Darling, Stop.

Darling, I’ve detected
A serious leak in your dignity.
Stop your face,
Go look in the mirror.
Imagine if paparazzi
Were following you,
This would be
The front cover of the gossip rag.

This hag you’ve become indicates
You’re letting it all in.
Stop letting it all out
Out loud.
Stop. This. Leak.

Go into your room,
Take it to the Supervisor.
The rest of us are quite incompetent
In such matters, I assure you.

Have some class,
Shining your ass will only serve to give
Those who keep files on you something new
And incriminating.
It’s intimidating
What they do with those files—
Miles and miles of files
On women who lose their cool.
They paint us fools.

Don’t let them see you bleeding out.
Don’t shout.

Instead, kneel beside the bed,
Lay your forehead along the edge
And breathe out the pain.
Rage if you must, then listen.

All that stuff you let in
From the world,
Push it out,
And let in the peace.

1) Release.

2) Peace.

Hold up your hand, let’s practice.
Stop. Just say it.
"Stop."
Stop to the manipulators,
Space invaders,
Mind raiders…
Say, “Stop!”

Draw the line,
Expect respect.
Dole out compassion in such a fashion
That they come to you with humility,
And you get to keep your sanity.

Then
Say this to them
As I’ve said it to you.
It’s easy to do.
(And contagious, too.)