The thing about hope...

The thing about hope.
It loves to be desired.
I learned this the hard way.

The thing about hope
Which you know
If you have ever pulled yourself up
By your bootstraps
Or your bra straps.
If you have ever comeback
You know what you came back to
Was hope.

The thing abut hope
It’s its determined tenderness
Which is the one two pinch
Against the brutality
Of hopelessness.
The hopelessness of brutality.

The thing about hope
Is that now as you look
To each velvety rose petal
Wanting all the things that hope delivers.
Reassurance and pleasure and a story
Hope is telling you that it’s not about the future.
It’s about being able to be here right now.
The thing about hope is
It gets mad
At being a shill for the future.

You study your orchid
Wanting it to deliver more
Than a flower should have to deliver
You point out dancing shadows
On the sun drenched curtain
As proof.
But could it just be
Part of your invitation?
Hope, look.
I’m open to you.

The thing about hope is
It needs to be invited in.
But somehow it’s in the invitation
That we understand.
Maybe it’s unwelcome knowledge
But we have to manufacture hope.
It is already seeded within us.
We have to home grow it.
Like the vegetable garden you’ve been thinking
You might be forced to cultivate.

The thing about hope.
Creativity demands it.
How else to face a blank page?

Hope is a kind of home.
We stake out our ground.
Then build it around us.
In the mud and wind.

The thing about hope?
It’s messy.
Hopelessness is neat.
Rigid.
Frozen and antiseptic.
Hope colors outside the lines.
Is a renegade.
Don’t f with hope.
It’s unreasonable.
And will have its way.
So please
Don’t fret about your beautiful mess.

The thing about hope
It likes to be desired.
Call it in.
As a lover.
A parent.
A partner.
And a friend.

Hope loves questions.
Ask it everything.
Ask everything of it.

Infinitely Yours,
xx B

PS I’m going to be in Palm Springs on Friday, Nov 29, at The Revolution Stage Company with my show It’s A Lot. And it really really is. Hoping you will join if you are there and if not - share with your friends who need a good laugh and a dose of being with like minded folks in a theater. The show is about rebirth! Get your tickets here!