when I was 18
i was invincible

i didn’t care about people
so didn't fault them for not
caring about me

i turned 22
my invincibility strengthened
through the connections and admiration
i received

then i met you

and i exchanged my invincibility for vulnerability

do we see each other as friends, lovers
or something more?

it doesn't matter
as the Leap Year came and set the precedent
for a violent new year

it seems i’m not invincible any more.

The early summer breeze gusts past my skin
A smile rises on my lips
I gaze upon you
The warm, orange sunrise eclipses your face
and tints your rosy cheeks
Oh, how mesmerizing, you are

I gently squeeze your hand,
caressing your skin
A silent oath to cherish you for eternity
Your finger twitches in my grasp and
my head lowers to you
The amber sky and clouds drift past
in the glaze of your distant eyes
I smile,
a faint sigh breezes from my nose
Four years later, your little quirks still bewitch me

Enchant me

Captivate me

Seagull squawks echo in the sky as they glide past the terrain
Cyan waves of ocean wash around us,
pulling the tawny sands back with it
You’ve always adored the beach
Hence, our presence here today
A surprise outing for the fourth anniversary of knowing you

Four years you’ve graced me with
the astonishing, enchanting entity that is,
You.

Since our initial encounter,
our paths were forevermore entwined,
in the manner in which, you simply can not mention one,
without mentioning the other
My lips widen over my teeth
I stare at your figure between my knees
Your outstretched, limp arms gradually sink in the damp sands
Your dull irises absently watch the golden orb rising in the sky
Your essence bubbles from your mouth
I take my thumb and wipe it away

As my final gift to your ethereal soul,
your red sands will spill
in beautiful tendrils of crimson
And just as the yellow shore,
destined to eternal the lands

my grandmother unscrewed
the door to my room
and removed the carpet from my floor

in the winter months
my toes went white and my fingertips hued blue
my lips marred red as i looked to the ceiling
and pondered my importance in this reality

i went to sleep that night and had a dream
i thought was so clever
in this dream i said: 'Roses are sometimes red, and violets
are rarely blue'.
Somebody hand me a Pulitzer this instant

in hindsight, my dreams were foretelling
as i awoke in the hospital with a headache
and diagnosis of hypothermia
the nurses and social workers sat in chairs
with my grandmother beside them  

i closed my eyes and visualized all the
yellow roses and white violets often overlooked
and with a few smiles
and words of affirmations to the guests judging my performance
I received a standing ovation
of vibrant violets and beautiful deep reds thrown on stage
and returned to the Tiled Floors.