luminescence - Hello Poetry

No quiero vivir donde My people aren’t elated Pentru să vin acasă. I am greeted with tears in their eyes Își iau avânt să mă întâlnesc căt mai rapid Estoy envuelto en los abrazos más grandes. They insist to hold my bags for me, Una mano en mi espalda y la otra en mi equipaje Mă ghidează la parcare. Niciodată întreb pentru o călătorie Una experiencia impagable por el amor que me rodea. I always get a pang of emotions even for others experiencing the same with their family. Never enough time Niciodată destul timp Nunca suficiente tiempo.

0

Jul 14, 2024

Jul 14, 2024 at 5:58 AM UTC

Home Coming

No quiero vivir donde My people aren’t elated Pentru să vin acasă. I am greeted with tears in their eyes Își iau avânt să mă întâlnesc căt mai rapid Estoy envuelto en los abrazos más grandes. They insist to hold my bags for me, Una mano en mi espalda y la otra en mi equipaje Mă ghidează la parcare. Niciodată întreb pentru o călătorie Una experiencia impagable por el amor que me rodea. I always get a pang of emotions even for others experiencing the same with their family. Never enough time Niciodată destul timp Nunca suficiente tiempo.

15

perfume samples at the airport lukewarm bite-size samples at Costco the first chapter of an ebook. a whiff, a taste, a peek. do you want more? will you commit to buying the full product? or will you keep searching? chasing? craving? it seems to be inexplicably conditional - for some, you’ll stop dead in your tracks, knowing to stock up. for many, you’ll move on, forgetting you ever halted to try it. but maybe you’ll remember how it felt, deep-down it resonated with you, and it’ll affect your other future decisions. what makes us fall in love? what makes us tether, souls tied, minds aligned, keep choosing to fall with each other?

0

Jul 14, 2024

Jul 14, 2024 at 5:41 AM UTC

Hinge

perfume samples at the airport lukewarm bite-size samples at Costco the first chapter of an ebook. a whiff, a taste, a peek. do you want more? will you commit to buying the full product? or will you keep searching? chasing? craving? it seems to be inexplicably conditional - for some, you’ll stop dead in your tracks, knowing to stock up. for many, you’ll move on, forgetting you ever halted to try it. but maybe you’ll remember how it felt, deep-down it resonated with you, and it’ll affect your other future decisions. what makes us fall in love? what makes us tether, souls tied, minds aligned, keep choosing to fall with each other?

21

On my last day of solo travel I made the split decision to take stairs down A random, haphazard side street. I sat down at a cocktail bar All by myself. The only patron in this basement. I was greeted with a smile Missing one tooth In the dark room Asked what liquors I preferred There is no menu I listed off what I had tried and what I wanted to She would sip a bit of the drink Pipette on my outstretched hand So I could give my input As we constructed the flavors together Laughing, eagerly offering and accepting my suggestions of what the drink needed Childlike wonder, curiosity, and play. We experimented with absinthe And amaretto, cherry, lavender, banana, sake, gin pickled ***** coconut *** and umami bitters She made me my first tiramisu martini. A total of 5 cocktails in 5 hours spent together. Lightly I asked her why she moved to Prague - Darkly She said the single word “war” She had to leave Kyiv or risk dying there. She said she is so broke that she buys cheaper shoes that don’t fit and pads them with paper towels but still gets blisters. She lives in a one bedroom with her mother. Men started groping her on the train as early as nine. She sincerely wishes her uncle would die. She has made no friends in this city since she moved a year ago. She has gotten fired before for being unlikeable and standing up for herself. She painted the cocktail bar walls sage green after hours for free because the manager could not afford hiring a painter and she genuinely likes this job. She is a polyglot: knows French, German, Ukrainian, Russian and English. She’s vegan but she tries the fish-based bitters and egg whites for work every night and likes their taste. She has not been to a doctor in years because she cannot afford it. She has overdue medical bills racking up interest she worries about. She got fined once for having an expired train ticket - now she always checks the expiration when she rides and has a valid ticket. She points out, in her embroidered dress and matching embroidered jacket, that there’s cigarette holes from the ash the wind blew that she doesn’t have time to mend. She has a college degree and a virtual master’s degree. She thinks she’s old at 31. She doesn’t trust men anymore. She thinks that she’ll never get married or have children, even though she really wanted to when she was a little girl. She was eager to smoke a cigarette outside when I needed to use the restroom. She never let my water glass get empty. She doesn’t know how she’ll make ends meet next month. She asserts that life is unfair but that these are the cards she’s been dealt and they’ve made her stronger. She thanked me as I left and told me that the conversation we had made her evening better It was the most freeing feeling she had felt in months. Being able to share and lighten the load of what she has been carrying alone made her emotional. She says typically tourists and locals won’t ask or listen. She feels othered by both. We agree with tears in our eyes that we don’t even know each other’s names: Margarita Maria We laugh, our names are so similar.

0

Jul 2, 2024

Jul 2, 2024 at 12:22 AM UTC

Margarita

On my last day of solo travel I made the split decision to take stairs down A random, haphazard side street. I sat down at a cocktail bar All by myself. The only patron in this basement. I was greeted with a smile Missing one tooth In the dark room Asked what liquors I preferred There is no menu I listed off what I had tried and what I wanted to She would sip a bit of the drink Pipette on my outstretched hand So I could give my input As we constructed the flavors together Laughing, eagerly offering and accepting my suggestions of what the drink needed Childlike wonder, curiosity, and play. We experimented with absinthe And amaretto, cherry, lavender, banana, sake, gin pickled ***** coconut *** and umami bitters She made me my first tiramisu martini. A total of 5 cocktails in 5 hours spent together. Lightly I asked her why she moved to Prague - Darkly She said the single word “war” She had to leave Kyiv or risk dying there. She said she is so broke that she buys cheaper shoes that don’t fit and pads them with paper towels but still gets blisters. She lives in a one bedroom with her mother. Men started groping her on the train as early as nine. She sincerely wishes her uncle would die. She has made no friends in this city since she moved a year ago. She has gotten fired before for being unlikeable and standing up for herself. She painted the cocktail bar walls sage green after hours for free because the manager could not afford hiring a painter and she genuinely likes this job. She is a polyglot: knows French, German, Ukrainian, Russian and English. She’s vegan but she tries the fish-based bitters and egg whites for work every night and likes their taste. She has not been to a doctor in years because she cannot afford it. She has overdue medical bills racking up interest she worries about. She got fined once for having an expired train ticket - now she always checks the expiration when she rides and has a valid ticket. She points out, in her embroidered dress and matching embroidered jacket, that there’s cigarette holes from the ash the wind blew that she doesn’t have time to mend. She has a college degree and a virtual master’s degree. She thinks she’s old at 31. She doesn’t trust men anymore. She thinks that she’ll never get married or have children, even though she really wanted to when she was a little girl. She was eager to smoke a cigarette outside when I needed to use the restroom. She never let my water glass get empty. She doesn’t know how she’ll make ends meet next month. She asserts that life is unfair but that these are the cards she’s been dealt and they’ve made her stronger. She thanked me as I left and told me that the conversation we had made her evening better It was the most freeing feeling she had felt in months. Being able to share and lighten the load of what she has been carrying alone made her emotional. She says typically tourists and locals won’t ask or listen. She feels othered by both. We agree with tears in our eyes that we don’t even know each other’s names: Margarita Maria We laugh, our names are so similar.

59

Sunsets are transitory, They give way to night We fear the dark because hereditarily Our eyes are not adjusted to the absence of light. So we hold our loved ones tighter, The last rays streaking our silhouettes. Whether the backdrop is the ocean, Mountains, countryside, cities or sky, We rush to chase these settings - Watching the sun fall over the horizon is a reminder That everything is fleeting. Everything wilts and decays. We watch the sun set so often, For as long as we can keep our eyes open, Burning our retinas, Because we want to marvel, Attempt to capture all the light before it fades. A testament to bearing witness and losing Rather than never having seen at all.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 10:39 PM UTC

Sunset Devoid of Color

Sunsets are transitory, They give way to night We fear the dark because hereditarily Our eyes are not adjusted to the absence of light. So we hold our loved ones tighter, The last rays streaking our silhouettes. Whether the backdrop is the ocean, Mountains, countryside, cities or sky, We rush to chase these settings - Watching the sun fall over the horizon is a reminder That everything is fleeting. Everything wilts and decays. We watch the sun set so often, For as long as we can keep our eyes open, Burning our retinas, Because we want to marvel, Attempt to capture all the light before it fades. A testament to bearing witness and losing Rather than never having seen at all.

20

You were crystal clear like No clouds in the night sky. Stars twinkling in the distance. Our reflection in the lake. When you told me That you loved me. You were opaque like opal When you told me you Weren't sure anymore. You wanted to take a break Fully aware that we were at risk Of cracking, of shattering - That was worth sacrificing for you. But your conflicting confusing wording Led me to believe there was hope. I should let a caged bird fly away See the world Experience it all Wait for it to come back home, Patiently and faithfully. You kept me in this in-between, I had the naive belief That the sediment would settle If I did, You would too. All the sediment: The broken promises Tears dried on my cheeks Drinks half-drank on the kitchen counter Hours unslept and floors unswept, And words I recorded and reworded In an effort to best remember and reframe you. All this sediment coated my mind and home. I thought it would accumulate to enough carbon To create a diamond under enough pressure If we put our love together when we came back together It would be set in our wedding rings But you never did. You not coming back became crystal clear eventually, And the smoke and mirrors eventually faded. So I blew away the dust Began the cleanse. The search. Instigated and led by me.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 10:02 PM UTC

Clear as Crystal

You were crystal clear like No clouds in the night sky. Stars twinkling in the distance. Our reflection in the lake. When you told me That you loved me. You were opaque like opal When you told me you Weren't sure anymore. You wanted to take a break Fully aware that we were at risk Of cracking, of shattering - That was worth sacrificing for you. But your conflicting confusing wording Led me to believe there was hope. I should let a caged bird fly away See the world Experience it all Wait for it to come back home, Patiently and faithfully. You kept me in this in-between, I had the naive belief That the sediment would settle If I did, You would too. All the sediment: The broken promises Tears dried on my cheeks Drinks half-drank on the kitchen counter Hours unslept and floors unswept, And words I recorded and reworded In an effort to best remember and reframe you. All this sediment coated my mind and home. I thought it would accumulate to enough carbon To create a diamond under enough pressure If we put our love together when we came back together It would be set in our wedding rings But you never did. You not coming back became crystal clear eventually, And the smoke and mirrors eventually faded. So I blew away the dust Began the cleanse. The search. Instigated and led by me.

44

Meeting you felt like a spark Kindling catching fire. The catalyst that started it all. Sparking ember; light flashes Delight and glee at the power of it all. Life starting. As we picked up speed, We lost control We lost ourselves We lost the magic. The twinkle of possibility Turned into fear Of what we could become. The fire was not contained. It kept spreading We did not how to slow it down How to stop it How to control it. Molten lava dripped down Leaving behind a barren mountain. Burnt trees and homes Destruction. You loved me so fiercely that I burned, Now you’ll only be left with ashes. I hope you learned the risks of playing with fire.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 10:00 PM UTC

Spark

Meeting you felt like a spark Kindling catching fire. The catalyst that started it all. Sparking ember; light flashes Delight and glee at the power of it all. Life starting. As we picked up speed, We lost control We lost ourselves We lost the magic. The twinkle of possibility Turned into fear Of what we could become. The fire was not contained. It kept spreading We did not how to slow it down How to stop it How to control it. Molten lava dripped down Leaving behind a barren mountain. Burnt trees and homes Destruction. You loved me so fiercely that I burned, Now you’ll only be left with ashes. I hope you learned the risks of playing with fire.

25

My mind is maddening, Millions of Miles racing. Melancholy, menacing Marginalities. Machine magnifying Minuscule moments. Missing motivation, Mistreating my mental. Micro-managing me. Must moor myself.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 9:55 PM UTC

Mind

My mind is maddening, Millions of Miles racing. Melancholy, menacing Marginalities. Machine magnifying Minuscule moments. Missing motivation, Mistreating my mental. Micro-managing me. Must moor myself.

10

If I Erased all of you, Wiped you from existence, Smudged your kisses from my face, Unwrapped your limbs from my body, Ripped your page from the storybook. A life without you. This unconditional affection, This unwavering acceptance, This unselfish appreciation, This unlike anything else, Is life with you. I would never know true love, I would spend my time searching for it, In everyone I met. I would probably think I found it. But it would be a tormented deja vu, Existing after Life with you.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 9:53 PM UTC

Life Without You

If I Erased all of you, Wiped you from existence, Smudged your kisses from my face, Unwrapped your limbs from my body, Ripped your page from the storybook. A life without you. This unconditional affection, This unwavering acceptance, This unselfish appreciation, This unlike anything else, Is life with you. I would never know true love, I would spend my time searching for it, In everyone I met. I would probably think I found it. But it would be a tormented deja vu, Existing after Life with you.

19

Go alone Go scared Go overwhelmed Just go. Now is the right time. You're thinking about doing it. So go. Do not talk yourself out of it. Recall all the changes you've ever made: Trick question - you cannot - There’s immeasurably many Just know that almost all have been uncomfortable. It’s better to live with the regret of doing Rather than having not. Train yourself to try You cannot circumvent the discomfort You can welcome and embrace the growth.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 9:44 PM UTC

Go

Go alone Go scared Go overwhelmed Just go. Now is the right time. You're thinking about doing it. So go. Do not talk yourself out of it. Recall all the changes you've ever made: Trick question - you cannot - There’s immeasurably many Just know that almost all have been uncomfortable. It’s better to live with the regret of doing Rather than having not. Train yourself to try You cannot circumvent the discomfort You can welcome and embrace the growth.

17

Squirm Twitch Retch Scream Rid yourself of the doubt, Dance your self clean. When the curtain falls, If there is nobody in the audience Applaud yourself.

0

Jul 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024 at 9:31 PM UTC

Recital

Squirm Twitch Retch Scream Rid yourself of the doubt, Dance your self clean. When the curtain falls, If there is nobody in the audience Applaud yourself.

9