Thank you (Nicky)

She asked the standard,  
"what do you do?"  
and as a man who hates waiting;  
to reveal disappointment, I responded  
"crash-and-burn, drink, and anger women"  
she got silent  
 
A friend of a friend,  
she is a remnant  
from a self-banished kingdom.  
Eats well,  
real food  
knows gardens are more than hobbies  
and does yoga  
Alive enough to know that each breath  
comes with victory.  
 
I excuse myself  
to smoke a square  
 
Far from judgemental,  
she digs that I go my own way,  
that I do my own thing.  
She's ok with me mocking my god,
but questions if it's still fun
or just habit  
 
we take a shot of whiskey.  
I take two more.  
I can tell she knows what portion of ginger  
to mix with eye of newt  
to make amends with tomorrows body  
 
she reminds me of temples,  
and how health  
is so much more goddamned healthy  
than its inverse  
 
she hugged me at the end of the night  
as if loving yourself  
is contagious  
 
I flinched for a second;  
being unaccustomed for so long to such notions  
but as she whispered,  
"please stretch a canvas,  
and paint again"  
into my ear
 
I prayed to a remembered me  
with a hug  
 
from a woman  
that simply shared some life