Normal is Overrated

by Alexis Garcia


Normal is waking up, getting dressed and
Going about your day without
A second thought.
Not conjuring up different scenarios about 
What could possibly happen
Some of them minor
Some of them fatal
Normal is making a mistake
Learning from it and accepting 
That things happen.
Not spending hours figuring out
How you could’ve avoided 
Being so stupid and now everyone
Thinks that’s what you are.
Normal is taking what people say
At face value
Not convincing yourself that 
Everyone is lying and there’s
Always a hidden agenda, an ulterior motive.
Normal is a drink or two 
To blow off some steam
Not intentionally mixing alcohol 
And playing Russian roulette with prescription pills 
To set yourself free from your mental imprisonment.
Normal is flat tires, shopping for groceries,
Laughing at a joke from last week, 
Taking a chance on your heart’s desires,
Finally learning how to swim, 
Staying present.
Normal is overrated. 

* * * * *


Alexis Garcia is a queer Hispanic writer from New York, NY. She graduated from Manhattanville College in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Since then, she has had some of her poetry published in a few anthologies: Volume Red and Volume Honey with Beautiful Minds Unite LLC and Upon Arrival: Threshold with Eber & Wein Publishing.