Kate Cunningham

A Poem About Trail Mix 


Give yourself more than two tablespoons 
Oh, but I am scared 
Now don’t measure it. 
Okay, but I know what two tablespoons looks like 


Now I eat it by the handfuls. 
Now I CAN eat it by the handfuls because 
It was more than a rule I gave myself 
It was a physical rejection 
A physical incapability 
And repulsion 
Because the anxiety built up greater than any mentality 
Making me dizzy 
Wobbly 
Nauseous 
Don’t subject yourself to the fear 
Do not, under any circumstances, let the sweet salty tangy crunchy mix
Pour uncontrollably into a bowl that you will then place your hands around
Do not 
do it. 
But eventually I did, 
Eventually I forgot what two tablespoons looked like 
And all I knew was that the sweet salty tangy crunchy mix 
didn’t make my head spin and my ribs turn to rubber. 

About the Author: Kate Cunningham is a junior at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts where she is majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in Environmental Studies. She was born and raised in North Carolina and has a love for exploring different artistic mediums, storytelling, and nature. She is also the co-creator of Wack Magazine, an online and print publication aiming to bridge the gap between creators and consumers.