The Way of the Zebra or Between Belts

by Eric Alter

I wanna change.

Shed this

dust saturated uniform

we’ve come to know as human life

 

I’m ready to toss my shoes,

my boots, sneaks;

toss my jeans, hat, shirt and jewels.

 

Put on my belt;

caught up in grit and stripes.

I am ready to be the zebra

for that is the way of gut.

 

Ready to go nuts

And then promptly check my chaos.

 

Ready to scramble;

then promptly remember that eggs do that the best.

I am not the spawn of a chicken

so I will instead remember to slow down.

Always slow down.

To see myself as I am currently being myself.

To breathe—

 

My sweat breathe;

a best friend that is always present

always benefitting me.

Always making my heart full of blood cell life.

 

I want my breathe to know itself better than I can;

the bellows of my lungs creep strength into my body.

 

I wanna struggle and think.

Wrestle with myself while I wrestle another.

 

Look my pale doubt in the face

and squeeze it out through clenched teeth.

 

The way of the zebra.

The middle ground between white and blue.

 

Not quite shark or sheep.

Not quiet.

 

Always loud

wanting of knowledge

of ability.

 

Always noise

in this bread box head

ever obsessed with when it will be bookended by 2 massive cauliflowers.

 

All ways

 

These hands only speak one language: snatch.

A.K.A. take.

A.K.A. grab.

These fists have pretended

to be strong long enough.

Now they are filled with heavy pearl weave cotton and rubber.

 

These hands are stitching and thread

Holding in blood and vein

Holding on to life

 

I am not gripping for the sake of my life

I am gripping for life

 

Which is to say searching for the best version of myself

 

My arms are triangles along with my legs.

If I throw them like horseshoes long enough

At some point they will all be ringers.

Time + me = universe

 

Equals

watch out for the points of my stars,

equals scars,

equals aches and pains

in shoulders and thighs,

knees and ankles.

 

Equals humble

 

Humble + strength + ability = power

Power – “you” = success

Get out of our own way is the way of the zebra.

Get some ice on that is the way of the zebra.

I’m sorry and thank you: the way of the zebra.

Gimme a second while I tie my belt is the way of the zebra.

Hand slap to fist bump is the way of the zebra.

Stretching: the way of the zebra.

Survival is the way of the zebra. Trying

 

Always trying

Trying all ways