Some Days
By Lisa Vihos – Sheboygan Poet Laureate
Some Days
Some days,
I am mired in piles of my own making
paper, boxes, empty jars I am saving.
Old journals, birthday cards from my mother
ancient love letters. Add to all that,
judgments, dreams, wishes, regrets—
the weight of all I have done
and all I have not done. These things
I carry on my shoulders in a wicker basket,
ready to splinter into a million pieces.
Some days,
I shake it all loose, throw it high
to the Universe and stretch my arms
forward, like a prayer to guide me.
No matter what storm-tossed sea
or icy forest I must cross, my whole being
knows where it is going, even when I don’t.
It is in those moments that I am most me,
the one who can hold all the pieces,
and still give thanks for the journey.