When you speak
Be mindful
Of the words --
Of those you choose
To use --

Of those
Around you now --
Of those nearer
To you
Than the one
You're putting down

Words have
Weight
And spikes
They stick
They stone
Those words
Break souls...

Be mindful
Of the words
You use.

Lie
Like a rug
On the ground
Cover up.

When I lie
Do I lie
In wait?

Do I lie
To negate
Some truth
Somewhere?

When I lie
Do I lie
Because
I'm overwhelmed?

Because
I can't
Move
Myself?

Why
Do I lie
When I lie?

Step -- drop

We are bent
Until we break

(Nothing beyond
What you can take.)

Step -- drop

We don't choose
And so we quake.

(Learning steps
You want to make.)

Step -- drop

Consent is never
A thing employed.

(Studied.  Asked.
Advised.  Enjoyed.)

Step -- drop

Teased, Denied
Rejected, Small.

(Respected.  Seen.
Cared for.  Calm.)

Step -- drop

Watch as
We fall.

(Kindness
A balm.)

Step -- drop

Independence
Psalms.

(Help
Without qualms.)

Representation
Discussion
Elation

Purple
Candle
Puddle
Wax

Hoping
Caffeine
Chocolate
Lasts.

I need
All these
Things

And
It feels
Weird
To need
Them.

So worried
I'll break
You
In trying to
Protect you

Not insulate
You
Just don't
Break yourself.

We'll figure
This out
Both you will and
I will

Together
We'll
Remake
Ourselves.

"Be thankful
For the ADA,"
They say.
But how can
I be?

When there
Was no discernible
Before or after
For me?

It was not like
Suddenly
Things were better.
They weren't
For me.

But if I say this
I am labeled
As bitter
Angry
And ungrateful

Even though
Those who
Exist
Outside marginalized
Groups are never
Pressured

To feel
Grateful
For having
Their basic
Needs
Granted.

Even though
That feeling
Of gratefulness
Invades
And pervades
Me

Making
Me feel
Small
And
Unworthy

And insignificant
And dehumanized
And like dirt
And I am done

Being grateful
For the damn
Basics--

Especially
When we
Are so often
(And still)
Denied them.

We protect
Each other,
Respect
Each other

We help
Each other
In unorthodox
And unexpected
Ways.

I cannot answer
About
Aspirations,
Dreams and hopes

The way
You wish
Because
We cope
Differently.

We dream
In the present
Day.

Our entire life is
Striving.
So, in that sense
Yes--

Arriving
Is
The dream.

Thirty months
Without you

And I don't
Miss
A single day.

Gold medal
Memories--

But none
So
Sweet

As they
Were
When we

First
Lived them.

Abuse
Couched in
Coaching

Yet
In
Plain
Sight.

We have lemons
This
Is momentous--

An organized
Pantry and
Cupboards
And food.

It feels so
Good
To be
Stocked.

Juice Cleanse
On the warmer,
Lemons
Close by.

Because
Sometimes
Life gives you
Lemons--

And so, we
Learn
To love
Lemons.

We found eight
More
Books
Today.

The most
Perfect use
Of a $25
Gift card--

Especially
A grand use
Of birthday
Resources

When we
Are
Thirty-nine.

Found our
Childhood
Stuffed in a
Bag

Runaway things
College things
Vanished
Things

But
Good news!
Sea City,
Here we come!

Honesty
Lets me see

I am not
Weird
Or alone
Or bad

In this
Landscape
Of
Landmines
My mind holds

We play
We hang
We script
We read

We watch
We open boxes
We coexist
We Worthington

We eat
We love
We twin
We are

I remember
You tonight

I celebrate
You tonight.

I thank you
Tonight

For your
Gentleness
Of spirit

Your reminders
To play
After every
Storm.

For your
Fun
And wit

And every
Bit

Of what made you
You.

I see a family
New and not
So new at all
After all

There are things
I love
And long for
Things
That cannot
Be ignored

Inspiration
Found in takes
In spaces
In lines
In these scenes

Where we belonged
And had the
Means
To see ourselves
Redeemed

Nothing so
Comforting
As opening
Food.

Boxes
And products
And coffee

So soothing,
This new thing:

Accepting
Help.

Today is
Stalkerversary
No thank you
Stay away
From me.

I am alive
No thanks
To you
I see right through
Your games.

Not enough
Respect?
Try too much
Self respect
To subject

Myself
To your abuse
I've cut me loose
I've broken through
These chains.

Once upon a time
We found
A mother -- you --
Whose love abounds.

Saving him
Before yourself
With all your strength
Above all else.

We see you
A hero now
Your echo always
Living loud.

Your love proud.

Beneath the sky
We wonder why
Even when we
Knew...

We find you.
We thank you.
We love you.

What
The hell
Is a boundary?

Where
The hell
Is all
The safety?

Gather yourselves
Internally,
Gather your thoughts,
Gather metaphors...

But
Just
Stop

Gathering
In
Public
Spaces.

Impress me,
Or don't.

Intercept me?
I won't.

Indent me,
I'm iridescent,

I'm incandescent,
I'm invested.

Don't say it
In jest.

I can't be
Bested.

Impending
Incendiary

Bending
Never ordinary.

Inverted height,
Incur this,

Infer this:
I'm a furnace.

Once upon
A time

We board
A boat

We love
We float

And then
We go

And no one
Knows

How
Or where

Or when
Or why

Found
Somewhere

Beneath
The sky

Draw me
Your future
Or paint me
Your past.

Show me
Where
You've been
At last.

Everything means
Something--
Watch and
Learn something.

Ask
And
Learn
More.

Find memories
Lost
On some distant
Shore.

I'm sure...

Find what to say--
To show
And know
What's needed.

I see your smile
It light's me --
A glimmer.

It makes
My pandemic
Feelings dimmer.

Baymax
To the
Rescue.

Where does your
Bravery live?
Behind layers
Of fear?

Behind
Sweaters
And braids?

Does it
Live behind
Tears?

It's okay--
It's still here--
And so, too,
Are you

To keep saying
And doing things
Brave souls
Can do.

Darkness comes
In many forms:

Death
And all its friends--

Ableism,
Abuse,
Trauma...

But
What about
The flipside?

Who are
Life's
Friends?

Love,
Care,
Support...

We have all
Of those, too,
Don't forget.

Open minds
And open hearts
And open souls
Not kept apart.

Here, we learn
Here's our example
Not their job,
But still so ample.

Time spent well
Reading
Everything
At all
Ever.

Perfectly
Spent
Time.

Fun and
Fond memories

From so
Long ago

And yet
It feels

Like yesterday
The way

I can slip
Into this

Second skin
And find

Them waiting
Within.

These seven
Friends

From my
Childhood

Open door
Suddenly
Closing

Suddenly
Enclosing--
Smaller

Smaller
Smaller
Still

As you fill it
With your bigness
Ignoring us

More
Daily.
We cannot

Open up
When you
Are here.

Stop
Freaking
Oversharing

Stop
Ignoring
And

Imploring
Us to
Have

Sympathy
For you
When you

Don't give
A damn
About

Hurting us
And instead
Make it

About you
And how
Your feelings

Matter more
Than our

Safety
Dignity
Personhood