So to drink, we have Prison
Sugary-sweet and full-flavoured
It's bad for the health but it sure tastes great

Or if you prefer, we have Diet Vengeance
It's not as satisfying as Prison
But you won't mind while
taste is on your lips

but i only asked for Justice
straight from the tap
a taste of remorse
an ounce of regret
a pint of recognition
a glass of restitution
i do not want
to drink your substitutes
only to find
that i am still thirsty

Well I'm sorry, but
If you aren't going order anything
I'm going to have to ask you to leave

i have an old bedraggled dog
i found when he was small
he does not jump, or dig, or fetch
he does not play at all

and though this dark companion
doesn't bring me any joy
i must, i must take care of him
this damnable good boy

he dashes through my hallways
like a beast that's gone insane
but when i try to walk him
he's an anchor on a chain

he barks at the most random hour
and wakes me from my sleep
he whines for food, but when he’s fed
he simply does not eat

when i try to leave my house
he lays and blocks the way
he'll stay until i sit with him
and waste the whole damn day

but as i know him better now
his pattern's gotten clear
and all his bad behaviour
has become, to me, more dear

he ran because in chasing him
i had to follow suit
he did not walk because the ground
was shaking underfoot

he did not eat because the food
had rotted on the plate
and when he barked it was because
i'd never been awake

he blocks the door to keep me
when i haven't stopped to rest
he reminds that i've only ever
tried to do my best

so even though i sometimes wish
he'd finally leave me be
i understand the value
of his brand of loyalty

i have an old bedraggled dog
i met when i was small
he stays with me to teach me
that it's still okay to fall

so when my dark companion
sees me hide away from joy
he must, he must take care of me
this damnable good boy

consider a tree. it begins as a sapling, young and green. pliable, but unsupported; delicate and unprotected. over time, it brings together sunlight, air, and water to form wood; to grow. the green sapling expands from within, leaving behind layers of wood. the elements put stress on the green flesh of the tree, prompting it to grow a thick bark, to protect itself. as the tree grows, the wood in the core grows thicker, and the bark becomes more durable — and the green remains sandwiched between the two.

the green is the part of the tree that is most alive. it brings nutrients to every branch and leaf, it grows in new directions, it is rich with water and minerals. the wood within provides structure — and also, a memory of how the tree used to take up space. the bark anticipates challenges and protects the green.

time, for us humans, is like a tree in this way.

our past is the wood: a document of everything we used to be, providing structure and stability for what we are now.

our future is the bark: our attempt at knowing what is coming, and preparing for it

our present is the green; a thin moment, rich with possibilities, the only part of our experience that can truly be changed. the only part that is truly alive.

but when we see a tree, we see it in its entirety. we hold the entirety of the tree as a singular, undivided object. we don't judge the woody knots of its past, or the rough estimations of its future. we see how its present blooms and withers in cycles over time, and we understand that that — all of it — is the tree.

can we do the same with ourselves?

can we love the past that shapes us?

can we cherish the future that protects us?

can we live fully in the present, in all its richness and aliveness?

and can we embrace the entirety of our tree for what it truly is, without judgement?

spring is coming. i'm excited to see how we all bloom.

thrilled to announce i'll be performing this spring!

update: this event has been moved to the fall

the event will be live, outdoor, socially-distanced, and fun. more details as we get ready to announce.

join the newsletter to get details as soon as they drop.

well of course
i'm full of myself

who else,
exactly,
am i supposed
to be full of?

not one of us is free until all of us are free

you cannot oppress women without repressed men. you cannot oppress queer people without repressed straight people. you cannot oppress black people without the repression inherent in white supremacy.

those in power are often insecure about it, afraid that if they lose power they will be nothing if only they let themselves learn from the people whose power they so cravenly disregard.

what are you still asking for?
whose approval are you still seeking?