He smelled of soap, leather, cigarettes and heartbreak

The system Broke you
Without a scratch
Or a scar to show for it
You were vivacious creature full of the joys of life
But you just got quieter
that’s what they wanted
Isn’t it?
that system made you submit
It forced you to conform
It twisted your mind and contorted your soul
Into its little box
its perfect padded cells with cast iron locks
Say what you feel
But only it’s it’s correct
Speak your truth
As long as it’s what the memo says
They tell you they’ll give you an education
But it’s never what you’d expect
They take your soul
didn’t you read the small text?

Eight months ago a roll of expired film turned my whole world purple and I began speaking in rays of light instead of words.
And there I sat in amongst the thorny thistle mats of violet and green and silver-grey clouds
And I wondered how in this world of endless colour anyone could feel so overwhelmingly blue

But sometimes the blue absorbs you
Or you just seem to see the blue in all the other colours too
And it seeps into your purple world
And it seeps into your dreams and clings to your skin and seeps and clings and seeps

But blue has its place
Blue is beautiful, interesting, and full of soul and wonder
We have blue days just like we have purple days and orange days and gold

Sometimes we find someone or something that makes our blue days feel like spring
And together you sit back and admire the beauty in the blue

Or sometimes, most times, that person is you because at the end of the day you know your blue better than anyone else

So cut yourself some slack and love your blue

It’s just trying it’s best to be a colour and you’re just trying your best to be

Tend to me
Like a thirsty garden once forgotten
Sing to me
Like a crying infant, pure and innocent
Hug me
Like an old friend years after
Look at me
Like an abstract painting, more complex with each glance
Touch me
Like the the cold steel strings of your guitar
Love me
Like you did before