Wild Indulgence
It’s ridiculous, of course—but so is happiness.
I wrote this poem a few years ago and, for some strange and wonderful reason, it’s experiencing a bit of a resurgence on Instagram these last few weeks, which makes me happy because I really like this one despite the mixed reception it received when it first entered the world.
It’s a true story. There really is a woman in my neighborhood with a huge pack of floofs and every time I see her (I still see her), I can’t look away. When I first began writing the poem, I remember thinking: she must be surrounded by so much love. (And so much drool.)
This was my first poem to land on Reddit, and people had thoughts. Some, of course, enjoyed it and understood what it was getting at. Others called the speaker bitter and jealous, questioned whether this was a poem at all. Which, in hindsight, feels strangely fitting. The poem itself is asking what happens when we encounter someone else’s abundance, and there it was, the conversation unfolding in real time in the comment section.
To me, this poem has always been about permission. The audacity of wanting a life that feels full to the brim, stacking delight upon delight upon delight. The wonderfully unreasonable fact that the heart is rarely content with just enough yet is expected to grin and say thank you. I think what moved me most about this woman was her refusal to ration her happiness. Why should she have one St. Bernard when she could have six? Why are we so quick to treat joy as something that must be earned or justified or consumed in moderation?
Every time I see her now I think to myself: What if I just let myself want what I want?
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read this poem. If you enjoyed it, let me know by dropping a comment or sharing it. Your support means the absolute world to me. :)
P.S. If you haven’t yet, my debut collection The Size of Your Joy is available anywhere books are sold. Today’s featured poem, Wild Indulgence, is from my book on page 77. :)
💌 Is mail + poetry your love language? Mine too! You might like my Poem Postcard Club. Check it out below. Also makes a thoughtful gift for your poetry + mail loving friends. :)
The audacity of wanting what you want! :) love it! Why judge someone else's happiness. Thank you, I'm new to your site and enjoying it very much.
I just ordered and received your book. Much poetry is lost in me, but I feel that I always get something from your writing. I look forward to reading more.