Mostly Up

If I could take my notebook 
Anywhere—

The edge of a cliff in Rhode Island
With the water hitting 

The rocks
Splashing me

The cool air holding my face 
Still,

A small, homemade diner
Off a dirt road 

With no cars,
A trolley in June

With someone holding my hand,
My thigh,

An empty basketball court
With one blinking light,

A winery after a 40-mile bike ride
Up and down hills

Mostly up
With my legs about to smoke—

I’d only take it back to yesterday
When you said my name

And we knew 
It meant something

By the way we both listened to it
And paused

© 2026 Casey Murphy. All rights reserved.

If this resonated, feel free to share, comment, or subscribe.

I also offer thoughtful written feedback and creative guidance through my Creative Development Space for writers who want to grow. You can learn more here:

Thank you for reading.