The winter has been long, at times felt

unrelenting. Yet a cherry blossom bud pokes

into this bitter and cold. Color hopes

that winter’s grey will reveal anew

and wash away the lies and the stains

of past regrets. A new day dawns

and yet the battles continue.

When will we learn peace?

At the end of this tree branch

lays my heart full of happiness,

so full of bliss it took my breath

and folded it into a neat little square,

tucked it away. I haven’t seen it since.

– Collaboration of Jessica Young, Ellen Lengermann, Susan Go and other audience members of the March 1, 2015 matinee performance of “The Metromaniacs”, written as Exquisite Corpse

Jessica Young (center)