It’s the first weekend in May after a busy week on the world front. Sometimes I wish I could live each day blissfully oblivious to current events; wrapped up in friends, family and fun stuff. You know, the everyday normal that is possible because you know you have elected good, decent people to be in charge of managing the workings of our government, and the details that make our society civil.

Occasionally I do have weeks where I can do that. Where no one has gone over the edge, taking innocent people with them, where my job is secure, where everyone close to me is happy and healthy, no drama, where I actually manage to get some sleep at night.

This was not one of those weeks. I wish I didn’t care, but I do. The people who voted for this are likely not paying attention. Their engagement ended the minute they cast their vote. But for those of us who feel compelled to be involved and part of the process, who take democracy and “we the people” seriously, this was not a good week.

In times like this I need to remind myself that we, the collective we, have survived other weeks like this; darker times than what we are witnessing today. But even if I post happy pictures, flowers or kittens on social media, even if I smile and wave at the neighbors, even if I laugh and engage in happy conversations, never crossing over into anything deeper than the weather, my mind is burdened with truth and reality’s heavy presence and I know that I am lying when I say, “I’m fine.

I’m not fine. Things are not fine. But no one wants to hear that. So I post pictures of flowers and kittens and smiley faces.

Have a great week. Not lying. I really hope you do.

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 6 May 2017

forget the pain | and hopefully,forgive ourselves
it’s the magic of poetry
one moment, she’s warm and bright
Making all that racket, crapping everywhere!
the elusive missing link,
verdant roots planted in soil
a beautiful sunset spoilt
embrace with your heart
dreams of girls aching

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer,providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week.