Episode Notes

This week’s poem and episode discuss a long, brimming conversation between strangers on a long flight. Near the end of the exchange, someone speaks the phrase, “stay with us,” which, out of context, can be interpreted many ways. In most, it’s an offer of comfort and hospitality, such as, “stay with us when/if you visit, stay at our hotel, or stay the night when there’s is a storm that makes driving dangerous. But in this episode, the poem’s narrator unwinds the words a bit further. As someone struggling with suicidal thoughts, they wonder if the extension of “stay with us” is an offering of safety—what’s requested is not only to stay, but to stay with us.

Here's an excerpt of the poem (the full written & visually formatted versions can now be found & read at mikbrew.substack.com!):

and so I gathered, if anything,

that they’d heard, seen,felt, or breathed, 

something in my voice or speech

or careful anecdotes breaking,which made them repeat:

stay with us

(please don’t leave this world yet)

Listen to this week's episode to hear the full poem! If you’d like to share your moment or memory on the podcast, please head to tinyurl.com/bravingthewaves.