Works
These Things We Ask (From Moments as They Are)
I hope you live,
I hope you taste the wet gold of the sun
on your tongue,
I hope you follow that dream
that rests while you wake,
down the river, to a far-away place,
to watch the pink of the sunset
from a distant shore.
I hope you pray.
I pray you find the name
that has stood at the edge inside you,
I pray you come home to it.
I pray you find the people displaced,
discouraged by language and time—
the ones who are yours
and to whom you belong.
I pray you wish.
I wish you faith—
a giant only your stones
can slay,
and the courage to hold out,
to find another star
to store your wishes upon.
I wish you will.
I will you to try.
I will you to kiss beasts
and frogs alike,
prince or no prince,
chariot or none—
for the world has given
each of us
a reason
to turn into
what we are.
I will you to desire.
I desire you to name
a memory as someone else's,
as no longer yours,
to let go, to stand
and wait
with extended hands
after a storm,
for something
to return to them
with olive branches
in its mouth—
meaning the land you knew
is dry
and all is safe again.
I desire you to ask.
I ask that you care,
and care bravely.
I ask that you tie
your aliveness
to you, on your back—
not to a promised land,
but to a waiting people.
Ask, and may you –
once more,
ask again,
until it no longer
makes sense,
until you lean not
to your own understanding,
until your desire
is no longer yours
to own.
I ask
that you take your cups of milk
and honey
into your hands,
and suture them deep into this Earth,
until they rupture the soil
of another's soul.
These things we ask
in a name not our own,
and we all say— live,
and so it is,
and live on,
and live again…
Moments as They Are
Moments as They Are is a three-part book of poems that traces the emotional journey from childhood to adulthood, capturing the universal experience of growing up. The collection is structured in three sections—Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood—and each part offers snapshots of life at these different stages, reflecting on how moments of joy, loss, and self-discovery shape our becoming.
The first section, Childhood, centers on the wonder of seeing the world through young eyes. These poems explore the joy of discovery, the grief of experiencing loss for the first time, and the early formation of identity. Themes of cultural heritage, family, and the beginnings of self-awareness are prevalent, as the speaker navigates relationships and the world around them. Childhood is a time of innocence, but also a time where emotional depth begins to take shape through early encounters with the joys and pains of life.
The second section, Adolescence, focuses on the questioning that arises during this transitional period. The speaker grapples with societal expectations of what it means to be a man, while confronting deeper questions of identity and sexuality. Themes of disillusionment, uncertainty, and the loss of childhood innocence are woven throughout, as the speaker contends with familial and cultural pressures. This section captures the struggle of finding one’s place in the world during a time of rapid personal change.
The final section, Adulthood, reflects on the quiet introspective moments that come with maturity. These poems focus on acceptance and the recognition that life is made up of both highs and lows. There is a sense of resolution in this section, as the speaker finds solace in small, everyday moments. Themes of self-reflection, love, and finding peace in life’s rhythms are central here, with the speaker embracing the richness that comes from life’s tapestry of experiences.
Overall, Moments as They Are is a celebration of life in all its stages. Through its exploration of identity, resilience, and the universal human experience, the collection reminds readers to find joy in the small moments and to reflect on how every stage of life contributes to our becoming.