Personal Alchemy

Portugal allowed me to process so many lifetimes. To rewrite chapters with new indexes of meaning.

I saw so much artistic expression that encouraged my own- my favorite being a photographer offering tintype photography. Seeing the transformation of silver on metal was like magic.

On the first print, the artist actually made a mistake with the solution that produced stark contrast in the development of light around my eyes. He apologized and offered me another round, but he ended up creating my favorite portrait of the woman I am.

I love knowing his error made me feel the most seen. Life always offers another round, more chances to develop. But even the darkest parts are so beautiful.

“Personal Alchemy”

I’ve suffered

Years of neglect
Full disconnect

From my body

Years charted by evolving diagnoses
In and out of doors
Just to find out that this
is
All just a wake up call

The virus took more of my vitality
Than I would care to admit

Previous prescriptions
Catalyzed more confusion
Than solutions
I am sick with it

A potent pollution
Of my neurochemistry

But don’t confuse
My profusion of feelings
As woe is me
This is my alchemy
This ain’t that kind of rhyme
Just a reset to the rhythm
of
This occurrence
We call life.