Tag: poets

Survival of The Soul 

I push the palm of my hand  
against hers.  She pushes back. 
With heat and sweat and friction 
we rub the dirt from our hands. 
We are not wanting to be clean. 
We are wanting to be released 
from under the surface 
from under the skin. 
Inside we are immaculately unstained, 
pure as the absence of good and evil. 
But in this magnetic flesh with 
its collection of cosmic scars 
and universal sin we risk  
rotting away within. 
So, we rub our palms together 
pushing with all the force of life. 
And when our flesh melts away 
our souls come out to play. 


© Written July, 18th, 2000 – Kay Kestner

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Second Location

When attacked 
a woman must not 
allow her assailant 
to take her to 
the second location. 
There is no escape from there. 
That is where he will kill her. 

I do not remember when I  
heard about that, about 
certain death at the second location. 

But when I was fifteen 
an underpaid counselor 
convinced my parents to 
check me into an over 
priced mental institution. 
While I sat in the school office 
waiting to be taken away 
all I kept thinking was, 
“They’re taking me 
to the second location.” 


© Written July, 18th, 2000 – Kay Kestner
Previously published in Eunoia Review.

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Do Something for Democracy

The resources on the Do Something for Democracy page give you ways you can take action. Find what fits your comfort level. No one can do it all, but we all can do a little something.

Given the rapid changes to our government in the United States, it’s vitally important for us to speak up. Silence and apathy will only embolden a leader who serves his own agenda – an agenda that undermines democracy both within the US and around the world.

Every small act adds up when we all “do something.” Even if it’s just making one call, once a week to one of your representatives – that adds up!

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Delivering the Truth 

Can you go it alone? 
Your army is lightyears away. 

You are an alien 
they treat like a traitor. 
Who are you? 
Stand back. 
Step back. 
Get out. 
Go. 

They don’t know. 
They do not want 
to know. 

Can you alone 
walk into a room 
state your name 
do what you do 
then leave knowing 
the best they’ll do 
is gossip about you 
as small talk   
in the shadows? 

Can you 
a solitary satellite 
block out enough 
of their born and raised 
small-town sunshine 
to show them 
what you saw 
on the dark side 
of Saturn’s 62 moons? 

They throw attitude 
like an asteroid attack. 
But you are already cratered. 
You carry enough gravity 
to keep it together. 

They play with flint 
and pretend to be stars 
while you fill your womb 
with the galaxy 
hoping to give birth 
to a new universe. 

You are on your own here. 
Pregnant. Laboring.  Mother. 
You deliver 
an unwanted orphan 
and name her The Truth. 


© Written March, 19th, 2016 – Kay Kestner

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Do Something for Democracy

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Given the rapid changes to our government in the United States, it’s vitally important for us to speak up. Silence and apathy will only embolden a leader who serves his own agenda – an agenda that undermines democracy both within the US and around the world.

Every small act adds up when we all “do something.” Even if it’s just making one call, once a week to one of your representatives – that adds up!

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To Hold the Stone 

by Kay Kestner:

To Hold the Stone 

This is your last desperate 
grasp for something you 
know will never let you sleep. 
And I can see now, it has 
always been within your reach. 

The cursing, howling, broken 
one – your jewel was the  
stone in your shoe, that  
ache in every step, a pain 
you could not forget.  

You’re reaching for it now, 
unwrapping the bandages –  
the way it made you bleed 
and blister, sore as hell’s  
own fire can burn you.  But  
you are scar-less.  Use this. 
It is your foundation, road, 
and home.  It is everything 
you’ve lost, and all you 
chance to gain.  It is  
your stone, so precious 
never can it be bought or 
sold.  It is your own. 
Reach and hold. 

© Written April 12, 1999 – Kay Kestner

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Do Something for Democracy

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Given the rapid changes to our government in the United States, it’s vitally important for us to speak up. Silence and apathy will only embolden a leader who serves his own agenda – an agenda that undermines democracy both within the US and around the world.

Every small act adds up when we all “do something.” Even if it’s just making one call, once a week to one of your representatives – that adds up!

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Casually 

by Kay Kestner:

Casually 

he drops the notice on the wind. 

Too many debts, 
who needs electric? 

Just as he starts dinner 
they cut the news off 
and kill the microwave. 

He pulls out a slice of bread, 
sits by the window and thinks 

they’ll never shut off the sun. 

But, he knows, in the back of 
his sedated mind, science is 
casually trying to find a 
way to turn out the sun. 

The cure for skin cancer. 
That’s what they’ll say. 


© Written April 10, 2000 – Kay Kestner

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Do Something for Democracy

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Given the rapid changes to our government in the United States, it’s vitally important for us to speak up. Silence and apathy will only embolden a leader who serves his own agenda – an agenda that undermines democracy both within the US and around the world.

Every small act adds up when we all “do something.” Even if it’s just making one call, once a week to one of your representatives – that adds up!

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Leaving the Station 

by Kay Kestner:

Leaving the Station 

“Why are we waiting?,” 
she asked gently at the station. 
A small woman, sitting in 
a line of future passengers 
had just asked a brave question. 
All of them, with tickets in 
hand, had set departure times, 
and fairly accurate schedules 
of arrivals at specific unpleasant 
destinations.  Staring at her  
computer printout of where she 
was headed and when she could  
expect to get there she asked  
again, “Why are we waiting?” 
And added, “None of these trains 
are going where we want to go.” 
A few of those near her nodded 
in silent acceptance, but everyone 
continued to just sit there.  Waiting. 
She looked one last time at the clock  
on the wall.  “I’m late.  I have to 
leave.”  Then, stood up and walked 
out of the train station, away from 
the tracks that went in the wrong 
direction. 

© Written March 31, 2000 – Kay Kestner

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Do SOMETHING before we lose EVERYTHING

The resources on the Do Something for Democracy page give you ways you can take action. Find what fits your comfort level. No one can do it all, but we all can do a little something.

Given the rapid changes to our government in the United States, it’s vitally important for us to speak up. Silence and apathy will only embolden a leader who serves his own agenda – an agenda that undermines democracy both within the US and around the world.

Every small act adds up when we all “do something.” Even if it’s just making one call, once a week to one of your representatives – that adds up!

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A Novel Photographer 

by Kay Kestner:

A Novel Photographer 

The aperture whispers 
stories only he can hear. 

With a click, he writes a novel 
that with a glance 
we instantly understand. 


© Written March 30, 2015 – Kay Kestner

Do Something for Democracy

Nationwide Protests – April 5th, 2025
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Do SOMETHING before we lose EVERYTHING

The resources on the Do Something for Democracy page give you ways you can take action. Find what fits your comfort level. No one can do it all, but we all can do a little something.

Given the rapid changes to our government in the United States, it’s vitally important for us to speak up. Silence and apathy will only embolden a leader who serves his own agenda – an agenda that undermines democracy both within the US and around the world.

Every small act adds up when we all “do something.” Even if it’s just making one call, once a week to one of your representatives – that adds up!

Subscribe today to get your Daily Dose of #Poetry: