Possibilities
‍by kristiCopez | arukahArt

‍

how do i imagine what's possible
when all
i see are traps
and prisons of feeling

held
down by the wrists
until no
blood reaches my hands
and a low
rumbling wail
begins to rise
up and out of my throat

that

i don't even recognize
until
my jailor jumps
back
with wide
eyes wondering
where this lion appeared from

this wailing

opening the path
of the idea
of things
possibly being different

cleansing
all
that was packed down

until

there was
no more
room and
a promise
a glimmer of
what was
before

finally

there are
no more limits

there is no more unrequited
potential

there are
now
only possibilities

‍

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Kristi Copez is a service‑connected U.S. Navy veteran (1978–1981) whose writing explores the quiet intersections of memory, faith, and creative resilience. She is a ceramist, poet, and emerging theologian based in Cleveland, Ohio, where she is forming Arukah Art, a nonprofit arts and jazz ministry rooted in cultivating sacred space centered on creativity, community, and spiritual grounding. Her work seeks to honor the lived experiences of those who navigate life at the margins. Through poetry & essays, she offers her work as an exploration of themes of healing, belonging, and the inner landscapes women veterans carry.