I think of this
as if it were utopia,
and yet it should be fundamental —
basic, unrestrained, whole-heart acceptance
of everyone for being who they are

That we could simply be ourselves together —
nothing to withhold,
nothing to bestow,
no accolades to earn, no shame to shrink from,
no hierarchy of “in”, of “hip”, of “cool”,

No chairs to win, tryouts to fail,
nothing to prevent us from just seeing
in ourselves and in each other,
the wholly uncontested and essential,
the deeply needed for the
part that no one else can play,
the curious, ecstatic, quirky wonder
of each of us —
Yes, that would win the day.

©Wendy Mulhern
August 22, 2015

photo by Edward Mulhern