Escapes! More Writing from the Group

This last week, it was a real joy to walk in and share with the writers all of your positive comments and feedback. I printed all comments I'd received over email and the comments here and read them aloud--members were so moved that we had an impromptu reading for the family (meaning everyone else living in the therapeutic community, plus staff and the director of the residence). Each of these women read their own work beautifully. Per the name of this blog--which is taken from the Rumi line that "God's joy moves from unmarked box to unmarked box, from cell to cell..."--it was a happy moment.

This week, the prompt was to "write about escape"--either from a personal or fictional perspective. Some of those pieces follow, while others are the "free write." I hope that you enjoy them, and once again, thank you kindly for reading.


Also, before I move on to this week's installment, I wanted to state again that these are pieces from the members of the writing group that I lead, through the New York Writer's Coalition and not my own writing. (That one was for you, Anna!) As always, all readings are posted anonymously, due to privacy reasons.

*****

LOVE, IF YOU'RE EVER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Love, you came to us
When we were on our own
You sung your song at our wedding
Came to share our home
You sat down at our table
Had a cup of wine.
You kept us together, love
and helped us pass the time.
If you're ever in the neighborhood,
Ever, ever in the neighborhood,
Stop by and say hello...have a cup
If you're ever in the neighborhood
Love, be sure to look us up.
When the babies came, they knew your name.
Your love was in the air.
Then we got too busy to know
That you were there.
Love, we didn't mean it.
Did we make you leave?
It's not that we forgot.
You know you're what we need.
If you're ever in the neighborhood.

*****

CRAZY

I am in a bad mood!
Then I am upset and agitated.
Then I am hyper.
Then I am strong.
Then I am meek.
Then I am calm.
Then I am sad.
Then I am mad.
Then I am shifting from books, to looks, to cooks, to crooks,
to me again.

I am tired.
I am awake.
I am hungry.
I am full.
I am full of of shit, with a cherry on top, top of the mop, hip hop, stop drop, drop dead. Drop dead fred.

I want a break.
I want a challenge.
I am loud.
I am proud.
I am quiet.
I am observant.
I am manic.
I am depressed.
I am bipolar crazy.

*****


BEAUTIFUL DAY

I had a beautiful day on Wednesday. My daughter came to the facility and I introduced her to all of my peers. She even ate lunch with me. It was awesome, having my first mother's day with my daughter in more than nineteen years. Thanks to my higher power. Amen.

*****

TODAY

Today as I sit here, wondering what the world is doing, I stop, look up in the sky and there is a shadow or thing that makes me wonder again, is this how the world is going to be, like the shadow in the sky floating by floating by. Tell me: what is the world going to be like? A shadow in the sky?

*****