Kathryn Gahl

Archive for the ‘Anxiety’ Category

O My Love

In Anxiety, Connection, LOVE, Mindfulness, Terrorism on June 13, 2016 at 8:58 pm

the night is not very big
a few hours only
of magic on that side
of Orlando midnight
pulsing music
and transcendent dance
when arms reach heaven
like light

except for you
the stranger

did you never feel
the reality of renewal
were you wary of those who did
when did you dig
the dark grave of hate

if you had been open
I could have shown you
the lark in your throat
the silly in your limbs

I could have taken you
to the Love Lock Bridge
you would have liked it
the dance of love, the soul in strobe

but you with your
twisted resistance
and gunning gaze

now look
what you’ve done

Love Locks

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The Wall

In Anxiety, Connection, Humor, Mindfulness, Weighing In on May 18, 2016 at 12:07 pm

Some days
it feels like you’re
holding up the wall

Other days
it feels like the wall
holds you

Either way, be glad:
you are upright,
reaching

The Wall

Screening

In Anxiety, Depression, Healthcare, Maternal Mental Illness, Parenting, Uncategorized, Work-Family Conflict on January 26, 2016 at 4:44 pm

in a basketball game

players work hard to

watch the moving screen 

and in the

game of life the screen works too

as we watch the fecund mother-to-be

carry

the precious round ball of life in her belly

we oogle and shower and grin at the hunky-doryness

 

and when the ball hits the real world

the bouncing

beautiful

baby

beatifies

us

shows us what miracle looks like

and oh oh oh

we remember the miracle

 

and then whoa

we forget the pressure to perform

we fail to screen the mother

for overwhelmingness

fastidiousness anxiety depression

a rim of pain

now known as maternal mental illness

 

because

we expect her to work full-time

excel at her job

breastfeed till the cows came home

 cook and clean

and oh take care of the Daddy too

he has needs dontcha know

and she keeps up

dribbling

bounce passing

jump shooting

bypassing sleep (can’t sleep anyway)

a hook shot here

a free throw there

though nothing’s free

 

because maternal leave costs money dontcha know

how can you expect to stay home

and be a momma for a year or two

do nothing but raise a child

and get some sleep and

be lovin’

on the baby’s father

when there’s other work to do

 

and that’s why she runs laps

keeps up

because that’s what mothers do

dontcha know

until they don’t

until they go crazy

 


STILL HERE

In Anxiety, Depression, Parenting, Work-Family Conflict on March 8, 2015 at 6:33 pm

STILL HERE

Dear Leo,

The blessing of your spirit, the light in your eyes, a year later. . . still here.

And we listen, we live, we love,

Broken

Yet

Mindful, aware

Dear Nora,

The shock in your soul, the break in your heart, a year later . . . still here.

And we pray, we strive, we commit

To ease your suffering

Transform you and your story

Open the blinds

On depression

Still Here