as you learn, you will see plainly
a songbird scarfs down a butterfly
whose fragile wings emerged chrysalis branded with a starvation timer anyway
the uneating, eaten by dinosaurs’ heir, with a cheerful chirp
you may be tempted in those eat or be eaten days
to crawl under your bed and supplant the monster there
lurking and snarling to dissuade further injury, perhaps even inflicting
but eventually the mattress gets flipped and you’ll find yourself on top again
fear and discontent maximizing the acoustics of an emptied room
the way is through, the way is acceptance
instead of shying from understanding to prevent jadedness, develop mastery of your experience
observe the back-end workings of former mysteries when they present themselves
and mourn the loss of novelty and ignorance if you must, since society exaggerated their value
then move back into the exquisite space of right now in your own body
once you know that life is, at a minimum, the suffering
of gradual decay compounded by perpetual loss
breathe again and feel warmth on your skin
move your feet through your world with a little more compassion
move your hands through your world with a little more kindness