Today I’m feeling the accumulation of too much to do and too little time–so when I read Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem Burning the Old Year as part of today’s #verselove prompt at Ethical ELA, the lines an absence shouts, leaves a space shouted at me about the need for space. It’s rough, but here’s the direction I headed.
Leave a Space
Leave a space
for breath
As I hurry to finish all the things
a list longer
than my memory
tying knots between
my should blades
Leave a space
to ponder
instead of filling my brain
with bad news
fake news
ridiculous new
who really needs
this news?
Leave a space
of contemplation
Another meeting
another committee
filled with decisions
that everyone
and no one
cares about and those who care the least
make the final
decision
Leave a space
to just be
wide open space
Leave a space
where I can be me
@kd0602
Thinking Through My Lens 
I could feel how tightly coiled things are for you and love that line “tying knots between/ my shoulder blades”. I found the mentor poem itself so interesting–there were so many ways I could experience/interpret it.
It was definitely one of those feeling every iota of stress days! Just writing it helped!