Stay {a poem}

You might not want to stay here  

Stay

 You might prefer anywhere, anything 
over the ceaseless flow 
of thoughts  

Stay 

You might distract yourself 
Aim a thousand ways 
(surely we could name them together,
heads nodding in recognition) 

Stay

 You might think 
I was not made for this —
Or its estranged cousin —
I don’t deserve this  

Stay 

Your heart might pound 
inside so much stillness 
Your heart might ache 
in its devotion to the body  

The body that houses you 
The body that thrives 
The body that falters 
The body that filters 
every last bit of living 
into muscle, memory,
the very marrow 
or your being  

Stay 

Stay 

Stay here if only for one more moment 
one more breath 
each inching you forward 
and not back
towards the gates 
towards forgiveness 
towards a new beginning