You Don’t Die Once – A Poem by Rachana

I’ve written this from the perspective of a mid-lifer, about how we get infinite chances at reinventing ourselves only if we’re looking for those opportunities. My children play video games and they have this permadeath feature where you can “press reset” repeatedly. What we lived real life like that?

What if we could shed old versions of ourselves, forgive our own mistakes, and drop toxic habits and people that don’t serve us?

Here’s to a new reset. 

You Don’t Die Once

A Poem On Redemption

Unless you’re a mid-lifer like me,
this poem ain’t gonna hold your attention.
Skip if you’re still young.
Now listen.

Yes, it’s possible.
Yes, I’m saying you can press reset —
many times over, over and over,
each time killing off the version that no longer fits.

Seek your truth fresh every new day,
bathe in the golden hour.
You can’t rip up the newspapers,
but you can pause those endless notifications.

Stop lying to yourself one more time
that you love this desk, this grind.
Who are you fooling?
You’re only here to fire your previous self.

Quit rooting for every loud cause —
rip that ribbon off your bumper.
Some crazy mother f*cker might
become trigger-happy seeing your child in the back seat.

You traded the slaughter for a plant,
and even those damn things have feelings.
But, you must still reach for the pear,
instead of the Pringle crisp.

Board that overdue flight to see the old man’s body.
Forgive yourself for arriving late —
at least now look for that friend’s number,
stop swiping left a million times.

Pick up that shirt off the floor,
toss that dirty straw mat.
Subtract the excess you’ve got,
add only what truly matters.

Walk away. Enough. She picked up and crashed
the red hibiscus that reminds you of your mom.
Ignore the unforgivable and the vain —
believe in karma to rule its reign.

You can still dream the unthinkable,
leave the mundane to rot on its own.
Every new idea arrives as another small death —
and every death can help redeem you.

You’re dying many times like in the video game,
but this stranger staring back
in the mirror
is cleaner, sharper and alive again.

Yes, it’s possible.
Do it. Reset.
Life’s not one fatal run.
You don’t die just once.

–

Originally composed on: 04/11/2023 9:30pm

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Poetry