unkind thoughts cling to the inside of my mind like honey
flowing between the folds of my brain
until every gap is coated with thick, sticky residue
the most destructive thoughts are the stickiest
i kneel on the floor of my mind
and try to clean the sticky thoughts
with minty rosewater and loving whispers
but no matter how hard i scrub
months after they appear
they still cling to the deepest parts of my consciousness
when the water and whispers don’t work
i try to cover the sticky thoughts with kind thoughts
for kind thoughts are much sweeter than honey
they twirl around my mind
shining colorful lights
leaving a trail of colorful shadows
the kind thoughts are always comforting:
sometimes they feel like a delicious cool breeze
other times like a warm cup of
ginger lemon tea
but the kind thoughts do not cling to me
they slip right between the cracks of
my mind like silk ribbons
when i try to hold on to their silky sweetness
they dance through the spaces between my fingers
sometimes leaving a sweet memory
other times a strange stickiness
that i hope to one day appreciate
Sara Surani is originally from the coastal city of Corpus Christi, Texas, but calls many places (and people) home. She graduated from Harvard University and works at the intersections of health, education, gender, and storytelling. She considers herself an archeologist of people: someone who loves working with others to support them in digging and discovering the treasures inside of themselves. She is currently based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has previously written for StoryCorps.