she realized rest
after the yelling, the tears, the mourning of what was lost
she realized rest
after confronting her loss
she scraped her eyes from the dirt, shook the worms from her hair
and sang out, I only want to look at sky now
she reached up and held hands with the stars
breathed into soles of bare feet
As earth dug her in
And she realized reflection
she named the planets, countries, oceans, forests
each with anecdotes of gratitude
she meditated on what was offered her by the greatest of Shes
and in this rest she saw how rare a moment it was
for in the rift of pain and uncertainty
a torrent of horizon bled through, one in which
she saw collective
then the ground whispered up
do not be fooled by the work—because it is work
to live in a generation that sprints through fires and now
must tread in deep waters
but it was there
and with the sorrow and the tireless waiting
she recognized her own insolence to Earth
she closed her eyes as advised by the stars
and heard the soundtrack for a new world
uncomfortable at first
she searched and searched her ears to hear
then settled on the inevitable stillness
and in this stillness she observed
angels caroling the trees with hymns to drink
A cleaner water
flowers opening their bright sternums to the sun
birds returning to their nest
then the stars’ soundtrack swayed her to a dream
she was wrapped in cocoon for 21 days (or perhaps it was longer)
her wings budded while nature ripened
(for new rest was granted)
and when it was time, her cocoon broke away
she was vivid and winged and awake
and as she flew she heard new beginnings
she listened deeper, spoke less, took time
she appreciated oceans were for earth’s creatures and not for afterthoughts and plastic
and despite isolation, she saw that she was not alone
she breathed again into her soles and felt community
she breathed into the earth and realized
she was one with nature, and together they were healing
and in her room where time held no measure
when uncertainty bent in her throat
she heard the stars whisper that they’d not let go
and she whispered back
i will not falter from this score
now she sits
surrounded by traffic, clamoring trash bins, construction down the street
yet still she listens for the sound of waves calling, and they cry out:
do not hope, do not fear, do not anticipate.
just be
just realize rest.
can you hear them?
Haiku in the 3am
worn not shoes in years
she dons the eager Blundstones
strides with sea in tow
Brighton, UK
in the desert
gum dehydrates you
coffee dehydrates you
tea dehydrates you
sugar is bad
and you need to drink more water
you feel the lack of moisture
but you cry so much
the salts
e x t r a c t
t h e m s e l v s e l v e s
from your body
but also
crying dehydrates you
and there is so much sadness in this world
ya kinda wanna just absorb it like a tissue
but it's out of control. so
you drink the coffee, chew gum because
they take away from the hunger
they keep you thin
and goddammit it feels nice to be able to control something
can you please pass that cigarette?
y o u s m o k e ?
just one.
just a drag
of yours.
Foreverland
Written by Breanna Maloney
Produced by Tall Tale Theatre
Voiced by Emily Deimling