"Everything All at Once" by Oliver Baez Bendorf

For National Poetry Month, I want to share with you a poem that depicts the way I often view the world...an avalanche of humanity, a cascade of high to low and all in between...it can be overwhelming. It is depicted beautifully in the film "Wings of Desire" (seen here) and in this pure, lovely poem by Oliver Baez Bendorf...

Everything All at Once
By Oliver Baez Bendorf

                                           right now,
someone is having sex and someone
is dying and someone is trying to find
a lid so they can, before bed, put away
the soup and someone is dreaming
of that made meadow and someone
is gazing through a hospital window
to a faraway peak
and someone can’t decide what
to watch so they remain

on the menu screen for company
and someone wants to call but
can’t and someone wants to answer
but won’t and someone is studying
to become a moth scientist and someone
is dizzy and doesn’t know why
and someone is, after work, practicing
the vocal techniques of opera
and someone receives
a phone call saying listen it’s my

neighbor I told you about the singing one can you
hear it and someone
is clutching the heavy still warm hand
of a lover and someone is digging
a hole and someone is waxing
their back and someone
is remembering a poem permitting
bits and pieces to return
and someone
would do almost anything to forget

Oliver Baez Bendorf
Photo: Jennifer Koskinen

https://www.oliverbaezbendorf.com/