Find Your Center

Reach out with your arms
Try to touch the sides of the room
Gather your thoughts
In a blanket in your mind
And try to find
Your center

Now...

Did you lock the door
When you left today?

Did you remember to sign Carly
Up for pottery class?

Did you write all of Chris' games
On the schedule
On the fridge

Did you get the organic peas
You wanted to try?

Did you remember to remember
That thing you forgot?

Did you?
Did you?
Did you?

See the paint on the wall
Imagine you are the paint
Visualize being paint
Smell like paint
Taste like paint

Be the swirl in the center
Of the paint can

Find that swirl
Find the girl you once were
Find your center

Now...

Did you yell too loud
When you yelled at Paul
When he forgot to get shampoo?

Did you fax that sheet
To the London office
Did you do it at 3pm
On your time or their time?

Did you cry at least once
In the past two weeks?
Because you need to stay in touch
With your feelings

Have you become too hard?
Have you become too much?
Have you been too demanding
On yourself

Is that a cop-out?

OH!

Did you pay that speeding ticket?

. . . . .

You're a walnut
You're just a little walnut
Sitting in the forest
Waiting for the sun to set and rise
And set again

And maybe a squirrel
Or a chipmunk
Will come by
And swallow you whole

If that happens
Don't you want to say
That you lived
The best life you could
Even as a walnut

Or an acorn
Or maybe a little mushroom
Growing on the side of a tree?

Be the best walnut
You can be

Now...

When was the last time
You and Paul made love?

That can't be that healthy

When did you last tell Chris
You were proud of him?

When does Carly have to sign up
For Drivers' Ed?

Did you remember to cancel
Your next therapy appointment?

And the roof needs replacing
And the kitchen needs new tiling
And there's a chance
A small chance
That you're pregnant

Things are falling out of your mind
Like sheep running out of a pen
And once something's gone
It gets harder and harder
To put it back again

What's next?
What's next?
What's next?

. . . . .

And class is over

Good

Very good

Sometimes it's important
To let yourself
Be silent

And revel in the silence