By: Linda Chamberlin

Obstinate sun out there somewhere,
Insisting through cloud coverage
That it is day again.
I burn them down.
Every day like a flimsy match.
Oh, I could start something,
I could really light it up.
But not today.
Yeah, not today.

I hold my breath.
A little, all the time, I know I do.
How can I deflate the worry in my chest?
Sugary treats and TV shows,
Online shopping, a good long doze…
They put the blinders on, that’s all:
Indulge the ego, stifle the Self.
I can do better.
I can be better.
I just need to uncloud my vision,
Shake the syrup from my veins,
And remember who I am.

I lean into the luxury of solitude and silence.
I am queen of my infinite nutshell.
But the me that’s honed by interaction gets
Fuzzy, hazy, murky.
My social graces, weakened from disuse,
Let loose my human ties.
I come unmoored,
Drift out to sea,
And bump into the wall of my walnut.