aren’t you just so glad

you woke up today

attached to the umbilical cord

routine of everyday

that anchors your mind

to reality

not really solid

poured into a cup of coffee

and your world’s getting up

your work waits with the rope

like a noose

waiting to strangle

and a friend’s telling you

that your writing is like a musical melody

of mood-based tones

and then it rains inevitably

on your parade

the naysayers of the middle way

their ignorance reflects my own

testing prodding in different ways

they take every coin of patience

from your steady jar

you start to run low

your energy exhausted

and then it starts to snow

on your kindness

stiffening your joints

arthritis of joy

from the thought-vandals

to the drama-mongers

the vultures

one by one pick away at the flesh

of your funny bone

and the stress starts to kick you down

knocks the wind from your gut

till your next dependency

rescues you with a validating fix

you realize the rest of the day is this

living in between the bitter and the sweet

the only way to generate

lovingkindness

starts with not allowing your mind to entirely

go sour

and not hooking onto every treat

learning the difference

between joyless escape

and joyful retreat

the essence of reflection

replacing

the taste of addiction

medicine

comes in many forms

arent you just so glad

you woke up today

to a simple cure

a living path

of actions and intentions

guiding pure truths

to calm your sores

raw from too much exposure

to the cruelty of men

the words are a vessel

for the elixir

of right view

and all of your strength is fully restored

along with your care

replenished

to be able to do it all over

and wake up again