The cold burned through skin,
and entered my heart
as if it belonged there—
as if it still had a key to the house
but hadn’t been home in years.
I forgot what it felt like,
to feel.
I forgot why every morning
I got out of bed and made coffee;
and in that coffee, removed the bitterness
with cream and sugar
like I cared about the taste
and not just the caffeine.
I forgot why I needed it,
until my coat could no longer
protect me from the cold
because it had stolen inside.
We forgot a lot of things…
Didn’t we?
We forgot the “I love you”
at then end of our calls.
The holidays passed,
and we forgot what we were celebrating.
But we never forgot to lock the door,
to make the coffee,
or to wear the coat.
I signed my name under yours,
unable to forget the ice
that turned my arties into icicles.
Yet, you still had the ring I put on your finger,
even though you forgot why you wore it.
Copyright © A. M. Luther | Year Posted 2018
what say ye, comprehendeth thou the earth?
do you in all honesty not think it mud
and a bit of roots if generous be your thought
but for work, you'd throw in some food
what then are we who walketh the surface?
by chance or deliberately are opinions flown
and most times are they tilted out of place
for we oft are oblivious that heart and earth are sewn
for without the earth is the heart needy
and the heart needed for a prosperous earth
for out of the heart's abundance the whole "bloomy"
so that whatever earth is to us is greater than death
in the beginning was ignorance laden
in the end we make a haven of heaven
Copyright © Adewumi Seth | Year Posted 2018
“Passionate Color” by Alex Lindsley
(Inspired by “Floral Masquerade” by Mikali Jones)
Their song.
Our song.
Them, marshmallow and fruity drinks, roaring wind.
Us, dust devils, whiskey, and mildew.
That, lime pie and honeycomb, a warm hand on a shoulder.
This, a cool touch to the back of the hand, stale blueberry pie and bottom-of-the-bag fries.
Can you define happiness?
Because they did.
All the negative space - tiger lillies wrapped around their own petals -
flickering foam flicking flecks of godly golden something
they never felt the need to spread.
But we did.
Over on this side,
we are the matte board.
We are heavier, drowning in our celebration,
while theirs props them up -
on waving-arm tides, orange skin and pink nails, bright yellow hair and purple shorts.
They understand color.
And monochromatic is a name printed on the inside of all of our shirts.
Don’t be so f*cking proud of it.
We cannot hear their song.
Their song we cannot hear and it is a tragedy if ever I have tasted one;
earthy peppers, lemon pips, maple syrup, cigarette ashes.
Screeching violins where at the end all the bows snap.
Snap.
We cannot hear their song.
Copyright © Alexandria Lindsley | Year Posted 2018
i was only a little girl,
hiding from you,
you took away my childhood,
left me dead inside,
you left me alone to work it out by myself confused and lost,
i walked through the tunnel of pain
you left me alone after those longs night and days,
my silent tears never heard,
my pain inside left to burn out,
you tore me apart and ripped me apart and ripped me in pieces and you didn't care,
i fight to repair the damage you did to me ,
but you live a normal life,
like you did nothing wrong,
you will never know how much pain i have to go through everyday,
you didn't have to do your whole sentence which is not right and it is unfair,
it's like you left me with a life sentence,
i wish i was loved like normal kids by their parents,
but sadly i am not,
and i never will be
Copyright © Allison watson | Year Posted 2018
We share kids.
We share responsibilities.
We share a house.
We share a blanket, sheets, and a mattress, but w-e
do not
share a life together.
Copyright © Amy Cor | Year Posted 2018
The faded vibrancy of your smile
Through the exposure we set
Knocks the breath right from my chest
Life through the viewfinder keeps focusing on you
Unsaturated love turning shades of grey
I'm still adjusting to the light
of a life with you nowhere in sight
Copyright © Andrew Travis | Year Posted 2017
Fighting an endless battle,
waiting for it all too end.
Thinking about an easy way out,
wanting to blow my own candle out.
Everyday a new battle,
My mind fights it daily,
Only my mind gave up a long time ago.
No one can lead me out of this darkness,
No one can give me the key,
No one can see i am scared as hell,
Trying to find my own way back to my soul.
One more breath, one more day,
Crying deep beneath is a person you cannot see,
I have a secret underneath,
As i keep walking, i am falling and i start crawling,
Not knowing what to think or say you act as if it is all okay.
Waking up, dont grieve i am gone.
Don't write paragraphs of sadness and loss,
because when i was alone no one was here.
As the days keep going,
I keep falling, and i am crawling.
Copyright © Anna Inspirefromwithin.co.nz | Year Posted 2018
Seating on the rooftop,
I was drawing your eyes .
Imaginary canvas,
Underneath the sky.
Chilly wind & Freeze arms,
Quiver in my bones .
Sky full of shimmering stars ,
Like gemstones.
I've heard your voice,
Whispered in the ear
"it's 1 past midnight,
You may freeze here ".
I replied" My Intrigue will never
Feel your absence”.
Like those moths are
Attracted to the flames.
Copyright © Arif Md | Year Posted 2018
-The devils spilled shadow
Is the sin on earth
Every time we run into shrilled circumstances
It always results in hurt
He once came from Heaven
So he knows what its worth
Still wouldn't give up
Even when the Holy Spirit gave birth
Why is it , if I may
That you choose to be selfish
And watch your victims burn
There is so much more
That you really should cherish
by the way ,
I must say
Its crazy that I sin
Because of a fruit .\, sort of an apple
Please open your eyes Lucifer
For we all must realize soon
Holding in anger
Will only cause you more suffer -
Copyright © ashay brinkley | Year Posted 2018
7/10/2018
I used to think a mother was just somebody who made babies
I used to think if I made one, my child would save me.
They'd tell me once you got a kid, you gotta let go of your dreams
no time for college when you gotta cook, change diapers and clean.
I thought I'd have his baby if I couldn't be his wife
but I was only 19 knowin nothing bout life
Girls my age already had 2 kids and an ACS case
stayed wit their mommas or their baby daddys place
head out to clubs and parties while friends watch the kid
not knowing the male presence that stalked over the crib
too busy on their iPhones to notice their 2 year old fell
the baby's hungry chewing up all the drugs daddy left to sell.
Black and Latina women viciously beatin their children
you can hear it all throughout the project building
The anger of being a single teenage mother on welfare
almost worse than when her man kicked her 7 month pregnant belly down the stairs.
The first vision of mom and pops is in family court
cuz he ain't paying no more child support
either way it's spent on pedicures not pampers
daddy misses every visit buyin himself drinks and private dancers.
I used to think a mother was just somebody who made babies
I just hope my child doesn't ever grow to hate me.
Mommy's drowning with depression, daddy's battling being bipolar
pain was our cursed connection, it got worse once he got sober.
Don't ever doubt we loved each other and you
but when daddy saw red, mommy only saw blue.
I'm sorry I cried so much with you in my womb
sorry if you felt papi throw me across the room.
I worried about you baby so I had to leave
it was bad but not worse than I'd ever been beat.
Vow to never let you go through all the stuff I did
though I want him around...I got more than enough love to give.
Dear unborn baby, I've spent 36 weeks carrying you inside
my love only grows as I feel you ready to arrive.
I used to think a mother was just somebody who had babies
but there's a difference between my "mother" and the "woman who made me."
Copyright © Ashley Domenech | Year Posted 2018
My teric has been stuck without eso
My brid has never been hy
My stential still seems a bit exi
And my fecta still yearns to tri
My vocotive has never been pro
No one knows my cycle is bi
But actively trying for pro
I wrote this and still don't know why
Copyright © BJ BREWER | Year Posted 2017
empty reflection
bitter seasons paint the sky
sunrise a new day
Copyright © Byron Kaya | Year Posted 2018