Yes, math is important.
No, I’m not denying that.
Yet, you, my teacher,
My instructor, guide, mentor
Do not need to act this way.
You say that if I can’t do this math,
I will never be successful in any career.
You said that if I can’t understand
Something as “simple” as this,
I will never make it in the real world.
Don’t deny that you said those words,
Because the whole class heard you.
What about my English, my writing,
The things I will never, in a million years,
Work with math for?
Are you telling me I’m going to fail in that?
It’s just an B- in your class, it’s not
The end of the world.
Maybe I don’t learn the way you’re teaching,
Maybe I need to do things differently,
Maybe I’m struggling with things at home.
Maybe I could say that your math is as
Pointless as you say my writing is.

I don’t think some of you know
How much you mean to me.
Every time the bell rings, and
I see you coming out of your class,
Reliable, every day,
Calming me and reassuring me that
No matter what is happening,
The world is still moving.
Every time you smile at me in class,
Even though we don’t really talk,
It brightens my day and
Makes me realize that maybe
Mankind isn’t so bad after all.
Every time we share a laugh,
A football game, a tough test,
A change in the school,
I grow closer to each and every one of you,
Even though you don’t realize it.
But when that final bell rings,
Will you be there?
Will you be with me past final exams,
Graduation,
After the final bell?
Because you will know who your real friends are
When the final bell rings.

The whispers
                 behind his back
                                killed him.

There are scars on my
Body that I will never
Know where they came from.

There are tearstains on
My pillow I don’t even
Notice anymore.

I’m told I need help
But I don’t even realize
That I am broken.

If I got seriously injured during
A soccer game and
Started crying,
It would not be because of the
Pain of the injury.
It would be because I was worried
I couldn't keep playing.

Please always wear your hair like that,
The blonde waves just above your shoulders.
Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s ugly,
Or that you should do it a different way.
Please always have your upbeat attitude,
Your willingness to learn,
Your happiness at the little things.
Please always have your childish sense of
Bathroom humor, and please never let the world
Change how you see yourself and others.
This world will harp and pick at you,
Trying to destroy you in any way it can.
But I’m begging you,
Be stronger than the world.
Rise above it, because your innocence, purity, and
Happiness is so precious, so irreplaceable.
So easily tainted.
Just please, please,
Never grow up.

Listen to me.
This is going to sound cliche,
But I think you need to hear it.
We are in high school,
We have our whole lives ahead of us.
Yes, I know you love them,
And knowing that they don't return
Your feelings anymore is heartbreaking.
I understand that.
But please, please,
Don't fall into the trap of
Thinking less of yourself because of this.
You are a beautiful, talented human
Without a partner.
Yes, a partner is a great thing to have,
But loving yourself will get you so much further!
You are simply YOU.
Nobody should be able to give that to you,
Nor take it away.
If they don't understand and appreciate you,
There will be somebody who does.
Just because this one doesn't work out,
Doesn't mean you have to
Give up on love.
I'm not saying go out and date right away,
But take your time,
Live your life,
Do the things you love to do,
Find yourself.
Once you find out who you are,
Nobody can touch that.
You will be unstoppable.
You are a determined and talented person,
And you are going places in life.
Yes, breakups are really tough.
But you are tougher.

2,000 poems I've liked on this website,
2,000 poems that touched my heart,
2,000 poems that have made me smile, laugh,
Cry, and most importantly, feel.
2,000 poems that I've liked on this website-
Scratch that- community.
Whether you realize it or not,
Your poems really have changed my life.
Every time I log in, I am amazed at the
Diversity of the people who have found and
Created this amazing community.
Despite the glitches and the haters,
There is a large number who help,
Encourage, mentor, and support.
I know you all have lives outside of this community,
But I wanted to thank you all for the time you put into this.
It's become a large part of my life,
And reading your poems has caused me to examine myself
And learn things I didn't know before.
So, I thank you.
I'm sure I'll have another 2,000 poems
Liked before you know it.

People frequently ask me,
“Please write this for me?”
“Can you make a character based off of me?”
“Can I be in your story?”
“Will you write a poem for me?”
And every time I get a question like that
I just want to scream,
I want to shout in their ears to
Make sure they understand that
I only write things I’m passionate about.
If it’s not a topic or a character that I am
Willing to put my entire heart and soul into,
I’m not doing it.
Please understand that this art for me is
A release, not necessarily a hobby.
I can’t take requests.
And I can’t control this passion.

Yes, maybe sometimes I speak in clichés,
Or maybe metaphors some of my days.
Maybe you don't understand my rhymes,
Or can't keep up with the dictionary's changing times.
Even if you don't understand this art,
Know that I'm a poet who speaks from the heart.

Some think that a well thought out compliment
Is the best gift to give me.
What they don't know is that it stifles me,
Buries me under yet another layer of self doubt,
Wondering yet again, “What if I fail them?”
What if I'm just a fake, a fraud?
What if suddenly I wasn't so amazing, so perfect?
I love to be treasured,
But what happens when everyone
Finds out I'm just fool's gold?

We splashed in the pool
Together, the kiddy one
That is now too small.

She huddled in the
Car with me when I was scared
Of the thunderstorm.

She helped me sneak through
Her house at midnight and showed
Me her ice cream stash.

Sneaking grins across
The church on Sunday morning;
Well, we still do that.

She helped show me that
The world doesn't have to be
All work and no play.

Her liveliness and
Generosity show me
True, pure happiness.

I know we're growing
Up, but I hope she will al-
ways be my best friend.

The first measures of your favorite song coming on the radio
The lurch your stomach gives when you go too high on a swing
Dancing in the rain, and splashing in the puddles
The relief in flopping yourself down on your bed after a hard day
Happy dreams
The moment you realize there is one more cookie in the box
Your favorite outfit
Hugs from loved ones
Discovering beautiful shells on the beach
Waking up and realizing you still have a couple hours to sleep
The joy of saying, “I love you”
The joy of hearing it back
Lazy Sunday afternoons
Happy birthday wishes
Deep, meaningful conversations with friends
Little children running in the sun, enjoying life
Helping a classmate with homework
Reconnecting with old friends
The awe you feel watching a sunset
Raindrop races on windows
That grin you give your friend across the room when the teacher says, “pick a partner”
Hot showers after a good game
Stuffed animals that don't mind being squeezed and cried on
The tears and hugs of making up
Realizing the moment you fall in love
The congregation passionately singing your favorite hymn
Spreading God's Word
Puppies and kittens
That text from the right person at the right time
Surprising your friends with little gifts
The smell of new books
The smell of old books
Capturing that perfect picture
Your unknown potential
God's love

Life is like tubing.
If you don't make an effort to hold on,
To stay on track,
You won't.
If the person closest to you shoves you,
You might slide off,
Or you could simply hang on and try harder.
If the people with you help you and
Tell you where to hold on and when to lean,
You might make it.
But even if you fall off, the driver of the boat of your life,
God, will always come around and pick you up,
Make sure you're okay,
And send you on your way again.
Life is like tubing.
Hang on and
Never lose faith in your driver.

The teenage boy struggling to fall asleep said,
“What am I if I'm not the skinniest guy?  
What am I if I don't have enough abs?
What if I'm not the stereotypical strong man?
Can I still be somebody?
Can I be somebody if I don't have many special talents?
Or if my special talents are what some would call weird?
If I don't make the pros, am I still good enough?
If I don't go to college, is that okay?
If I lose my friends or my family, will I still know who I am?
Will I still be me?”
At this point God stepped in and said,
“Of course you will still be you.  
I created you, I made you, and even if
You don't know who you are, I do.  
You are my special child,
And I knew everything about you from the very beginning.  
So don't worry.  I love you.”
And so the boy let his head fall,
And his eyes close,
And surrendered his everything, his all
To the one who knows.

I am trying to
Smile even though my heart
Still sobs over you.

He gently traced her scars,
Kissed them gently,
Helped them heal.
She calmed his troubled breathing,
Rubbed his back,
Hugged him tightly.
They were there for each other,
When the world and
Their own minds attacked them,
When no one else came to their aid.
That's love.

It’s bad when I run
Out of titles for all my
Sad poems about you.

Do roses know that they can be beautiful,
But harmful?
Do they have the power to
Stop themselves from luring someone in
And then hurting them?
No, they don't.
But humans do.

Sometimes I wish I could cry forever,
Because once is never enough for all
Of my emotions, all my bitter, selfish emotions.
I want to feel the waterfall on my face, struggle to breathe,
Disgust myself as the tears pool up on my neck.
I want to curl up in a protective ball, shut out the world,
And just let go.
Sometimes I wish I could cry
F
     o
           r
                e
                      v
                           e
                                 r
                                       .
                                            .
                                                 .

As I took a walk outside,
I noticed something that caught my eye.
Twisted in the grass, ingrained with dirt,
What I saw made my heart hurt.

Monarch's wings I had found,
Which gave me feelings so profound.
An intense sadness, helplessness, fear,
Overcame me as I beheld these artifacts dear.

In death or life, they must have been torn,
These beautiful wings that the creature bore.
I picked them up and held them close,
These wings that symbolized what I feared the most-

Losing myself, my biggest part,
The part of my soul that is dearest to my heart.
And what for my memories, good and bad?
What if I couldn't remember anything; wouldn't that be sad?

The monarch's wings sit still on my dresser,
A reminder of my constant stressor,
Yet also comforting me just the same,
As I pass through each day, feeling slightly more brave.

When you hurt, a part
Of me experiences
A share of your pain.

That boy who you see in class everyday,
Yeah, the one with the long hair that covers his eyes
And the dark, ratty sweatshirt?
Do you know what he goes through on a daily basis?
His mom is a crack addict, his dad is in jail,
And he's the youngest of seven siblings.
The only real food he ever gets is
The “terrible” school lunch, which to him
Tastes like heaven.
The only real exercise he gets is from
Running away from his mom when she's high,
And the only real alone time he ever gets is
When his mom locks him in the
Bathroom for days at a time.
So don't get mad at him for
Missing your group's presentation day,
Or for always asking you for your food at lunch.
Get mad at the people who make
His life at school as bad as home,
The people who talk loudly about his horrible hygiene,
Who laugh when he doesn't understand a math problem,
Who visibly flinch whenever he walks by just for the fun of it.
Get mad at them.
And then get mad at yourself.
Be upset with yourself for having the power
To help this kid and kids like him, and ignoring it.  
Be upset with yourself for talking
About him behind his back,
Refusing to share your food at lunch with him,
And for avoiding him in class.
Be upset with yourself.
And then do something with this anger,
This passion you have built up.
Share his story, help someone like him,
At least vow to never, ever, let something
Like this happen to your child.
I wrote this poem.
What will you do?

We are the stars;
We are shining and twinkling,
Providing light for each other in our darkest times.
We are the stars;
Even though we may seem far apart,
We are always close in our hearts.
We are the stars;
We are beautiful and lovely,
Appearing perfectly tranquil,
Yet in reality, explosive.

Why do I feel like I’m always running,
Always chasing after you?
I’m trying to hand you the baton
On the track, and you sprint ahead of me,
Leaving me in the dust.
For once, could you try to contact me?
For once, could you think of me first?
Or will you just keep on running?

When I said, “please give
Me some space,” I didn't mean
That we would be through.

When I said, ‘please don't
Worry about me,’ I did
Not mean, “don't be here”.

When I said, “I love
You, but I'm such a mess,” I
Just wanted comfort.

When I said, “don't leave,”
I actually meant it,
So please- stay with me.

Please tell everyone your name, grade,
And what instrument you play.
We’re just going to go over some basics.
You can have a break in ten minutes.
Band, ten, HUT!
HUT!
Come to set!
Attention!
I said come to set!
Heels together, toes apart.
Check your posture!
Guide to your left!
No, your other left!
Your steps are too big.
No, now your steps are too small.
You have to stay at set for three minutes;
If anyone moves, we start again.
Restart the time!
Restart again!
Get your feet in time, freshmen!
Section leaders, I need to see you.  Now.
Your water break is still ten minutes away.
Drum majors, go get more batteries for the met.
First competition guys, good luck!
I don’t care if it’s late, we need to learn the drill.
Someone go run and turn on the field lights!
You’ll thank me later.
First football game, good luck!
Drumline, did I say you could put your instruments down?
Trumpets, get your horns up!  To the press box!
You’ll get it, don’t give up!
Last competition guys, congrats!
Give it your all and don’t look back!
Guard, don’t **** anybody with your flags.
GUARD!
Last football game, congrats!
Somebody please let the bass drums through!
Everybody give me your plumes!
Do NOT set your uniform on the ground!
I expect all of you back next year.
Thank you for giving me your best.
I apologize for when I was at my worst.
I love you guys.

He seemed to be the perfect guy,
Handsome, popular, athletic, and smart,
With his only flaw being his overprotective nature.
She seemed to be the perfect girl,
Beautiful, popular, kind, and loving,
With her only flaw being that she's too generous.
They seemed to be the perfect couple,
Buying little gifts for each other for no reason,
Sending cute messages every morning,
Always there when the other needed them.
It seemed to be the perfect break-up;
They said they still loved each other,
But thought they would be better
For each other down the road.
They said they would wait.
He seemed to be okay with it,
But at night he would cry into his pillow,
Thinking of nothing else but her,
Needing her by his side.
She seemed to be okay with it,
But some part of her believed it was her fault,
And when the razor came out,
She definitely was not okay with it.
They seemed to have gotten over it, and were now
Just “best friends”, but in reality, every day
They drifted further and further apart,
Until the person they claimed they were
So in love with was a complete stranger.
He seemed to be getting better;
He no longer stayed up at night crying, instead,
He had found other girls to
Take her place by his side.
She seemed to be getting better;
The bright flashing makeup was there
To help hide the fact that she still wore long sleeves.
Everything seemed to be okay,
They seemed to be okay.
But everything is not as it seems.

Do I remember too much about
The strangers I meet?
There was the skinny seven year old at the
Park in Detroit, who I learned liked autumn
And colorful leaves, pumpkins and Halloween,
Scarecrows and working in the garden.
There was the Japanese lady at the
Hotel breakfast in DC, calmly eating a donut,
Staring off into space, gracefully lost in her own
Thoughts and feelings.
There was the happy man at the
Veteran’s home, who talked gratefully to me
About his experiences, desperate to
Share his story.
There was the single mother on
The park bench, allowing me, a total stranger,
To watch her children while she took
A much needed nap.
There was the black man at the
Movie theater, who offered me his
Extra bag of popcorn and made sure I knew
When the jump scares were.
Do I remember too much about
The strangers I meet?
I don’t think so.
Appreciate humanity,
Because you never know when it might be gone.
Each one of these people were beautiful,
In their own way, and they weren’t even
Trying to be.
They were just living their lives,
And I was fortunate enough to be a part of them
For a short time.
You know why they were beautiful?
Because they just were.

I started with my dress,
The white one with the black flowery design.
I added my black scarf, draping it
Casually around my head,
Trying to stop my thoughts from drifting
To what I was dressing up for.
I slipped on my sandals and then
Slipped out the door,
Not slamming it because that felt like
An ending.
I didn’t want another ending.
Walking into the church,
The temperature went up 50 degrees,
And my anxiety went up 100.
I shook hands with the extended family,
Hugged your widow,
And comforted your grandchildren.
I made it through the opening liturgy,
Your favorite hymn, and the obituary.
I even stopped my tears from falling
During your granddaughter’s touching eulogy,
When she started sobbing up there on the altar.
Afterwards, I sat through the meal,
Everything tasting like cardboard in
My mouth as the temperature kept increasing.
Near the end of the night,
When the church was clearing out,
I went back to the food,
Craving a final bite of cheesy potato casserole
Before I could finally leave this night behind.
Yet when I get there,
The tray is cleaned out,
And there is no more cheesy potato casserole.
That’s when I finally break down and sob.
I didn’t get that last bite of
Cheesy potato casserole.

“Why didn't you tell me you were hurting?”
She asked, with tears in her eyes.
“I didn't want to burden you,”
He answered quietly,
His eyes boring a hole in the ground.
What he really wanted to say was,
“I wanted to see how long it took you to notice.”

She was allergic
To pollen, but she jumped in
Flowers anyways.

She was terrified
Of thunderstorms, yet she was
A storm of her own.

She said she didn't
Know how to love, yet she loved
Him to perfection.

I wish I didn’t
Have to wonder about your
Commitment to me.

Hello, my name is Invisible,
Unseen,
Camouflaged,
Disguised
So well that nobody can see me,
And so completely that
Nobody cares to look.

Whenever you say
Goodbye, I tear up and wait
For your next reply.

When I say, “I love you”,
I'm saying that you are beautiful, and
That no matter what you think, if you just got
Drenched in the rain or just woke up, that
You will always be the most beautiful human to me.
When I say “I love you”,
I'm saying that I want to stay with you for the rest of my life,
Grow old and gray with you,
And never, ever leave you.
When I say, “I love you”,
I'm saying that you're my most favorite person in the world,
That I want to care for you with everything I have,
And that you are first and I am second.
When I say, “I love you,”
I mean it.
Do you?

I think of you whenever
I pass a donut shop.
I see you making coffee
And hovering over the dozen,
Making a game out of picking a donut.
I think of you whenever
I put up Christmas lights.
I see you in front of the church,
Stringing lights on the cross with
The agility of someone half your age.
I think of you whenever
I sit in Bible class.
I see you with your legs
Sprawled out on the pew,
Asking great questions and
Leading thoughtful discussions.
I think of you whenever
I see your grandchildren
Running around in the sun,
Enjoying the life that you gave them.
I think of you whenever
I think of heaven, and I know
That’s where you are, having
Coffee and donuts up in heaven
With your Maker.
Hallelujah!

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And look down,
I see the big old air conditioner compressor,
Rusty after decades of use
In Michigan’s sometimes-90s summers.

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And glance left,
I see the faithful church,
Where I’ve spent almost as much of my life in as this house,
Where I’ve met my best friends.

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And view right,
I see the standard size basketball hoop,
That I’ve dribbled under my whole life,
That has seen countless children attempt at its rim.

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And overlook the church’s parking lot,
I see the large backyard,
Where I’ve kicked innumerable soccer *****,
And dug limitless snow forts.

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And gaze into the past,
I see you and me,
Riding around in that PowerJeep,
And that dent we put in the church.

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And contemplate what’s in the present,
I see the crooked basketball hoop,
The steeple that lost its cross,
And the dead tree we don’t have the heart to tear down.

When I’m looking out my bedroom window,
And focus on the future,
I see a million different scenarios
Playing out in my head,
And I don’t even know which one I want.

All I know is nothing’s
Going to get done now,
My future isn’t going to be decided,
My life isn’t going to make itself,
While I’m just gazing out my bedroom window.

I thank you God, for creating me female, for showing me that Strength doesn't always come from muscle.
I thank you God, for creating me a preacher's daughter, aware From my earliest days about what you have done for me.
I thank you God, for creating my red hair, making me unique Among my friends and peers.
I thank you God, for giving me great friends growing up, allowing Me to see the beauty of friendship from a young age.
I thank you God, for my smarts and intelligence that help me Excel in school, and my ability to help others who are struggling.
I thank you God, for my ability to make new friends easily, and Talk well with kids and adults alike.
I thank you God, for giving me my writing, soccer, and Photography talents, which I can use to praise Your holy name.
I thank you God, for giving me my way with children, and Allowing me love them and help them see you.
I thank you God, for those minutes of solace you give me in the Middle of the night, when I can't sleep and I don't know why.
I thank you God, for allowing me to love; my boyfriend, my Family and friends, animals, the majestic world you have created.
Thank you for the reassurance of your forgiveness, and all the Little things you do for me that I don't even recognize.
This list could go on and on, but you know my heart.
Thank you, God.

The sensation of
Your hand in mine makes me feel
Like it is all right.

Spilled ink.
Old film.
Crumpled paper.
The click of a shutter.
Pens dying.
Wiping lenses.
Flashlights under the covers.
Struggling with a tripod.
Daydreaming.
The Rule of Thirds.
Tattered pages.
Beautiful sunsets.
Coffee shops.
Skittish animals.
3 am.
Cropping.
Always thinking.
The horizon line.
The frantic search for pen and paper.
Frustrated with trying to capture the beauty of the world In a small package.

“I love you, but your laugh is so weird!”
“I love you, but you shouldn’t have
Failed that test.”
“I love you, but you shouldn’t go out in
That ugly dress.”
“I love you, but why is your car so *****?”
“I love you, but please at least try not to snore?”
“I love you, but keep your distance, okay?”
“I love you, but stop getting so
Worked up about things!”
“I love you, but your anxiety is hurting me.”
“I love you, but I don’t think this is
Going to work out.”
This is all my ears hear, but
My heart doesn’t hear it, comprehend it.
I just want you to know,
“I love you, but I’m not sure if I should.”

When kids write their birthday lists,
They want the newest Iphone,
A certain brand of jeans,
Or the best Jordans.
Is this what growing up is,
The moment you realize those
Things don’t matter?
Because if I made a true
Birthday list now, I would want
World peace
An end to world hunger
A way to make college more affordable
Better patience with those I love
A way to deal with my insomnia
A man to hold and cherish for life
And for the world to have more compassion
And destroy all traces of hatred.
I wish I could stop all my worrying;
I wish I could write birthday lists like I used to.

Oh, the million
Fireworks that explode in
My heart when we kiss.

He was the tough guy,
The bad boy, the person
You never, ever crossed.
He was the owner of the old hotrod, the
House you always avoided
Because it was too loud and smelly.
He was the guy who never
Shaved his beard, kept at least
Three motorcycles in his garage, and
Had a different girlfriend every month.
He was the tough guy.
But then his dad took ill,
And suddenly he didn’t care
About his hotrod anymore.
His buddies were forgotten,
His workshop untouched,
As his calloused hands held
His father’s weak and shaky ones.
The graveside service was
A week later, and I remember
Him kneeling over his father’s coffin,
Head bowed in prayer,
Trying to stay calm, but
Tears flew down his cheeks with
An intensity that no one had
Seen before, nor since.
And that’s when I learned that
Tough guys aren’t always tough.

Have enough respect for others to have patience with them,
Not always depending on them for anything and everything.
Have enough respect for yourself to
Go after what you want, not letting it slip out of your grasp.
Find the b   l    n   e  and you will be golden.
                   a   a   c

God, grant her strength to
Get through the day,
To simply keep breathing and
Not let anxiety and fear get the best of her.
You know what is best;
Please keep her safe in
Her hours of trial.
God, grant her courage.

He put all of his
Trust in the Savior, Jesus
Christ, and all was well.