Your worth
Is what you can give
Is what you can lose
Is what you can sacrifice

You can be
The most
Talented
Beautiful
Gifted
Caring
Understanding
Person in the world

But if others can't
Exploit you
Use you
Burn you

You are nothing

This is the bitter truth
I face every day

Do we write
To make others think
Original thoughts
Poured into
Poems
Creativity
Poured into words
Do we write
To create something new

Or do we write to grab attention
Appeal to what's already built
Follow the same rutted paths
For the sake of
Attention
A fierce human need
A beast that can corrupt
For the sake of food
And can destroy creativity
Just to follow another's path
Just to be known
To be seen

Or do we write for
Both
Blending our own ideas
With those of others
Hoping to be heard

And what makes popularity?
What is it that grabs our attention
And pulls us in
And makes us lose ourselves
For the sake of being known?

This year
I'm trying to be kinder to myself

There's not much more
To say

Parents
Front seat
Complaining
They think I can't hear them
But I can
"Too expensive"
"Didn't want"
"Technology addiction"

Siblings
In the back
With the
New tech
Sometimes fighting
Grateful
But are they
Addicted?

Me
In the middle

Is it good
Is it bad
How far to go
Who to side with

Sitting in the crossfire
Between X and Z
Borderline Millennial
Without an army

Family members crowd around
I try to dodge the questions
How is school
How is dance
How is the harp
I don't want to talk
I just grab some food
And run away
From the noise
The questions
The lack of space
Or I would
But my mom won't let me

Even the King of the World
The Lord of Lords
The one who we celebrate
This time of year
Came as a baby
In a stable
ALONE
In the middle of
Nowhere, Israel
(Okay, Bethlehem
But still)

Can't I just catch a break?

No?

Oh well.

At least there are cookies.

My dreams
Are becoming reality
The lines are blurring
The dreams are seeping in
Filling me
With joy

I dance on that line
Between dreams and reality
Where magic happens
Where I fly in
Love

My love has grown
My dreams are strong
I feared they would break
But they aren't
They are alive
They are strong

My joy is unbreakable
For love bears the purest joy
And my love
Is growing