that shiny thing

The world keeps shouting  instructions. 
Buy this. 
Answer that.
Hurry. 

Well, 
I’m stuck in the slow 
unwinding study 
of how light 
moves without permission 
and 
that 
breath somehow arrives 
without warning 
and leaves you 
whether you are ready 
or not. 

You don’t argue. 
You can’t argue really. 
Better to notice instead. 

This is not escape. 
It’s a choice. 

To feel the floor. 
To hear the far off storm. 
To remember that first song, 
over the siren. 
To accept love 
from problems that surround you 
and to love them 
back. 

It is possible 
to let the noise pass you, 
unfed. 

Likely, 
it will smirk and jeer. 

Take in as much 
as you can stand. 

Then stand firm 
in this loud world; 
attention takes practice. 

Focus, fuel. 
Noticing, defiance.