How are you?


“How are you?” you ask

I don’t know what to say

Should I talk about the weather

or what I did today?

You hope that I am well

you need me to be OK


But what of pain that twists inside

or strange desire that tries to hide

fracture cracking

seams of broken pieces

crumbling fumbling

fears attacking

dizzy as up is down

and down spins round

and the only thing

the only thing that’s true

is a voice saying

“Hold on I’ve got you”


“How are you?” you ask

and I wonder what to say

Should I tell you of my aching heart

or what’s for tea today?

You hope that I am well

you need me to be OK


I could try to describe

the way the swallows fly

dart swoop scoop skim

over the river

as light touches ripples

water song bird song

fill me lift me

in gentle presence

of magnificence


“How are you?” you ask

and maybe I could say

words dredged from the deep

or would you walk away?

You hope that I am well

you need me to be OK


Even harder to find the words

for deepest joy quite absurd

How can I say how every cell

in me alive from flowing well

of love, of grace

without it sounding trite, cliché?

the breaking and the pain

remade, resung, rehung

with threads of gold

my story to be told

if only I could tell you

how I am today