Based on Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”

1.

I stand before you as I would anyone
With my arms extended
re is a little girl
who didn’t know that the correct expression is
“we’ll play it by ear.”
Lazy days in our meadow
In our tree. Our sanctuary.
Our little eyes watching the geese clutter around
Mr. No-Name’s pond.

It was a land of constant spring
We’d eat
sticky milkweeds at every meal
Cat-tails were magic wands
And corn-stalks were downy beds
I miss you, little hands.

Don’t get lost in the world’s mouth, now
I want to share everything with you
and don’t forget to smile because
you’ve got everything you need.

I look at you now with grown eyes
half-shut
as we lie on the floor,
listening to Ani DiFranco’s
rhythmic lullabies;
You are more than my sister.
You are my counterpart.


5.

We all went to the beach together.
I’d drag the reluctant you into the water.
(This was when we didn’t care if it was cold.)

We’d all hold hands and wait to get
knocked down by the waves,
being tossed around with the sand and shells
we’d all get up and laugh at each other.

“We’re alright—
We’re better than alright.”

She told us.
Did you believe her?


6.

I define myself by number five.
A beautiful number.
Five beautiful people.
The five pillars that hold up my temple.

one of you got away for a while.
“help me find my shoes” she said,
when she only wanted to find herself
amidst the purple smoke of “glamour.”
She pulled me into the car
and drove on the other side of the road so
people thought that
she was original.
I said to her “goodbye, you.”
She split me for the last time and
I crumbled.

Remember: Don’t be afraid to feel.
You share your thoughts with me.
But I secretly want you to
Share yourself.


7.

The last I have of you
was when you drove while
Smoking in your non-smoking
blue rental car.

I’m sorry I haven’t written

You, you pried open my ribcage and
Grabbed onto something that
I didn’t know I had.
I want to thank you for that, but you
don’t like those kinds of things.
So I’ll nod to the west, I suppose.


8.

You.
Reach further, my friend—
Pull me into you, and we shall stay close.
I want you to be adored. I want to adore
You.

As I close up my body,
I sew up my chest up starting at
my neck.
And smile at you as I tell you to
“turn around, stranger and
continue on your way;
I know we’ll be together soon.”



I left my initials in your coat,
Keep in touch.