i rolled out of bed this morning
groggy but ready to go
but i felt something was missing
some important shape below
i looked down upon my navel
expecting to see a linty indent
but instead a small gaping hole
presented itself instead:
the hole passes all the way through--
a pencil could slide from front to back.
something dreadful has happened:
it appears i have lost my center,
but what must I do?
i can search high and low for my center,
have you lost yours, too?
i looked inside my prayer book,
and although i enjoyed the poetry,
my tummy would not go to rest.
i looked in my suit and shoes,
even putting them for the interview,
and although i enjoyed the professionalism,
my tummy would not go to rest.
meanwhile, the hole had grown larger,
until my inside skin could fit a sphere.
my center is gone.
everything natural and normal melts away.
i could not find my confidence, calm,
or peace of mind today.
people began to toss mail
into my tummy hole instead of my mail cubby hole.
mail about internships, jobs, too many opportunities
all chucked into that inner me,
only to pass through and fall out on the other side.
me, the human sieve.
i looked for affirmation from friends at dinner,
i looked to play jokes for some fond attention,
i looked for some way of making sense of the whole search
for the center
piece
the moon is not so round
not a sphere
not perfect
but maybe it will fit.
groggy but ready to go
but i felt something was missing
some important shape below
i looked down upon my navel
expecting to see a linty indent
but instead a small gaping hole
presented itself instead:
the hole passes all the way through--
a pencil could slide from front to back.
something dreadful has happened:
it appears i have lost my center,
but what must I do?
i can search high and low for my center,
have you lost yours, too?
i looked inside my prayer book,
and although i enjoyed the poetry,
my tummy would not go to rest.
i looked in my suit and shoes,
even putting them for the interview,
and although i enjoyed the professionalism,
my tummy would not go to rest.
meanwhile, the hole had grown larger,
until my inside skin could fit a sphere.
my center is gone.
everything natural and normal melts away.
i could not find my confidence, calm,
or peace of mind today.
people began to toss mail
into my tummy hole instead of my mail cubby hole.
mail about internships, jobs, too many opportunities
all chucked into that inner me,
only to pass through and fall out on the other side.
me, the human sieve.
i looked for affirmation from friends at dinner,
i looked to play jokes for some fond attention,
i looked for some way of making sense of the whole search
for the center
piece
the moon is not so round
not a sphere
not perfect
but maybe it will fit.