CULTIVATING COMPASSION
A Prayer to Talk to Animals BY NICKOLE BROWN /RUG,DLQ¶WDVNLQJWREHWKH%HDVWPDVWHU gym-ripped in a jungle loincloth RUD'RFWRU'ROLWWOHRUHYHQWKHH[SHQVLYHYHW down the street, that stethoscoped redhead, her diamond ring big as a Cracker Jack toy. $OO,ZDQWLVIRU\RXWRKHOSPHÀLS R̆WKLVOLJKWER[DQGLWVVFUROORIGUHDGWRULS a tiny tear between this world and that, a slit in the veil, Lord, one of those old-fashioned peeping NH\KROHVWKURXJKZKLFK,FDQSUHVVP\GXPE OLSVDQGVSHDN,I\RXZLOO/RUGPDNHPHWKHWHHWK hot in the mouth of a raccoon scraping WKHMXQN,VFUDSHGIURPODVWQLJKW¶VSODWHV make me the blue eye of that young crow cocked to PH²WRRVHO¿VKWRHYHQORRNXSIURPWKHÀDVK of my damn phone. Oh, forgive me, Lord, KRZKXPDQ,¶YHEHFRPHEXV\FOLFNLQJ ZKDW,OLNHEXV\SXVKLQJ my cuticles back and back to expose all ten pale, useless moons. Would you let me ZKDWZH¶YHGRQH"$P,QRWDQDQLPDO WRR",IVR/RUGPDNHPHRQHDJDLQ *LYHPHEDFNP\GLUW\FODZVDQGEORRGZDUP horns, braid back those long- frayed strands of every nerve tingling ZLWKDOO,WKRXJKW,KDGWRGRWRGD\ Fork my tongue, Lord. There is a sorrow on the air ,WDVWHEXWFDQQRWQDPH,ZDQWWRRSHQ my mouth and know the exact ÀDYRURIZKDW¶VWRFRPH,ZDQWWRRSHQ my mouth and sound a language that calls all language home. 1LFNROH%URZQFXUUHQWO\OLYHVLQ$VKHYLOOH1RUWK&DUROLQDZKHUH VKH SHULRGLFDOO\ YROXQWHHUV DW VHYHUDO DQLPDO VDQFWXDULHV 6LQFH VKH¶V EHHQZULWLQJ DERXW WKHVH DQLPDOV UHVLVWLQJ WKH NLQG RI SDVWRUDOV WKDWPDGHKHU DQGPDQ\RI WKHZRUNLQJFODVV IRONV WKDW UDLVHGKHU IHHOVKXWRXWRIQDWXUHDQGWKHZULWLQJDERXWLW7R7KRVH :KR:HUH2XU)LUVW*RGVDFKDSERRNRIWKHVHSRHPVZRQWKH 5DWWOH3UL]HDQG³$3UD\HUWR7DONWR$QLPDOV´FDQEHIRXQGWKHUH ,Q6SUXFH%RRNVRI3HQJXLQ5DQGRP+RXVHSXEOLVKHG:ULWH,W 3RHWU\3URPSWVWR,QVSLUHDERRNVKHFRDXWKRUHGZLWKKHUZLIH Jessica Jacobs, and they regularly teach generative writing sessions together as part of their SunJune Literary Collaborative (YHU\VXP - PHUVKHWHDFKHVDWWKHORZUHVLGHQF\0)$DWWKH6HZDQHH6FKRRORI /HWWHUV &DP0DF4XHHQ LV WKH FUHDWRUDQGPDQDJHURI&XOWLYDWLQJ&RP - SDVVLRQ ,I \RX KDYH LQWHUHVW LQ ZULWLQJ DQ DUWLFOH IRU WKH FROXPQ SOHDVHFRQWDFWKHUDWQFPDGYRFDF\#JPDLOFRP tell your creatures how sorry ,DPOHWWKHPNQRZH[DFWO\
swedish • deep tissue • Myofascial • pregnancy • aromatherapy
301-633-7928 marykayreynolds@gmail.com Takoma Park by appointment massage therapist nationally certified • member amta
PATHWAYS—Winter 21-22—71
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