No Point

There is not a point
In hating some part of you
Please love it instead

The Goddess In You

I saw you walking, bent, twisted, taught
To believe that only beautiful women matter
And that you aren't one of them.
Not
One
Of
Them
I wish you could see through my eyes
I wish you could see the goddess in you
I wish you knew how beautiful you are

I saw you in the grocery store line
Big. Strong boned. Broad shoulders
Bent under the weight of believing
That only small thin birdlike women matter
And that you're too big by far.
Too
Big
By
Far
I wish you could see through my eyes
I wish you could see the goddess in you
I wish you knew how perfect you are

I saw you at the clinic, friendly, big-eyed
Trying to get that boy's attention because
You believed what you had been taught
That only under the light of a boys attention do you matter.
Not
Valued
For
You
 I wish you could see through my eyes
I wish you could see the goddess in you
I wish you knew that you deserve to be worshipped

I saw you judging yourself because you thought you couldn't
Do something artistic because it wasn't in you to do so
And judging yourself less and mourning inside for it
Not able to be playful and just create like your heart wants
Crushed
Under
Your
Disbelief
 I wish you could see through my eyes
I wish you could see the goddess in you
And know art is play and love and you.

Stop teaching the girls the lies
Stop teaching the women the lies
Each in their weakness and in their strength
Is just as they should be, the goddess strong
Keen, beautiful, smart, hard working,
Sensitive or brash,
Quiet or Loud
Tries again, giving joy to the world.
I see the goddess in you.
I wish you could see her too.

Slipping Away

Oh, such pain when you feel love slipping away.
How can I be worthy, how can I redeem myself?
And there it goes.  You deny that Anything
Anything is wrong and I know it is, but
How, how can I get through the shield of your denial.
If you would give us a chance, a chance,
Just give us a chance we would fly
And I see that there is a thing, a reason
Why you are convincing yourself it needs to end
And you are sad, so sad, but you won't fuckin' talk
About just what the fuck is wrong! Fuck!
So go.  You're going to too anyway, but know -
Know that there might have been something so real
So powerful, so perfect
And you are fucking throwing it, throwing me
Away. Away. Away. Away. Away.
So fuck you.  Asshole.

Inspired by a couple in Showdogs

Gardening

Oh.  I miss gardening so much.
I miss the changes and the smell of the dirt
And the dirt under my nails and staining my palms
From where I supported myself to
Reach, reach and pluck that tomato or that bug
And the way the soil improves year after year
And fresh herbs and the heat and steam and
Smell! from the compost pile when I turn it
And picking corn shucking it on the way into the house
And dropping it into the waiting pot of boiling water
To taste the ultimate taste that no one
Who doesn't do the same
Will ever experience
It's an exclusive club.
I miss the battle sans pesticide with bugs.
I miss the menu being a jazz improvisation on ripeness.
I miss the feeling of cleverness
As I experience the joy
Of being in my garden
Of food and herbs and flowers
As if I invented life.
I wouldn't fight depression so much
If I still gardened.
Gardening is healing and joy
And blessing. 

Inspired by a photograph of +Jessika O'Sullivan's produce.