all around us they are lighting fires
with their tongues.
I awake gasping for clean air.
my body like the ocean;
warming
rising.
I singe my thumbs doom-scrolling.
another story about destiny
on an unsolicited date.
stomping her feet all the way
to drag story-time
raging about rainbows
calling it free speech
like it is part of her destiny.
must have never looked outside herself.
must have never found pots of gold
at the end of a perfect rainbow.
never seen cherry blossoms
painting the earth in blush
and thought how breathtaking
and beautiful is that—
to be brave enough to show the world
who you are;
year after difficult year.
the destiny I know doesn’t care
who I’ve slept with,
wants only to hold my hand
look me in the eyes
as the sea water rises, crying
none of this had to be inevitable.
Featured photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash.
