VERSO.

i can see.

i see rivers and valleys,

mountains and plains,

flowers and fauna

and the bright eyed doe.

i see bright lights

and autumn nights

poured over ice

and restful sleep.

i see folded clothes

and clean counters,

stacked dishes

and crystal flutes.

i see burgers with fries

and water park tickets

and iced coffee straws

on the dashboard of the Honda

and i see all of this

and say the quiet part

out loud:

"Thank God for the things

my hands did not create,

and thank God for the things

they will someday."

Author's Note

Hello everyone! Inspiration for this piece comes 3 fold.

1) My dear friend Keith requested I write something happy, as I assume writing happy may beget happy feelings, so I did. Sure enough, it did put quite the smile on my face!

2) I have begun my very first ADHD medication, methylphenidate, also known as Concerta. Let me tell you ... it has been life changing. I have been able to do so much and not feel so suffocated. I havent had an anxiety attack in I-don't-even-know-how long. Ive been able to do so much and feel so productive, its felt really nice.

3) I've been playing a new game recently titled Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. There is a character in the game named Verso whom I feel embodies alot of emerging hope and wistful sorrow and I wanted to try and carry that vibe into this piece.

I hope this is less of a bummer than my recent works, as I am feeling, for the first time in a long while, optimistic about my chances in life. I hope you enjoy it!

Reviews

[FlatDaddy]

Well, my dear, I won't say it is your best work, but what counts is that you have begun your trip through happy land. That is not a rebuke, Emmy; it is just good to see you feeling better. Now, as for the caffeine stoppage, I am horrified! I drink coffee all day and night, from the moment I awake and through the night until I close my eyes to sleep.It keeps me young and focused. I should write a poem about coffee, perhaps a sonnet: "How do I drink thee? Let me count the ways, I love thee black and hot. I love thee to the height and depths of my cup ..." Coffee, yum! Yes, Lay on, Mycup!

Write what makes you happy, Emmy, let me see your smile through your words.

[Samuel Dickens]

What a sweet and pleasurable "seeing" of things ordinary yet amazing. Both Keith and the new medicine deserve a big "thank you" for facilitating this great poem. My wife has ADHD (minus the hyperactivity) and is a bear to live with. She won't take any kind of medication to control it, but I'm glad you have better sense. I really do like this poem, and I don't say that very often.

[Davidgeo]

You are separating things that are actually the same thing. Fries aren't good without burgers, happiness isn't real without substance. When the world is chaotic, reality is destabilized... we cannot make fries. It's not really a game sometimes.

[Emunah June.]

Gently, I don’t believe so. In my poem, my goal was to emphasize that I see these things clearly now. They may have already been there, but the fog is lifted and I truly see it!

[Michael Sun Bear]

Emunah, I enjoyed the poem and I am happy for you, wish you well. I know the power of methylphenidate. I used to be on it but lost my provider. I haven’t been able to find a new provider willing to prescribe it. They feel that because of my age it is not safe.

[Emunah June.]

Michael, my darling!

I’m sure someone will, as I know that it can cause stimulating effects on the heart, but are you huge into caffeine? That’s been the biggest part for me — I’ve always been a huge coffee drinker and I’ve stopped completely. I know alcohol usage affects that too, but that’s not a thing for me.

Hopefully I’ll be able to help you with this, because I sure do want nothing but joy in your life.