LC - Hello Poetry

LC Apr 2022

They reached behind my sternum,
wrapped their hands around my heart,
and attempted to strangle it.
I pried their aching hands away,
and I tore my bleeding heart in half.
One half shaped itself into bread,
and the other half fermented into wine.
My eyelids slowly came together
as I let the holy water wash over me.
My words consecrate the communion,
and I bless it for people to consume
so we remember that we're not alone.

Escapril Day 9! The prompt was "we're not alone," and I thought about communion, which is what Christians consume every week. It is considered the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
My family is Christian, and I am questioning the beliefs I have been raised with. Some life events and growth have led me to think differently, and I want to be skeptical in a healthy way. Faith has been on my mind due to these reasons. I also do not intend to mock Christianity; I was inspired by the religion to write this poem.
I believe writing and sharing helps us remember we're not alone. I truly hope my poems help in that way for everyone who reads them 💗

#escapril #escapril2022 #alone #heart #strangle #hands #wine #bread #water #bless

LC Apr 2022

self-compassion as medicine.

when we fall deep into the never-ending abyss
where biting, caustic words nip at our shoulders,
we forget how to ward them off, but we can.
we can with these ingredients:
- aloe vera infused with compassion
to nurse the acidic sting of those words,
- honey that sticks to toxic atoms,
protecting us from further damage,
- a flame to remind us of our humanity
so we can join with **** sapiens across time,
- and coffee to give us presence of mind
to stay in this very moment.
We can take what we need,
whenever we need it.

Escapril Day 8! Prompt: ________________ as medicine.
I was inspired by self-compassion research (especially Kristen Neff's research). I hope you enjoy this poem!

#escapril #escapril2022 #abyss #self #compassion #honey #flame #mind #moment #presence

LC Apr 2022

body swap.

If I could melt the confines of my body and spread out into the ocean / I would / push through jagged unwieldy rocks in my path / take up as much space as I need / gently remind the unsettled shores of my presence / encourage my finned inhabitants as they trek across / race past the sharks without a racing heart / vaporize into the sky / and undulate with the moon for all eternity.

Escapril Day 7! The prompt was "body swap," and this is my take on it. I had fun with this one!

#escapril #escapril2022 #ocean #body #rocks #shores #presence #heart #race #eternity

LC Apr 2022

the river.

seconds are drops of water in a river.
everyone starts at the top,
and according to many,
we can only coast with the waves,
following their path until the end,
and the river cannot be moved -
no matter what happens.
but how can the river stay on course
when torrential, destructive hurricanes
dislodge debris and soil from the ground?
when the path is blocked,
the river has to pave its own way.

Escapril Day 6! Prompt: time (nonlinear).
I hope you enjoy this poem! What does it mean to you?

#escapril #escapril2022 #river #time #way #ground #coast #water #seconds #path

LC Apr 2022

apple crush.

sweet, full, red apples
plucked, crushed, pulverized to chill -
loved in scorching heat.

Escapril Day 5! The prompt was "crush." I used the definition "a drink made from the juice of pressed fruit" to create this poem. I hope you enjoy it!

#escapril #escapril2022 #apples #crush #sweet #red #full #love #heat #chill

LC Apr 2022

strange behavior.

endearing words and suggestive eyes brightened the room / accenting conversations that flowed smoother than honey / souls spun / quickly approaching and nearly colliding / unravelling like two ribbons / one maroon / one ebony / until one day / ebony suddenly curled back into itself / maroon was suspended in air for years / as if steeped in time / but dense air weighed maroon down / so maroon descended / letting go / when ebony came back in its unraveled glory / maroon curled back to itself.

Escapril Day 4! The prompt was "strange behavior." I was definitely stumped, but then I thought of a moment in which someone pulled away from me, and it was strange when it happened. And this poem was born.

#escapril #escapril2022 #glory #time #ribbons #souls #honey #room

LC Apr 2022

whispers of the moon.

the dark limb splits the moon
from the expansive, pitch-black sky.
at a distance, we paint it
as a glowing, surface level circle
that we place our wishes onto.
we never listen to it in return,
so the limb fiercely protects
the whispers of the moon.

Escapril Day 3! The prompt was "limbs." I used the astronomical definition of limb, which was "the edge of a celestial object." This poem took some twists and turns, and this is where it ended up.

#escapril #escapril2022 #dark #sky #limbs #moon #glowing #whispers #wishes #listen