Psalm for the Worry Wart
Graphic by Libbe Phan
a worry wart wanders in the forest
stepping in thickets, cracking branches
whispering watch out
they struggle to see the road in this monsoon
they constantly look in the rearview mirror
their lanyard is a choking device in case
of assault
they have gotten out alive, barely, before
they think they’d like to explode one day
to blow up instantaneously
no time to witness their spoil
like taking a shot of whiskey
they want life to throw them into the back of her throat.
to sting for a moment, to go down hot,
digesting into the inebriated consciousness
called life, or time, or sun up to sun down.
body, use me like you’ve been trained to
protect me with your inside voice, your
gut feeling, your spiritual selves
so that
as i am dying while i am living
i matter.
