Many people who live within our society are struggling every day with mental illness. Since I was a child I have struggled myself with mental illness, including social anxiety. Over the years, I have conquered my struggles and fears little by little. But this past summer I experienced my first music festival at Electric Forest, which has greatly impacted my life. This festival brings together strangers from all over the globe, who mend into what we call a “forest family”. My forest family has reminded me of my worth, potential, and love that I have to offer in the universe. Into the Forest is a four-poem sequence expressing the love and energy I felt during the four day festival. Though not everyone attends musical events, I hope the power of love I try to convey through my words is something that every human has at least felt once in their lifetime.
Into the Forest
Jubilee
Nothing seeps through my shoes
dirt is drenched with tears from the sun and moon
below the rubber and reborn soul
air, crisp air, flutters the surfaces of my skin
the sun and stars accompany me with this next dance
we make the ground shake
earth vibrates to the rhythm we cry for
all the expectations have been beyond exceeded
this moment is imperfectly perfect
luminous limbs are twirling everywhere
he speaks soft words through the swaying and whirling
but his words started to saturate with violent violet
the sky delivers a refining bath of mass baptism
and we ignore his words, as he is reawakened
all of us are redeemed, or even born for the first time
the remarks he made, have been removed from our memories
because he, and all of us
are worth more than broken skin
so, we dance
our body’s ricochet, ripping grass out of the ground
we are brave
no longer do we hold onto the past