Tell me how you’re doing. Don’t respond with “fine”. Tell me everything you’ve been keeping bottled up show me what’s hiding deep inside. Tell me why your mind wanders when I try to get deep with you or why sometimes you cry when I say that I believe in you. Tell me how you got the scar that runs down your shoulder, the pain on your face, and the strength behind your eyelids. Tell me why you cover your arms in beautiful permanent ink if you don’t like commitment. Tell me how you think we got here. Tell me how the world was made. Tell me how you think it all ends. Tell me why you love rainy days. No, it wouldn’t be so isn’t easy, but it never is when it’s worth it. It’s just I want help with the weight I sense you carry. I wish you would let it all out and trust me....

I LIKE TO SAY YOUR NAME

I like to say
your name

when you're
not here

turn you
into sound

conjure you out of
thin air

so that you appear
before me

dressed in sound
only

memory sketching in
the rest of you

as if sound
was just an outline

and love
colours you in

adding the voice last
so I can hear you say.

"Hello you..!"
and there you are

as present
as present

can be.

I like to say
your name

when you're
not there.

to me,
you are
an art

                              to you,
                              I was
                              a tragedy

strangely,
the feelings of emptiness
are quite heavy.

All I was taught is
Fear and suspicion