Sunlight

[Poem by Eddie Maisonet]

I woke up with guitar strings in my belly

Telling my body’s story

Vibrates through air expanding

For the first time in 3 weeks

I feel myself breathe

Warmth filters into here on to my skin

I dare to experience this moment as its own

A new chance to coax stiffness

From my ribcage

Last night I fell asleep with this chill in my body

It’s been my steadfast friend

Flesh hardened from danger around me

I was cold, rigid, breathless, stayed strong to support myself

My loves, my goals, support myself through the news

That every day fills me with the dread

That I’ve become muscle-bound

The act of keeping steady like this is living the motions of survival

Self-preservation movement restricted

Body has felt as free as I am

But fuck it

Today I woke up and realized I don’t just want to survive

Cold, inflexible things break so easily

I don’t wanna break

I choose to

I choose to

I choose to breathe today

Dare to experience this moment as its own

Bravery to breathe after bracing for impact

In a new day I can open myself to body’s intuitive knowledge

I went to sleep with that chill in me

I woke up with sunlit nylon strings resonating in my belly

But the groove carried my healing through sun rays

I wanna be my best self today