How to Bake a Pie for the Holidays

first, in these smug times,
you must have on hand
some whiskey, a cardigan, 
and a mild, undiagnosed, seasonal mental issue.

add in dark chocolate
for after late night writing sessions,
when you are watching Netflix
and feeling alone.

on mornings,
when your head feels 
like a hurricane,
drink some peppermint tea.

eat an egg or bagel
on a sad, sloping balcony,
stretch and tell yourself
that this will be a productive winter day.

in the afternoons,
search for inspiration
under the bed, in beer,
and then hit the words hard.

when your fingers
start to hurt,
think about dinner,
but then eat a slice of pizza and keep going.