Me Studying or Doing Homework for School

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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

"Imagine a future moment in your life where all your dreams come true. You know it’s the greatest moment of your life and you get to experience it with one person. Who’s it gonna be?"

"Take a look at yourself in a mirror — who do you see looking back? Is it the person you want to be? Or is there someone else you’re meant to be — the person you should have been but fell short of? Is someone telling you you can’t or you won’t? Because you can. Believe that dreams come true everyday, because they do. Sometimes, happiness doesn’t come from money or fame or power. Sometimes happiness comes from good friends and family and from the quiet nobility of leading a good life. Believe that dreams come true everyday, because they do. So take a look in that mirror and remind yourself to be happy because you deserve to be, believe that. And believe that dreams come true everyday, because they do."

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[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

"Survival poem #17

because this is what you do. get up.
blame the liquor for the heaviness. call in late
to work. go to the couch because the bed
is too empty. watch people scream about love
on Jerry Springer. count the ways
it could be worse. it could be last week
when the missing got so big
you wrote him a letter
and sent it. it could be yesterday, no work
to go to, whole day looming.
it could be last month
or the month before, when you still
thought maybe. still carried plans
around with you like talismans.
you could have kissed him last night.
could have gone home with him, given in,
cried after, softly, face to the wall, his heavy arm
around you, hand on your stomach, rubbing.
shower. remember your body. water
hotter than you can stand. sit
on the shower floor. the word
devastated ringing the tub. buildings
collapsed into themselves. ribs
caving toward the spine. recite
the strongest poem you know. a spell
against the lonely that gets you
in crowds and on three hours’ sleep.
wonder where the gods are now.
get up. because death is not
an alternative. because this is what you do.
air like soup, move. door, hallway, room.
pants, socks, shoes. sweater. coat. cold.
wish you were a bird. remember you
are not you, now. you are you
a year from now. how does that
woman walk? she is not sick or sad.
doesn’t even remember today.
has been to Europe. what song
is she humming? now. right now.
that’s it."