A poem about caring for someone whose mornings, moods, and nervous system move differently from your own, and learning that real affection often means slowing down, listening, and offering presence without pressure.

My former partner experienced a stroke that affected both her mobility and her speech. This piece reflects on the slow, fragile work of expressive aphasia—rebuilding language one hesitant word at a time.

Written after meeting a new friend from abroad whose laughter, stories, and love of poetry stayed with me long after our coffee cooled. This poem tries to capture the sudden, unexpected ache of that connection.

A bright lyric poem written for my sad, grumpy friend who needed some down time.