Therapy is a nice breeze I paid for.
That smells a little bit like dead dust bunnies.
You can only jump as high as kettle corn.
And you’ll land on the ground most likely.
Get crushed.
But she wants a more substantial crunch.
An earth worm’s sentience.
Such a worm cannot go to therapy.
The therapist would crush him way too easily.
And she wants at least 13 bones.
Doesn’t all have to be from the same creature.
Spider legs don’t always count.
But might if it has spikes.
Therapy is a nice breeze I paid for.
And the breeze smells like lavender instead of dead dust bunnies.
Maybe because…
The dust bunnies got eaten.
“How'd you die?” the therapist asked.
“I don't know," I said.
“Was it a car crash?”
“No, I don't own a car.”
“Was it self-inflicted doom?”
“No, I don't like heights or knives.”
“Was it one of your friends?”
“No, I don't have friends.”
“Was it your parents?”
“No, they're both in jail.”
“Was it your sister?”
“No, she left me, frail”
“Was it the old man you smiled at every morning?”
“No, he passed away with the jury deciding his hearing.”
“Was it-”
“How are you today?” I cut in, smiling,
But no answer came.
For the dry wall before me was never a therapist to acclaim.
If I were free, I wouldn't be.
I wouldn't be who—what I am right now.
I wouldn't be the miscreation I myself despised once
I wouldn't be the stain upon creation I am right now.
If I were free, I'd be six feet under the dirt.
The very dirt I once spurned would spurn me then.
For,I'd be their trespasser.
She was here for us everyday
But we forgot to ask
What she was running from
We forgot that she was human too
Not just our shoulder to cry or
Or our therapist to rely on
We forgot she needed us too
We didn't notice her
When she cried behind her perfect smile
And eyes that showed no pain
We didn't notice her
Till she became a memory to be buried within.
And we didn't reply in time
And then came a day
When she wasn't present
To make it all okay
She was already running
Away
She wanted to change the world
Do a little good in her life
But it took her away instead
And the goodness I took for granted
Left
She gave away all her love
Left herself none
And when she wanted help
People ignored her signs
And called her funny instead.
She wanted only a hand to hold
For somebody to grab her
When she plunged into the water below
Somebody to whisper
"Don't worry
I am going to be with you forever."
My pen my paper the only therapist that I need
The therapist was a mirror of myself,
She wore the same skin -
She understood the words from my mouth
She said -
‘It’s okay to be black, and ask for help’
She validated my pain, her voice made me calm
She told me -
‘Just because you're a black girl, doesn’t mean you have to be strong’
She taught me to by myself,
She allowed my softness to come out
My therapist shared my experiences,
And i have never felt so seen,
To help me feel more comfortable, she opened up to me,
And now i feel safe to share my vulnerabilities
Oh! Where Have You Been
by Alice Maraglia
Your Uber/Lyft Transporter
My standard question when picking up a passenger
is, where have you been, and where are you going?
At times it is at the airport, work or other strange places.
My car is like a box of chocolates, to coin a phrase.
I never do know what I will get, or what's inside.
Sometimes, it's a gooey fun ride, and sometimes
it's just okay to cry.
It only takes a piece of candy or something to eat, making
you relaxed enough to pick up the beat.
I often feel like the bar tender who gives sound advice,
maybe the therapist, who picks your brain.
You listen to my bad jokes, laugh, and then you cry.
I will always be wanting to know, where have you been
and where are we going?
Well, it's off to some other corner of the world, a new
adventure lurks around the bend.
Can't wait for the journey to end.
My question will always be, and where have you been,
and where are you going?
Hop in, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Dear Therapist
She illustrates human wisdom, her ability
to understand predicaments befittingly.
Wisdom is her name, She is balanced like
the scales both intellectual, perception.
Her name is Sophia.
a degree and he knows it all
summarizes me in a nanosecond
has me all figured out
simplified into a likely story
for someone else perhaps
but no sir, not for me
casually randomizing
careless comments tossed
into a common salad
the maestro takes words
and plays them back askew
creating his own new melody
with all his pomp and arrogance
he is the type that gives
the profession a bad name
AP: 2nd place 2026, 3rd place 2025, Honorable Mention 2025
Of course, love is insanity
don't dare get me near the
couch! Love is honesty --
Dr. you are my cure!
You ask me to open up...
then all you do is write...
next appointment, make
it somewhere more private~
dinner and candlelight.
the dream therapist put out his shingle
for a mere sixty dollars he will interpret your dream
If you dream of a turtle, it means life is slowing down
If you dream of a fish, you are trying to be free and encumbered
an oak tree in your dream can mean a variety of things
It might mean you are the oak in your family
or it could mean you admire the oak in your family
I read the brochure and thought I would have a go.
He looked like a normal man.
I offered him the sixty dollars up front.
We can take care of that later, he told me.
It is actually $67.98 with tax.
I would have to use a credit card.
Tell me about your dream, the therapist said.
I was cozy in an orange chair.
I told him that I never dream.
He argued this with me.
I left without paying him sixty dollars
or sixty seven dollars and ninety-eight cents.
I think we were both disappointed.
I was advised to see a therapist!
I went
We discussed my issues
A solution was found
The therapist joined my issue
We both saw another therapist!
soft smile in violet voice
healthy codependent choice
illness fills brown void
Get help with thought patterns all new
From the social worker guru
Talia Green's expertise
Helps seekers find peace
And implodes thinking that's cuckoo
Pour out emotions,
She says quietly, calmly,
But I don't want to.
I was a Holistic Therapist
with oils and creams galore.
most clients were lovely
but some you had to ignore.
One came asking for 'extras'
which i answered with a threat
I said I'd throw his clothes outside
which I'm sure he would regret.
The thing that really bothered me
made me want to beat him down,
wasn't just the suggestion,
but he only offered me ten pounds!
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