Every day I spend shaking in this shell
I get closer to the holy
watching my own kindnesses and foibles
what pains lead me toward humanity
and what pains simply drain the self away.
Every poem I write is a song for the end of the world
but I’ve never been good at endings
just noticing and forgetting
and I’m getting worse at forgetting.
I must find another way of letting go
a philosophy made of more than should-haves
of more than smoke.
I look at the sky and think I know
what’s to come
what I will become
I don’t
From this haze let me reconstruct reality
pinpointing every joy
discarding every tremor.
Let me build saints out of disasters
reaching back into our history to find
this has all happened before.
Let me be the calm before the storm:
a peaceful place within the war
a meaning beyond what this body tells me
a way for us to feel like more
than an ending.
While I continue to cough up a lung, I’m looking for ways to help. In isolation, trying to heal, there’s not much I can do. I’m writing and editing still, as I cannot help but continue, but I’m wishing that I had some lovely frivolous work to put out into the world right now. What many of us are craving is a bit of escapism. A reason to get off of social media and into a head space that has nothing to do with plague.
I thought I’d offer you some of my free favorites. As my tastes run from trashy to macabre, they might not match yours, but I offer them to you all the same. If they don’t match, find something else, and while you’re watching or listening, do something. Draw a picture. Bake a cake. Start some seeds. Continue, and don’t let yourself spiral too deep.
The Seattle Symphony
Here’s my only high-brow suggestion. The Seattle Symphony has live broadcasts as well, which is nice for feeling close to others while you listen.
Regency House Party
This is a reality tv show that I wish had as many seasons as the Bachelor. It’s ridiculous and I hope you love it.
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Speaking of the Regency era, this show is a modern remake of Pride and Prejudice. It translates the material pretty brilliantly.
Glasgow Ghost Stories
Charming, spooky stories set in Glasgow. This is one of my favorites for listening to on a rainy night.
Goosedrunks
Goosedrunks is my favorite way to fall asleep. And hey, if you’re not sick, you can play along.
True Crime, but funny
Okay, Buzzfeed Unsolved is a favorite of thousands, and a gateway to true crime fandom in general. But I maintain that nothing gets your mind of plague like puzzling over unsolved serial killer cases. Plus, the Ghoulie Boys are always an entertaining pair.
K. D. Hume 