The unforeseen trauma
Of primary intention —
Closed wounds that will never heal,
Pain only the silent feel.

The branches we trim
And the nature we nurture
May change our path,
But never that
Of the sun.

Not all is love —
Some are drawn
To fire
Out of an affinity
With ash.

Infant hopes,
Unrecognized,
Dreaming of the day
They'll be acknowledged,
Whispering sweet nothings
In deaf ears —
We are here,
Do not be afraid
To hold our hand
And take a stand
For what you want.

Wisdom comes with age?
I don't know, it's hard to say.
I've slowed down, but I don't mind —
Just know that
I've stopped playing games
That I can't play in my own time
Without falling behind.

Comply —
What I believe,
You should too,
And I'll harass
Anyone
Who does not think
The way I do.

I am
Still reeling,
Thoughts stuttering,
Shards of trust littering
My every waking moment,
But I think I can tell that we —
Not yet, but eventually —
Will reach a place
That might feel
Somewhat
Okay.

Words yanked back,
Swallowed
Mid-pronunciation,
Bitch-slapped by reason —
You'd never hear the end of this.

I wish I could go
Abracadabra
And make it all okay —
I wish, I wish,
But the world's no longer
Wired that way.

My heart, a map,
Heartache carved
In grueling detail —
Here be dragons,
Here be death,
But where could be
My place?

You took a broken dream
And made it shine —
Shards radiant,
Reflecting, refracting
A beautiful inner light.
Congratulations.
You found the meaning of life.

An ancient lie,
Unquestioned,
Paraded in plain sight —
We
Don't need
To be led.

Days blending with the gray,
Enthusiasm waning —
Waving trees can't compensate
My chronic lack of sun,
Nor for the cold September rain.

Homecomings and sweet goodbyes,
In absence we become ourselves —
Welcome back, you have changed.
But then again, so have I.

Long for warmth,
Reach for cold —
Gilded dreams
Until we're old.

Ikea sentiments,
Assembled with prepackaged
Nuts and bolts —
Take a stock opinion
That still feels like it's
Your own.

Hearts tread on
Like a shell path —
Crunch on,
Sensitivity be damned.
Where there is a selfish will,
There is always a way.

Primal fears
And existential love,
The flame
And the powderkeg —
Hold me close
And light our world.

Pull a thread
And watch it
Fall apart.

Impatient
In absence,
In anticipation —
Involuntary knots
At the bottom of
The emptiness within.