I wonder what draws us
to reading the stories
that nobody asked us to read
not for school or for work or impressions but
stories we read for ourselves
and end up holding onto for life -
and I wonder why words grab and soar through our veins
like we need them to fight off disease -
we have cells that get sososo heavy inside that they can’t take more weight and they die.

And I wonder if all of the
names on the covers of stories
said something that made them feel better inside.
I just don’t know why else
we would write words that nobody
asked us to write and
I feel heaviness in the air
that invites us to spread ink to paper,
to hearts and to souls that need hugs
in specific and different ways.
We carry unique weights.
If we didn’t, then all of our words
would probably be the same.

-S