This is a Cynthia Lee prompt, and in reaction to a Mary Oliver poem, Wild Geese.
Sigh. Exceptional poem. EXCEPTIONAL. Please just go inhale it.
To myself I say:
You do not have to pretend to have it all together. You do not have to show your disaster.
You do not have to look like the other moms. You do not have to make small talk just to prove your humanity.
You do not have to consider every single person’s point of view every time. You do not have to argue with yourself when you get an interesting idea.
You do not have to buy any more candy. You do not need to satisfy the unsatisfied.
You do not need to explain yourself again. You do not need to explain your bad dreams. You do not need to hurry through.
You do not need to demand anything from anyone.
You do not need to settle.
You do not need to brand, niche, conform to the ‘way to make money’ writing.
You do not need to give up. You do not need to wear beige just because it goes with everything. You do not need to make sense to anyone else.
What do you say?
love love,
kate
