The beat goes on.

Every year since I turned 18 I have written a poem on my birthday. The words are always raw and intense, usually in the past quite sad, as birthdays never seemed so glorious for me. My poems reflect upon my year, my internal feelings and in essence they are a snapshot of me at that current moment of life. As I wrote my 21 poem, I realized just how much I have grown. The words this time were positive and upbeat, not the same tune of sadness that has stung my poems in the past. Since the 18 poem, I have used the metaphor of my life as a beat, a melody of sorts, I weave it through each birthday poem, so as to have a continual theme, that keeps them all in the same anthology. So I am sharing my 21 poem here, since it is me currently.

21.

Drum Beats and colored twinkle lights

It’s a new tune now-

of growth and excitement

Adventures and gas pump junk food.

Travel induced splendour

And goodies all around.

This year bleeds ripe and luscious.

Perhaps this rhythm will stick within,

I believe it will.

Dive bars on the water and candles lit just because.

I’ll tell you it feels like a deep breath in to be healthy.

A waterfall spring and gypsy dances.

Spirituality within and must we sing so loud to our very own hymnal!

This time the tune is drum felt –heart stretched- soul opened-

And dripping in sweetness.

For such a journey has occurred and this delights one greatly.

A ditch is dark and cavernous and only time heals that moldy wound.

So perhaps it has been fixed.

A gear twerked in the Yes position and a lot of dirt digging and muddy knees and fingernails, before this day.

But now it is garden wildflowers and herbed organics in the sun drenched field.

The smell of lilac without the aftertaste of coal.

A lick of lemon just to indulge in that orange.

This is my beat currently.

That old song is sore and repetitive but I have changed that inward station.

This is Afro Pop and World Funk with overtones of Halleluyah!

21 and the beat is so alive and evolved.

G-d bless this song!