


it’s not being hit
or thrown
or shoved
or shamed
or ridiculed
or bruised
or scarred
as much as it is the friends
that sat there
each
time
he assaulted me
in silence
or worse
with laughter
because we were drinking
or “[i] instigated it” by speaking up
and standing up
david to goliath
a woman to a man
my 180 pounds of flesh
to his 180 pounds of flesh
–it’s all justified
and glorified
when everyone turns a blind eye
and a deaf ear
as if i’m delirious
as if i’m the dullard
how can you go into town to protest
and come home to cheer on a tyrant
so i’ll be a recluse
i’ll go far away
i’ll disappear
so he can stay




CLEANING PIECE I
Write down a sad memory.
Put it in a box.
Burn the box and sprinkle the ashes in the field.
You may give some ashes to a friend who shared the sadness.
CLEANING PIECE II
Make a numbered list of sadness in your life.
Pile up stones corresponding to those numbers.
Add a stone, each time there is sadness.
Burn the list, and appreciate the mount of stones for its beauty.
Make a numbered list of happiness in your life.
Pile up stones corresponding to those numbers.
Add a stone, each time there is happiness.
Compare the mount of stones to the one of sadness.
CLEANING PIECE III
Try to say nothing negative about anybody.
a) For three days
b) For forty-five days
c) For three months
See what happens to your life.
CLEANING PIECE IV
Write down everything you fear in life.
Burn it.
Pour herbal oil with a sweet scent on the ashes.
CLEANING PIECE V
Let a list of arbitrary names come into your mind as you go to sleep.
Say “bless you” after each name.
Do this with speed, by keeping a constant rhythm, so, in no way, you would hesitate to bless them.
(Source: acehotel)