How Did I Find Myself Here
A Hometown Poem
I did not expect the waves I did not expect to feel helpless I didn’t know there would be sounds of wilderness sounds of shooting sounds of protests endless emails and phone calls asking for more more more Is this what I signed up for Did I read the fine print Was it there all along spelling out all the things I would need along the way flint and steel sunscreen an education good posture bear spray insurance impeccable manners a delete button body armor a flashlight with extra batteries emotional boundaries patience a pocket knife a never ending smile all the answers Was there an operator’s manual a guide book a compass a set of instructions that said you will have little control gales and squalls will come up and you’ll have to shift course over and over and over Should I have known to simply fasten the life jacket grab the oar and paddle as if my life depended on it to practice tipping over to question to surrender Should I have known the waves were inevitable necessary maybe even desirable That still water collects in pools and stagnates That white caps and pounding swells carve and smooth and transform rocks That trees that sway and bend in strong winds rip and tear and dig deeper roots That the stars will provide light That the sunset is more radiant after a thunderstorm
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Wonderful. The format itself added to my anxiety as I read it, conveying a feeling of ideas presented too fast, like I could barely keep up, like I wasn't fully in control of how fast the words were coming at me.
Wow! Made my heart race.