Episode 001: A Genuine Zombi Dance

Guilliean reads her self-penned poetry. Stream the episode below and read along with the author.

1. Zombi

not the Glamorous ghouls from the movies 
or the pending apocalypse from the books
but the ones who wear monkey suits 
plaster on a fake smile 
pretend they're not dead inside, like me 
I shall never forget the day 
that I lost all hope
say it out loud
cried like an anxious child
who lost their invisible friend 
red puffy eyes, sniffles like a cold 
not one kind word 
emotional roller coaster 
I wish they could all feel my pain 
the letdown of unpursued dreams
failing before trying 
unable to make the leap
too stubborn to try 
an easy way out, hard way in 
retreating to the melee within
sit there and judge me 
you don't know the battles - the scars - that have shaped me
the wars I have yet to fight
it's true what they say 
your greatest enemy is yourself.

2. Dance Even Though the World is Falling Down Around You

to bukowski and hard times

there's a part of me, deep inside, a bluebird perhaps 
that sways while the world Burns 
to a waltz that no one else can hear but me
in spite of all the terror and fear and anxiety in my world
 since the world is ending, I'm throwing the party 
Dance with Me 
Dance For You 
Dance, dance for three minutes, one side of the vinyl
some more of them if you do
 dance, even though the world is falling down around you 
cry those alligator tears from your brown eyes 
while the pain weeps from the soles of your feet 
the ones that keep you moving forward, never back
when shit goes down, more bounce
 I'm tired of relinquishing my power 
to an automated computer program
Who can eliminate me from the stack 
saying I'm not worth the time
 overqualified to live the life that I deserve 
life is cold but all I see is gold 
on the hour when the sun sets in the desert of my heart 
they say the good die young so I'll keep dancing 
there's nothing left to do now but Dance.

3. When the smile was genuine

when the smile was genuine 
collected all the discontent on my neck 
chop me up, defenestrate, agitate, lay in wait 
tuned into celebrate 
'twas a day late, dollar short
demonstrate the Demons Run 
when a good man goes to war 
them delta blues got nothing on me 
keep your head in the past of a life unlit 
diseased, knobby knees, if you please 
colored outside those blurred lines 
of who I thought I was supposed to be.

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