Count Slowly

I like to count

Backwards and forwards.

Forwards for the end.

Backwards for the beginning.

Four, three, two, one.

One, two, three, four.

I don't understand why I do it.

Order, I suppose. Symmetry.

Everything is connected.

Everything fits within numbers.

I was never any good at math.

It's easy for some,

It's hard for others.

But one thing I never forgot how to do was

Count.

Slowly.

One

Two

Three

Four.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Music never stops counting.

Breathe

One

Two

Three

and Four

Breathe

Four

Three

Two and

One.

The words on pages, you never forget how to count those.

One two three four. Four three two one.

One times two times three times four.

Four times three times two times one.

Repetition.

One, one, one, one

Two, two, two, two.

Skip.

One, three,

Four, two.

Single.

One.

Four.

Have you ever tried counting your own breaths?

Or blinks?

Or words you say?

Or thoughts you have?

How would you do it?

Fast, or slow? Loud, or quiet?

I go slow.

Often, that's how I remember

To stay alive.