The Invitation

 

When trouble comes,
Embrace it like a wound
For it comes as a cauterizing fire,
Inviting the screams that lived too far beneath the surface,
Too far away to be heard,
Too distant for recognition …
attention …
and light.

 

© Lori Kirstein

and the flowers cried

 

and the flowers cried…
unnoticed in their slender loveliness,
the rain spilled over iris petals, slowly, slowly flowing, tears on silk …
and then the sun came out
and enveloped them with bright golden love, rays of exquisite tenderness. …
and the flowers danced…
swaying in the currents of wind fresh-blown from the heart of god.

 

© Lori Kirstein

Life is a heartbreak

 

Playing catch-up so you can be 20.
Losing your way because you’re young and you have to.
Playing catch-up so you can be responsible…

or

Playing catch-up so you can live the life you want to live,
whether it’s secure or not, meaningful or not, reasonable or not.

Waking at 40 to unfamiliar landscapes.

Playing catch up so when you get to 50 you might have no regrets…

or…saying fuggit and just giving up.

Playing catch-up because now you’re 50 and you can see the finish line,
or so you think, and you’d better get a damn move-on
if you’re going to do what you want to really do before you go.
Adjusting to new realities.

 

Listening to people saying “50 is the new 30”
and wishing you could believe them…
and sometimes knowing that you should.
Running. Hard. Prove I’m still strong.

 

Giving up playing catch up in the old ways you did.
Give up pushing.
Give up giving up.Reaching for the light switch in the dark; where is my peace?
Reaching is efforting; give it up.

 

Just be.
Just be.
Be ferociously real.
Laugh.
Cry.
Scream.
Wonder.

What was it all for?
Too many things to fecking list.
Life is a heartbreak.

 

© Lori Kirstein