Posted on September 18, 2026 by Jenn Zatopek

THE GIFTS OF EXHAUSTION

I watch exhaustion unspool on this day
like the yarn Kayla the textile artist made
with her own hands and kind heart from–

Indigo leaves, juniper roots, the invasive cochineal,
the starburst yellow flowers of the emerald chamisa,
the thick orange petals of the cosmos flowers. 

It is enough to remember to move to the chair with the
sleeping cat and ask myself–What do I need right now?
My heart knows pushing harder only mimics death, that

sitting quietly helps me love again my life–the house finches
and sparrows feeding on sunflower seeds, the stack of papers,
the clean pile of dishes, the slant of morning light on the desk.

*Dear readers, Kayla Powers is a plant-based textile artist based in Santa Fe, and her work is beautifully compelling, ecologically beneficial, and so restorative. Check out this exhibit I attended here. 

Image / Kayla’s textile art at Mountain Cloud Zen Center, Santa Fe New Mexico