You don't have to be good

”You do not have to be good,

Only to let the wild animal of your body love what it loves.”  -Mary Oliver

Listen to your body,

The body knows.

The grey purple crags

In the distance

Topped by golden sun

And white cliff faces

Listen to your cries.

Sentinel holds vigil by

Your chair.

Your black furry coat

laying across your lap

And favorite grey sweater

(the one with holes in it

and the A&F logo that you

picked from the trash when

those two college boys were moving out) wraps you in a

kind of coziness that you

didn't know you were seeking.

Bob Marley sings on the radio,

”No woman, no cry.”

I always thought he meant

”I don't need no woman;

I won't cry,”

But maybe its not an independence anthem?

Maybe its a song about

Compassion?

Is he saying, ”No, woman,

Don't cry?”

Perfect orange on the table next to me from my neighbors'

tree signifying springtime in

Phoenix.

I have been called

A Phoenix by more than one

person lately,

Not insignificantly.

Not least

of whom, my Mr. B.

I still love him, you know. Will always.

My counselor Barbara says you can love someone

With all your heart and

That still doesn't mean

That you are supposed

to be

With them