October 2011, New York City. Running to this master class and that master class. Taking this training and that training. Expending lots of energy, but getting nowhere fast. Madison comments.
There are many who’ll claim that they can improve you.
In my experience, they mainly remove you
from your center so that what may have been your core
is ever-so-sweetly sent packing through the door
so that what you are left with is a shadow self,
which they can bend and twist and put up on a shelf
where you’ll look so fine alongside others on display.
However, to some there does come that fateful day
when you’re knocked off the shelf, and you land with a crash,
and you’ll whine and you’ll moan and perhaps even thrash
until your center, having heard all of your cries,
sneaks in discreetly (avoiding their prying eyes),
takes you to itself again, not to reprove you:
but seeking to balance, calm, soothe, love and move you.
Improved listening here: https://aprillynnjames.com/track/4770890/there-are-many-who-will-claim-4-2026