i wish i had

known what

made you

leave me

behind in

this cold

cold cold

cold world

bad news

bad, bad, news

ready to strip me

of pride;

this innocence and purity

licking your lips in

anticipation of

trouble

you stood there, at

that corner of lost & broken

waiting for me to

bare my soul 

funny thing is

you're not the first

you won't be the last

each time it happens

i swear it won't again

but it does

heart leaving body,

being ripped from its throne in my chest

reduced to dust and debris in the

chaos

destruction

that comes with the touch of your hands

reminisce

such a beautiful word

but when i bring it to fruition

nothing but pain come to mind

hello

i'm talking to myself again.

sometimes, i'll sit here

wish that you were here

and talk to you in my head

and you used to accept me for all of me

not just parts

you'd keep me level

you'd make me laugh

you'd cheer me up

but now i'm

sad

heard some flowers only bloom when they’re afraid.

like how you only listen to our hearts when they start to break

i know you only love us when we’re in pain

you wanna laugh and rap with us

talk guns and macs with us

sing about the hunger and the trap with us

But then we go to the funerals alone

my people

toiled and groaned and ached and broke

my people

wanted to taste freedom, instead

the sweat that rolled down their foreheads, and into their eyes, down the bridge of their noses and onto their tongues

my people

fought and failed, weak but mighty

generations upon generations upon generations of excellence

here we are

on soil watered by the perspiration of our people

victory is still not yet ours

slowly but surely,

the music pulls you into a place,

where you are wrapped in a loving embrace

anger is forgotten

mercy is remembered at the altar,

the intersection of love and grace

but the response, those of you:

you who thirst for more

more than acceptance

more than empty relationships

those of you

you'll be touched by a moment where,

peace comes, and all else falls away.

reconciled.

for those who thirst believe

and those who believe, thirst. 

1. do what makes you smile so you can keep smiling.

2. sunscreen babygirl, sunscreen.

3. liars exist; learn to co-exist.

4. the bad is never that bad. good can always get better, & greatness is within.

5. if it’s not sitting well with you, sleep on it.

6. time is very valuable because time is very limited.

7. being you is always an amazing idea.

8. never let your heart tell your mind what to do because chances are, your heart never thought it through.

9. if they’re trying to tell you what to wear, they’re trying to tell you who you are.

10. there’s literally only one you in this world. lucky, lucky world.

you're a writer, aren't you? 

he taunts me, watching with a glint

in his eye

waiting for my response

but there isn't one. 

i've learned to watch and listen, 

rather than open my mouth

and let these beautiful words fall out of me.