It takes a village to raise a child.
Conversely, it takes a village
To destroy a child.
And that child
Whom the village
Does not embrace
Will burn it down
To feel its warmth

I FEEL LIKE I AM DROWNING
IN THE DISGUSTING, ****** MUSH OF MY BRAIN
HELP
HELP
HELP
I'M SCREAMING
but people laugh it off like it's a funny joke
i laugh too
because life is a joke

MY BRAIN IS BLENDED
MY LIMBS ARE DISMEMBERED
MY TORSO IS IS GUTTED
AND I'M LAUGHING

I learned
to plant the seeds
of happiness.
There are flowers
blooming
where the scars
used to be.

R.M.

My grandpa
             Words he gave
                            To me once upon a full moon
“Son” he said
            “When you go into this life”
“Remember, that love is a language “
             “So find, my son, find someone”
                     “Who speaks your language “
      “So you don’t have to translate your soul”
                                   Hmmm.

What is the difference between—
A double-edged sword;
A loaded riffle and;
A sharp tongue?