poem in the year of the rabbit

to open our eyes and to learn from the sky — sara bareilles

Hello!

A brief poem thing for the Year of the Rabbit! Which is also the Year of the Cat in the Viet cycle. The year of the Cat Bit ? <3 So many of my friends were born under this sign, so it does feel momentous and a little bizarre to be here.

Lunar new year came early this year and I mostly decided to do this in keeping with last year, so you will notice that it is another sonnet. I had every intention of sending this on new year’s day itself but alas. Anyway. Some words. This past year I have realised that I only ever write like earnest angst and earnest hope, and everything is just variations on those themes. Still, it’s the new year. Here are some hopes for it, a few hours late by my time but no less sincere.

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Brightness settling in the trees
radiant & unmistakable. Some kind
of love. I’m trying to care for myself
(really trying to really care). Beginning

to go outside & see & be seen
collect answers as they knock on the door 
tuck them into a pocket for safekeeping
& find permission to rest when tired.

& boiling point may scald but only for a moment —
still afraid of flames & that is okay. Here we are.
I invite my friends inside to tend the open hearths 
of our hearts together, hands over the heat. 

Tomorrow let's delight in waking up. Eat 
our fruit & drink our water, light filtering in.

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<3 wishing everyone health and success in this new year

Joanne

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some flowers i saw on 22/12/2022, on a walk to purchase bubble tea

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I FORGOT TO ADD MY LITTLE SONG FROM THE SUBTITLE! And what a lovely one, which I’ve come back to recently.

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