PM

I forgot how to write

and I don't know why

how hard is it 

to spend all day

teaching kids to sound out words

but then you get home

to put a pen to paper

and fall asleep instead. 

I know "a" sounds like apple

and "k" needs to sound real short (snip snip)

and I know that pretend words can sound real, 

but the spelling is usually hit or miss. 

Then I sit down at home, 

and get ready to write

and forget all the letters I've ever heard. 

I think about how hard it would be to learn another language.

And learn all the sounds, and the ones that break the rules. Maybe I'm too old. 

Or maybe I'm not stubborn enough. 

Writing always felt like my nightly diary entry. 

My fresh breath of relief, 

but lately things haven't been coming together, 

maybe that's why I sometimes feel I can't breath. 

11/29/2017

Riley Welch

It's a Monday

I think I prefer a Tuesday to a Monday.
I'm back in the swing of it.
I'm not too exhausted.
It doesn't feel like a crushing end of the weekend.
It's working my way back through the week.
Slowly, slowly.
Digging my way there.

11/27/2017
Riley Welch

11/23

The rain clouds brought down wet memories,
of family gatherings that had passed.
I felt such a sadness in the pit of my stomach,
that I could not lift out and remove,
whether through old recipes
or silver jewelry
or old prada perfume.

11/23/2017
Riley Welch

6 Keys

The fog settle over the stadium lights,
in a way that made me miss high school football,
but not in a way that made me miss high school,
because,
adult life is more stressful,
but generally better.

This is mostly due to being able to eat whatever I want.

But the way the fog settled that night
reminded me of being 14,
and walking out onto the field for the first time.

"Are you nervous?"

"Yes"

"Good, you'll play better"

11/5/2017
Riley Welch

Hungry

My stomach is full of caffeinated coffee and anxiety,
and I get that one of those things,
I didn't consume.

But let me guarantee,
it is still there.

Lunch waits around the corner,
and my forgotten breakfast
was not enough.

11/1/2017
Riley Welch