Poetic Medicine

By Maya Angelou A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the ora...

By Marge Piercy Among my husbands and lovers I had never before lived with a sports fan. Hockey he does not follow, but base- ball, ba...

Compiled by Jack S. Margolis THE POSITION The position is To withhold Information And to cover up This is Totally true. You could ...

By Kwame Alexander Here's to my treadmill, incomplete without the sound of slapping feet. Eating healthy, getting abs But chips an...

 By Marjorie Maddox of rites of passage, even celebration unlocking— behind the already unlocked doors— such triggers of rage,  l’...

By Michelle Tea all of my friends have such complete control over their lives. they can kill themselves any time they want to. right now...

By Tina Isom-Carey I’ve come too far for you not to respect my scars.  Pages left unturned happiness passed up because lessons never l...

(After Khalil Gibran) By Lawrence Ferlinghetti Pity the nation whose people are sheep And whose shepherds mislead them Pity the nati...

By Jose Olivarez Migration is derived from the word “migrate,” which is a verb defined by Merriam-Webster as “to move from one country, pl...

to love life, to love it even when you have no stomach for it and everything you’ve held dear crumbles like burnt paper in your hands,...

By Sherman Alexie So, now, when you touch me my skin, will you think of Sand Creek, Wounded Knee? And what will you remember when you...

I want to snarl “do you still breathe?” Or have you decided you are tired of doing it, have found other less boring ways to spend your time...

By Rafael Campo Arriving late, my clinic having run past 6 again, I realize I don’t have cancer, don’t have HIV, like them, these stude...

By Jane Kenyon There’s just no accounting for happiness, or the way it turns up like a prodigal who comes back to the dust at your feet ...

By Dolly Parton The hills were alive with wildflowers And I was as wild, even wilder than they For at least I could run, they just died ...

By Anita Jeffries  or i swear i’m gonna burn this motherfucker down. doctor don’t think i’ll do it. he say  real girls like boys....

By Roger Robinson  And if I speak of Paradise, then I’m speaking of my grandmother who told me to carry it always on my person, conceal...

By Leonard Cohen I've heard there was a secret chord That David played and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for mus...

By Joy Harjo Remember the sky that you were born under, know each of the star's stories. Remember the moon, know who she is. I met h...

By Julie Silver Do not wish me an easy fast. Let my fast be difficult Let me remember the hungry people of the world who have no choice...