Hats
her world has many rooms
and every room has a door
and by each door is a hat
she rations her time
between all the rooms
wearing all the hats
all the hats are hers
they were all made for her head
and she wears them all well
but sometimes
the rooms get stuffy
the hats feel heavy and
her hair just needs to breathe
so sometimes
she leaves her world
and goes out into another
and unburdens her head
in those times
she is outside
she is herself
she is free
and today
when she was outside
a little friend found her
and said “what, no hat?”
and on her head he sat
she felt great joy in that
for he was a little bird hat
bird hats don’t live by doors
they carry no weight of expectation
and they are not head-specific
one size fits all
Spotlight
step step step
she hears you coming
and shines a spotlight into your soul
it’s not like being called out
in a classroom surrounded by
bored, judgy, hostile faces
waiting for you to mess up
or say the wrong thing
it’s more like stepping onto
a lit stage in a darkened theatre
all eyes on you
all ears, all senses, all heart
they showed up TO listen
TO LISTEN TO YOU
they’ve bought tickets
in the past, being seen or heard
meant that someone gave up
time and tasks to deal with you
and that became a debt
that needed to be repaid
but when she takes her seat
in that darkened theatre
paid for with her time, care, heart
and when she shines that spotlight into your soul
not to scrutinize but to See
and when she patiently attends
the entirety of your unrehearsed performance
as you pour out the entirety of your own heart and soul
she somehow experiences it
as not a burden but a joy
and step step step
you see her coming
and she pays to attend your show again
Jaya Berged 