Ragdoll

When I die,

I hope my soul

is ragdolled

by the good Lord

across the earth

of every step,

route, run

I’ve ever taken

and I hope

it writes a word

I don’t want to freak you out, but you’re loved

Flipping through the old beige address

book, your Oakland apartment stared at

me on the last page for the ‘S’ names.

The other night all your old friends

shared how much they miss you, wizard

staffs in hand. I miss you too.

We can only speculate where you’re living now,

I hope you’re not dazing like we think

you are. I hope you feel a new freedom

in this unforgiving world ever since the

beautiful twists of your brain drowned

in the psychosis we watched happen.

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Laila Freeman is a writer from Southern California who received her MFA from Chapman University. Her poetry has been featured in Samfiftyfour Magazine, OyeDrum Magazine, Dissident Voice, and more. Freeman’s poem, “Genesis,” was among the winners of Vellichor Literary Magazine’s June 2025 poetry contest. Keep up with her latest writing endeavors on LinkedIn and Instagram @lailafreemann.