 4 I get a drink I try my right side my back and my left I stretch my legs straight curl them to my
Nightmind
I'm new to the dry herb green sparkle flower here is what I notice while fermented sugars have one song the flower is a tailored suit or should I say a wardrobe full I've tried on a few one fit like sunny clouds the other a
Love Unwoven
when you look at me what do you see? are you seeing me now or projecting who you want me to be? do you bring up old pictures and adorn them with longing? saying that's the you capturing me in flatness we give more grace to an oak
Being Her
not me but attached to me part of me but not me some say it defines me If it’s here I’ll at least keep it tucked
Being Her
I did my eyes put on lipstick curled my hair slipped into my black dress patterned with pink and green mid-summer branches the woman was always beautiful have I done it? I check the mirror the man in my head laughs snickers pounding he yells YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS! Voices a