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act 1 scene 2:

from the nightstand

you retrieve a Bible

and flip back and forth

through its pages.

i ask, what's your favorite verse?

---barely projecting my question

over the cotton-wall

of a bleached white pillow.

"Isaiah forty-one-thirteen."

i ask, why?

---then my mouth hides

behind the cotton-wall,

to which you give your answer.

i ask, what are you currently

reading about?

---again, i retreat behind

the cotton-wall.

you give your answer.

(i feel childish. as if a consequence

follows my mistake);

there is to be no talking

inside a place of worship.

:::

act 1 scene 3:

and in that moment

i saw how beautifully vulnerable

you were.

no part of my body moved.

not a hand,

not a leg,

not a shoulder,

nor a single finger.

although, my eyes did move;

they moved from your eyes

to the black ink etched across

the tendons on the inside of your wrist:

It is well...

and in that moment i realized,

whenever i am with you

i become that hymn entirely:

It is well with my soul.

:::

when i feel

like a paper crane

shackled to water

God reminds me,

I am the Wind.

And

I am also the Faith

that 

will make you fly;

     No matter how

     fragile

     you are,

     I gave you the

       spirit

          of a bird.

:::

there has been warm honey

poured on my chest,

and red wine is burning my tongue.

in this state of drunkenness,

no amount of alcohol

bears to keep me sober.

:::

You are

the song

i will never

stop

writing.

:::

...it is like having the awareness of blood

in the body,

but becoming conscious

of its warmth.

:::

love is a checkers game

played with hidden figures;

the winner and loser are recognized

far before the winner yells "check mate!"

:::

you will apologize

that you are unable to reach the

top of the staircase

where i stand looking down at you;

to that, i will say,

it's ok. you've done nothing wrong.

in fact,

i've done something wrong.

you will say, how?

i will then walk down the stairs,

pass you by,

and proceed to walk down the

basement stairs.

below you, i will yell,

i forgot to keep the love i have for you

above the love i want from you!

:::

act 1 scene 1:

of the two, twin fulls

that both fit two,

did you see me hesitate

when i came in after you?

i decided to sleep

with my friend next to me,

but good friend i only slept

with her

out of integrity.

:::

sometimes i do not feel strong,

but God tells me

I carved you out of Strength itself.

:::

when you see a stranger

achieve a small victory in his or her day,

celebrate that victory with them.

you may be too shy too approach,

but smile for them,

think about them,

plea for there to be another victory.

each of us is trying to do just that;

we are attempting victory each day---

leaning desperately onto hope

that we will fall asleep knowing

we did enough. we were enough.

we will achieve a small victory tomorrow.

so, celebrate!

are we not still children

looking for someone to tell us

I'm proud of you?