Work Text:
if my mind was a globe
and my thoughts were a map
i would navigate my way
to anywhere and everywhere
(anywhere but here)
if my mind was a globe
and my thoughts were a map
then my veins are charted roads,
twisting and turning and speedway racing
to endless possibilities.
you would be my passenger
and we’d drive until the roads stop
(the roads never stop)
open your arms and invite
what you’ve never given thought to before.
what do you see?
what’s new to you?
i close my eyes and think of
each individual blade of grass
cushioning the bottoms of my feet.
my body becomes a landscape
of watercolor skies
and rolling hills so high
they turn into mountains.
(is that the same for you?)
the dips between ribs
become valleys unexplored
and the spaces between fingers
become pocket beaches
that only those looking for
adventure can find.
(find it with me)
if my mind was a globe
i would close my eyes and spin
and land on places
you’ve only seen in books and magazine covers.
my fingers would land on
plastic traditions and assumed dishes
to you,
but would be
memories of chance meetings,
grass stained knees and
diving headfirst into waterfalls
for me.
you’ve only imagined
endless fields of wildflowers
and rough translations of a beauty
you wouldn’t trust yourself
to go find on your own,
but trust in me when i tell you
that if i could write down
every place i’ve been to,
if i could keep a journal of all the
people and food and clothing
you don’t see when you’re home,
i wouldn’t be telling you the entire truth.
those don’t really matter.
you see cultured fashion and
traditional dishes
and people who look different
in documentaries and
travel guides.
that’s not what this adventure is about.
i’ve seen it.
not all of it,
but i’ve seen it.
i’ve tasted rainwater in caves
and strummed a ukulele for people
who’ve never seen an instrument.
i’ve lived on farms and
in huts and sometimes
spent a night in a jail cell
because i took a risk
and took a chance on something
i will never experience again outside
of that moment
(it was worth it)
i’ve learned bits of new languages
from people fascinated by
the art on my arms.
i’ve abandoned strict pictures
and documentation because
that isn’t what this is supposed to be.
(it’s supposed to be
Inhale
Exhale
And Go)
if my mind was a globe
and my thoughts were a map
i would use them
to draw a picture for you,
but even then, i wouldn’t be able
to show you all i’ve felt.
believe in my memory,
grab my hand,
and leave your rain-soaked
history in the pocket of the world
you so desperately want to leave.
(i can show you something bigger)