odysseus carries an oar inland
some nights i want nothing more than to get out of bed and lay in the empty street, bask in the
orange glow of streetlights. this house settles around me like a noose until i am haunting my own
body, these hallways, these stone steps that lead out the gate. oh darling tenderness whose fingers
pull the knot tighter around my neck. oh morning light. oh restless spirit. in the muggy 3am heat
my feet take me away. the asphalt digs into my bare back. i am searching for a place where my
shadow can finally rest.
Michelle Cadiz is a poet, climate activist and marine biologist. She was born, raised and currently resides in the Philippines. You can find her on Twitter @michellefishal