By Daniel Paiz

April is National Poetry Writing Month (or NaPoWriMo), and one of many challenges for this month is writing 30 poems in 30 days. Some follow prompts, others prepare various ideas and their own types of challenges. When it comes to this site, it is very free flowing, and tends to focus on being pieces of the times. Whatever is happening in the world around us will likely rear their proverbial head and gently (or violently) graze your nose and eyelashes as you read whatever piece it is for that day.

A year later, we are still in a pandemic. Here in the United States, we are weeks removed from two tragic and unnecessary shootings in Atlanta, GA and Boulder, CO. The latter is less than two dozen miles from where I reside and was where I first had some freedom, began honing in on my writing more, and is technically where I started this site. Today’s piece is one held in the realms of cathartic therapy by way of getting my thoughts down in front of me.

Healing Over and Over

The flatirons don’t need a fresh coat of red.

Colorado doesn’t need this kind of rep,

media doesn’t need to theorize about another Colorado shooting.

Harley Quinn feels sorry for us,

because even she knows this abusive relationship can’t keep going.

Ten names etched onto a wall to be celebrated,

remembered,

and yet forgotten the next time this happens.

Cortisol bursts at the same time as hope does,

every time this happens.

Depression and flashbacks,

panic attacks and nightmares,

deny the need to watch Horror films,

as short-form documentaries

pervade the news day

aiding the developmental loop of continuous stress.

Breathe in *inhales*, breathe out *exhales*

Countlessly cruel reminders like these

should not inspire us to act on dreams and responsibilities,

but the “should” world was eradicated long ago.

You know who you really care about.

You know what you really want to do.

You know which answers you have to change in your heart.

Tragedy cannot be one’s life fuel because it will devour you,

My soul aches from begging you to act on what you can do.

Your soul wonders when you will truly pursue what ignites it,

Because the last thing you want to do is,

Read this the wrong way, having life go full Manga (looks…up).