We Talk About Taxes Now by Olivia Dimond
We talk about taxes now
With an empty prosecco bottle keeping watch from the dresser
We sit in a haphazard circle
Across beds, chairs, pillows, and the rug
The dregs of a mimosa clinging to the bottom of my glass
What health insurance should we take, we murmur
Gas is so expensive, we complain
There’s a sale at Bed Bath and Beyond, we exclaim
Was it the blink of an eye
Or a century
That got us here?
The years peeling away
Like our sunburnt skin
Shedding the pain of our past
For a fresh adventure tomorrow
The days of skipped meals
Panic attacks in a hidden corner armchair
Tears muffled in pillows
Fading into the rearview
There’s no sunscreen for that
No umbrella strong enough to keep out
The hardest falls of rain
Personal therapy can’t be written off
As a business expense
(...can it?)
But here we are.
Battered, bruised, bent
Unbroken.
Tears in our eyes
Smiles on our faces
Knowledge in our brains
Love in our hearts
Clinging to you like
Ivy clings to these buildings
Beauty in cycles of life and death
Death and life
Sitting in the glow of the sunrise
Our last mimosa in hand
I felt at peace.
One with you
And the new dawn.
We did it.
We did it.
“I do not consider myself a poet; I’ve never been one for flowery language or expelling human emotion as clearly and cleverly as poets do. But sometimes my emotions are swirling so much that my version of poetry is the only way to expel it. I included this poem as part of my graduation slideshow on my Instagram because I wanted it out in the world but didn’t think it was good enough. I still don’t know if it is, of course, but I think we should all have the chance to celebrate the big victories. This was how I celebrated mine.”
Olivia Dimond (she/her) is a writer and theater maker currently based in Colorado. Her written work has appeared in Idle Ink, Miniskirt Magazine, and others. When not creating, she loves teaching and making a mess in the kitchen. You can find her on Twitter @livdimond or at oliviadimond.com.