top of page

make a cup of tea. read poems co-created by our family, friends and community. 

I am sitting with no words to say

I am sitting with the smell of stale water that doesn't quench your thirst

I am sitting with a bland taste that is hollow and insignificant

I am sitting with the trembling of his feet because of his pain

I am sitting with the sound of an evening buzzing that keeps me awake

​

I am also sitting with a silent prayer that is being heard

I am sitting with newly baked tea tree oil reminding me of my childhood

I am sitting with the steam of steamed rice on my face

I am sitting with a forested trail that never ends until I want it to

I am sitting with lyrics that say "it keeps on getting better

 - C.K. 

I am sitting with a desperate nap and waking up unhappy

I am sitting with the downtown sewage smell of unpleasant dirty water

I am sitting with the unfamiliar taste of Chinese star medicine and salty fish that lingers

I am sitting with the uncomfortable sight of bleeding people being executed

I am sitting with the screeching sound of a streetcar that passes by

​

I am also sitting with trusting my future and not overthinking

I am sitting with the smell of wood tree perfume and the burning of temple incense

I am sitting with my favourite Korean kimchi stew with pork belly that warms me

I am sitting with the grey, dark blue, and white sheets on my monotone bed

I am sitting with the early morning birds that sing peacefully

 - B.J.K. 

I am sitting with a monster, trying to claw its way out of me

I am sitting with the smell of burnt rubber and tires

I am sitting with the stubborn taste of bile, bitter and out of place

I am sitting with blurry vision, tears warping the world into splotches of colour

I am sitting with two disjointed melodies playing at the same time. One goes into each ear and clashes in my skull

​

I am also sitting with a steady heartbeat in my chest and relaxed shoulders

I am sitting with the refreshing smell of cool, midnight air

I am sitting with the creamy taste of cheesecake, served with tangy strawberries and fluffy            whipped cream

I am sitting in a world crafted by my own imagination, with sights that no one else will see but me

I am sitting with the crisp sound of my boots leaving footprints on the freshly fallen snow

 - C.M. 

I am sitting with a seventeen-ton brick on my chest. The weight of the burden of the somber is heavy on me, and it is stealing the breath in my lungs

I am sitting with the smell of smoking, burning chillies, its pungency searing the pink of my throat

I am sitting with the lingering, stinging taste of a neem branch. How could such a powerful medicine, be coated with such torment?

I am sitting with the insurmountable grief in the auburn of my mother’s eyes

I am sitting with the sound of fullness and pressure in my ears, and a muffled rumble behind which I could only guess is a field of wind turbines meeting an erupting volcano

I am sitting with the darkness and the fear of a shallow, void of nothingness creeps up my spine

​

I am also sitting with a quiet Saturday morning sun and her warm morning snuggles – both holding me snug and safe

I am sitting with the smell of fragrant orbs of jasmine, dancing with the coolness of a crisp dewy breeze

I am sitting with a spoonful of hearty odiyal koozh, taking me back home to the streets of Jaffna

I am sitting with the sun setting into her palms, as she touches the sky – the meeting place of the known and the unknown, some call her the horizon

I am sitting with the soft and gentle sounds of the river flows in you, painted on slender keys of a piano

I am sitting with a ball of ever-loving light, rushing up my skin in a shiver of goosebumps and standing my hair on its head

 - S.K. 

I am sitting with the feeling of helping someone I love through relapse and feeling like they cannot beat addiction, letting it turn my world upside down

I am sitting with the smell of tuna that roams through the kitchen

I am sitting with the lemon water that sat for too long

I am sitting with the sight of broken skin, blood, muscles or bones appearing to the surface

I am sitting with the constant buzzing of phone notifications and reminders that breaks all my concentration and reminds me of the high productivity world we live in

I am sitting with the gut feeling of knowing nothing will be the same without being able to explain why and being right

​

I am also sitting with the feeling of laughter and being in good company

I am sitting with the smell of coffee in the morning that awakes my grogginess

I am sitting with the taste of warm, crispy french fries

I am sitting with the forest, sky, and all sights of life whether green plants or small animals

I am sitting with the sound of ocean waves hitting the shore or crashing over rocks

I am sitting with the feeling of peace when I think about how the whole world comes together as one and how all living things are interconnected

​

 - D.J. 

I am sitting with my racing mind in confusion about the loss and what I could have changed

I am sitting with the distinct smell of my new green sweater, the last gift I got from him

I am sitting with the stale water from my bottle that I don’t have the energy to change

I am sitting with the writing on my whiteboard that carried so many memories that I couldn't bring myself to wipe away

I am sitting with The sentences I keep replaying in my head, trying to figure out what they meant

​

I am also sitting with the hope that my future is bright and the excitement of getting closer to reaching my goals

I am sitting with the smell of my lotion on my fresh sheets, reminding of the importance of self-care

I am sitting with the taste of coffee. Something I began to like at the beginning of the best year of my life (so far!)

I am sitting with the visions of my future, so different than before, but brighter and focused around me for the first time

I am sitting with the sound of crowds and loud music, which represents overcoming anxiety. Something I never would have done, if it wasn't for my suffering

​

 - K.P. 

I am sitting with cold and lonely fear

I am sitting with the burning of plastic

I am sitting with a pungent taste of bitterness that is hard to shake off

I am sitting with the loss of words, stuttering of my fingers, and a weight on my chest

I am sitting with the constant ringing that vibrates at the back of my teeth

 

I am also sitting with a sunny day, gentle breeze, and deep breathes

I am sitting with the sweet smell of jasmine flowers and spices on my mom

I am sitting with spicy Tibetan momo's with soft doughy skin and spiced meats

I am sitting with a sunset of stars under a tree

I am sitting with the splashing of leaves and wrestling of waves

                 

                                                                                                                                                                 -R.S.

I am sitting with time passing and running in the same place

I am sitting with rotten old food in the kitchen

I am sitting with awful vinegar smells

I am sitting with tight clothes, sweating awkward conversations, and saying no

I am sitting with sounds of horror and no rhythm

 

I am also sitting with memorized scripture and not reacting quickly

I am sitting with the smell of fluffly flatbread in the morning

I am sitting with the taste of chips, ice cream and popcorn

I am sitting with warm waves over the rocks and wind

I am sitting with light rain chirping and the melodies of the ocean

 

                                                                                                                                                                 -R.K.

I am sitting with wanting to run away and not being where I want

I am sitting with the smell of hot burnt popcorn that stings my nose

I am sitting with the rubber texture of jelly that I can't bite into

I am sitting with the weight of wet clothes which feel unnatural

I am sitting with the constant beeping of electrical power lines

 

I am also sitting with not asking questions and sleeping

I am sitting with refreshing cedar and pine trees

I am sitting with the taste of creamy tomatoes, pasta, and meat of a lasagna

I am sitting with a familiar home with my family

I am sitting with an ocean that cancels out all noise

​

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             -L.K.

                                                                                                                                                             

I am sitting with not feeling like I had a choice at the dental clinic

I am sitting with the lingering smell of meat which burns my nose

I am sitting with red sticky medication at the back of my throat

I am sitting with a nagging feeling that won't go away

I am sitting with the never-ending low humming at the bottom of the staircase

 

I am also sitting with keeping my hands busy with knitting, folding, and cleaning

I am sitting with the smell of mint and eucalyptus sweet bread

I am sitting with a sour, sweet, and crunchy salad with fruits and nuts

I am sitting with being anywhere and doing my own thing

I am sitting with major scales on a guitar or piano

 

                                                                                                                                                                  -S.T.

                                                                                                                                                  

I am sitting with a crumbling paralysis of my story that weighs my body down

I am sitting with old moldy food

I am sitting with a coating of not brushing my teeth

I am sitting with dirty dishes everywhere

I am sitting with the irritating pitch of construction in the morning

 

I am also sitting with a non-judgmental breathe that brings awareness

I am sitting with a coffee in the morning reminded me of normalcy

I am sitting with anything that comes to the door

I am sitting with being right here surrounded by my paintings, the light from the window, and myself.

I am sitting with Curtis producing music, typing, and breathing

 

                                                                                                                                                                -E.C.

I am sitting with the melancholy of treading water that never seizes

I am sitting with bitter melon that tastes like food gone wrong

I am sitting with people taking up too much space

I am sitting with garbage waste that rots

I am sitting with awkwardness, silence and wanting to leave as soon as possible

 

I am also sitting with restful sleep and smoking weed

I am sitting with scents of lemongrass, meat, and beef broth

I am sitting with the repetition of water washing up to the shore, seemingly infinite

I am sitting with rich vanilla I can almost taste it

I am sitting with two steps and a bow uphill towards surreal euphoria

 

                                                                                                                                                                 -F.K.

I am sitting with the desolation of what makes a person a person and rigid joy for the comfort of others

I am sitting with foul odors and the sourness of decay

I am sitting with sterile chemicals preserving has long been lost

I am sitting with an eternity of night, desperate and alone

I am sitting with sirens blaring, footsteps fading, and thoughts of my voice echoing in the silence

 

I am also sitting with the newness of adventure, the lightness of humour, and beauty in life that helps the toughest days
I am sitting with clean, fresh lavender sheets and cooking ingredients into a dish with deeper meaning
I am sitting with hearty soup made by grandma

I am sitting under a sky like still water with people who care

I am sitting with classical music, the nostalgia of childhood, and jazzy crickets who sing in perfect solitude

 

                                                                                                                                                                 -I.A.

I am sitting with hopelessness as I watch my father struggle with his last breaths

I am sitting with the musty smell of him, the smell of my parents' house, and the stale air since the door has been closed for 3 days

I am sitting with the bitterness of rapini; a taste I hated as a child but grew to love

I am sitting with the sight of my father on his death bed, unresponsive but eyebrows lifted when he hears my brother’s voice on the phone

I am sitting with the annoying sound of forced exhalation and inhalation of my father's last breaths, uncomfortable and possibly suffering

​

I am also sitting with my eyes closed, warm sun on my face, morning waves gently hitting the dock which brings a complete state of relaxation

I am sitting with the smell of freshly laundered sheets and towels I am folding right out of the dryer

I am sitting with my mother-in-law's pasta at Sunday dinner, her sauce is like no other and seemingly unreproducible

I am sitting with the angel wings in the clouds above the dock at camp sending me signs to tell me he is ok

I am sitting with the pleasant, soothing sounds of many varieties of birds singing and chirping

 

                                                                                                                                                                -N.P.

I am sitting with being broken up with, feeling like the world is crashing down around you and nothing will make it better

I am sitting with the smell of truffle seasoning; overpowering and permeates all of your surroundings

I am sitting with the taste of the peel of a lemon, harsh and sharp when bitten into

I am sitting with being unable to sit still, being restless and agitated, and tense

I am sitting with the sound of a fork scratching on a plate in the high pitch, screechy way

 

I am also sitting with the calming feeling of taking deep breaths repeatedly when I begin to feel overwhelmed

I am sitting with the smell of lavender - fresh, soothing, earthy, and serene

I am sitting with the taste of alfredo pasta that is rich, creamy, and cheesy

I am sitting with the sight of still water at camp on a sunny bright summer morning

I am sitting with the sound of continuous rolling waves on a beach

 

                                                                                                                                                                 -T.P.

                                                                                                                                                               

I am sitting with everyone yelling, family fighting, shouting, and saying mean things to each other and it keeps happening over and over again

I am sitting with the smell of rotting eggs and onions

I am sitting with the peels of limes and lemons that have been sitting in my water too long

I am sitting with seeing people get bullied and made fun of. The faces of them when their mood is brought down by other people

I am sitting with hearing people talk about others without them knowing

I am sitting with no one else knowing how you feel, feeling alone and helpless to yourself

 

I am also sitting with the feeling of every thought being settled and having a clear goal. There is just one thought in my head, and it is not cluttered anymore

I am sitting with baking during the holidays and how it fills the whole house

I am sitting with warm chocolate chip cookies and cookie dough ice cream

I am sitting with the sight of everything below me once I've climbed a mountain; the tall trees that are all around me

I am sitting with meditation music from YouTube and morning birds chirping away

I am sitting with the feeling when I reflect back and get lost in what I'm looking at

 

                                                                                                                                                                  - J.J.

                                                                                                                                                               

I am sitting with the desperation of relieving the pain that comes with chronic migraines. The repetitive stabbing sensations between my eyes and in my head

I am sitting with the smell of sulfur

I am sitting with the taste of strong, black coffee

I am sitting with physical fights among people and seeing people get hurt

I am sitting with the sound of catcalling and men harassing women walking by

I am sitting with the feeling of being alone and scared by the vivid nightmares I get. The sleep paralysis that makes me feel all the bad energy around me

 

I am also sitting with the calm feeling of napping on the beach and feeling the sun rays

I am sitting with the smell on Christmas EVE when everyone is cooking

I am sitting with the taste of chocolate and the melting, creamy, rich flavor left in my mouth

I am sitting with seeing my bed after a long day

I am sitting with the sound of the bandura playing

I am sitting with the high I get after a long run, how it clears my head and how in tune I feel with myself

 

                                                                                                                                                                  -K.J.

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                               

                                                          

I am sitting with the feeling of hopelessness when I am invalidated by my family and friends for my mental health and illness problems. I feel like my suffering and pain is not real or not important

I am sitting with the smell of blood on my wrists when I try to kill myself and my mom doesn’t acknowledge that it is a suicide attempt. Another invalidation

I am sitting with the taste of my pills when I wake up in the morning. They taste bitter before I can taste the water

I am sitting with the sight of me in the corner of my room. This is what discomfort feels like because the world feels too big, and I am too small to take on everything that I need to do and everything that the world needs me to do

I am sitting with the sound of my family arguing and I sit with the feeling of guilt because I feel like everything is my fault

I am sitting with the sadness and desolation in the horrible gut feeling that comes in waves of uneasiness and feeling like I don’t know what to fix next. What moves to make next to fix the problems around me

 

 I am also sitting with nature which always makes me feel calm. The wind and the water

I am sitting with the smell of eucalyptus and sage which is always pleasant and brings me back to earth

I am sitting with the taste of fried chicken and honey dijon mustard which always makes me feel at home

I am sitting with the forest and all of nature which brings me serenity

I am sitting with the sound of the rain and thunderstorms or the sound of a campfire crackling

I am sitting with the clouds and the sky which always brings me calmness and peace in my dreams and for my gut insight intuition

 

                                                                                                                                                 - Anonymous

                                                          

I am sitting with sadness and no other choice

I am sitting with the smell of raw fish

I am sitting with a strong off-flavor that I’ve never tasted before

I am sitting with the sight of blood and animals killed on the road

I am sitting with the high-pitched screech of metal grating against metal

 

I am also sitting with a sense of peace, trust, and wonder; the feeling of stillness even when everything is moving fast around me

I am sitting with the smell of burning wood in a fireplace on Christmas Eve

I am sitting with a full-bodied glass of wine and strawberries

I am sitting in an endless meadow full of green grass, and cows grazing in the field

I am sitting with the sound of water trickling in the river and waves lapping at the shore

 

                                                                                                                                                               -B.M.

I am sitting with a deeply regretful heart and a constant reminder I will never forget

I am sitting with the chemical smell of freshener in my nostrils

I am sitting with the taste of spicy food that I want to get out of my mouth

I am sitting with a withering plant, nearing the end of its life

I am sitting with loud noises around me

 

I am also sitting with the answer to a peaceful prayer. I feel empty and quiet

I am sitting with the smell of sesame oil

I am sitting with savory, delicious flavours that have a hint of sweetness

I am sitting with serene clouds, slowly moving and shifting in a blue sky

I am sitting with the sound of the piano playing classical music

 

                                                                                                                                                                 -C.L.

I am sitting with the loss of blackberry picking with my grandfather

I am sitting with the pungent sweaty smell of a humid day

I am sitting with the bitterness of black coffee

I am sitting with a heavy cloud

I am sitting with the sound of people chewing loudly

I am sitting with silence

 

I am also sitting with a warm sunny day

I am sitting with the smell of freshly cut daisies

I am sitting with the taste of my dad’s fresh-cut oranges

I am sitting with the waves of the ocean

I am sitting with the sound of my mom’s hymns

I am sitting with silence

 

                                                                                                                                                               - A.D.

                                             

I am sitting with a hole in my chest and aching, praying hands

I am sitting with a sourness that could make my eyes tear

I am sitting with the bitter dryness of alcohol stinging the sides of my throat

I am sitting with eyes that prefer the black behind eyelids, to sight

I am sitting with the hum of white noise from a broken television

I am sitting with a dark cloud over my head, ready to pour me into a drenched and heavy silence

 

I am also sitting with a golden sunrise on a brisk and frigid morning

I am sitting with the smell of incense and my mother’s cooking in the kitchen

I am sitting with a trickle of honey on my lips that can only make me hum

I am sitting with hands that hold tightly and eyes that watch fondly

I am sitting with the comforting tunes of prayers and hymns

I am sitting with deep breaths that wash the anxiety out of my body

 

                                                                                                                                                                 -V.T.

                                                                                                                                       

bottom of page