“How to Write when you have nothing to say”

After Jennifer Dessert

“How to write when you have nothing to say:

Begin with an answer

Tell them it felt necessary…”

Reading to a little boy,

no Mama in sight,

wrapping him up tight,

especially,

when you miss your own;

the smell of Mullagatani,

just getting started,

like you,

stove top;

lighting your “Long Story Short” candle;

they claim it “smells like a tall tale,”

but you breathe in

the bourbon, mandarin, & vanilla,

swirl your new fountain pen,

discover your own magic,

right there,

indelible ink;

making it clear,

you,

your mark,

are not removable;

Tell them,

Taking Virabhadrasana 1,

strong, steady,

preparing to fold,

Dandayamana Bibhaktapada Janushirasana;

a mouthful, sure,

but also,

a sweet surrender,

s t r e c h i n g,

aligned, grounded,

connecting, inward;

your life force,

so palpable now,

you can hold it,

like the warm towel,

you roll,

prepare,

for the basket,

for a body in need,

for possibility,

magic,

whatever comes next;

Say out the window,

look!

right there,

whipped cream snow,

high as your heart,

swooping just so,

from the eve,

like Herbie the Dentist’s enviable coif,

or a closing eyelid perhaps;

frozen tears,

streaming down.

Tell them to soften,

open;

that allowing,

what is,

to be,

just as it is,

for now,

this moment,

is to know,

Alive.

Say whispers,

giggles,

secrets,

sequoias;

giant Oaks

that hold,

you,

your whispers, giggles, secrets;

Tell them

children’s games,

old book stores,

a new friend,

organic granola,

Dragon tattoos

& working farms,

Say snapdragons & ranunculus,

cottages,

lockets,

& fairy lights;

those hand print ornaments,

tiny hands suspended in time,

like black and white movies;

Say home made puff pastry chicken pot pie,

home made chocolate brown sugar body scrub,

that first bite,

of either,

of anything,

decadent,

soul satisfying;

Say the way you feel locking eyes,

every cell,

in sync,

for just that moment,

rare moments,

suspended,

bliss-tethered & unbound,

worth it,

every ache,

in between;

Tell them sneaking away,

alone,

remembering,

that play list,

Findley Lake 2021,

Old Dominion’s Hawaii,

on repeat,

your steps,

a metronome,

can save a person;

Say sticky fingers,

sunflowers in the rain,

resilient, patient,

like the two of you,

your golden retriever’s spinning joy,

licking

the spoon,

or anything

yummy,

dancing, daydreaming,

having tea,

reading the leaves,

or Tarot,

with women who speak Poetry

& fit,

like home,

better than home,

because they aren’t just the cozy fire,

but the ember that ignites the fire,

crackles your passion,

smells like possibility &

dancing sparks;

remind you,

You can create,

“the something”

Necessary,

to hold on to;

Yes,

tell them that.

CK

1/19/24