This poem was inspired by Mary Oliver’s “Don’t Hesitate,” and I shamelessly stole part of her last line – “Joy was never meant to be a crumb.” – for my own.
Tug the Rigging
Tug the rigging, wrap it tight
around your fingers. Pull
the mainsail close to your chest. Catch
every drop of wind. Let
the bow rise. And starboard side.
Rudder and keel emerge, streaming
with ocean. Wipe the salt
from your eyes. Cry out
in fear if you must. Maybe
you spill back into the sea.
Maybe this craft lifts
you closer to your yearnings
than you have ever been.
Later, time for rest and dry land.
Arch your back toward the sun.
Joy was never meant to be a crumb.