Sweetheart, may you have a wonderful life
A crayola-colored rainbow filled  with
JOY
LOVE
PEACE
MAGIC
WONDER
Very best of everything, sweetheart
A brand new gift for all of us.
Love Auntie M and Uncle H

What is beauty
Is it that perfect skin
What is beauty
But that perfect body
What is beauty
But happiness
But I give it the *******
The fact about beauty is that
It causes a walking skeleton of
Our daughter
The fact about beauty is that
Boys pump themselves
With steroids
The suffering that beauty brings
I see
Soon, I will have it the
*******

Did you ever think of staying?
Or was leaving the only way
you knew how to love me?

Was I too much,
or not enough?
Did I ask for things
you couldn’t give,
or did you offer less
than you were able?

I wonder if you held back your truth
to protect me,
or to protect yourself
from watching me fall apart.

The answers don’t come.
But the questions—
they stay.
Lodged somewhere between
my ribs and my memory,
quiet,
persistent,
unanswered.

Amidst the daisies,
all I could see,
was you.

Just us alone,
beneath blue sky.

You beside me, eyes closed,
wind tracing its fingers
through your hair,
bathed in sunlight,
your soft smile lingering.

Oh, how I envy them—
for giving you a peace
I can only dream of.

I was an eight year old latch key kid.
Writing was my friend when I was home alone after school.
Homework, write,,and make dinner five days a week
No questions asked or the belt came out
Another time and place
No after school programs
No friends permitted over
Loners don't have friends anyway
My confidant listened and never judged me
Helped me standup and never let me fall
No matter the bully or challenge
By writing, I talked
It's not just the words and they matter
It's the magic that happens when it flows like wine
Sparkles like Champagne
An Ice Cream soda with
Whipped cream,multi-colored sprinkles and a thick straw
Writing poetry

As you close your eyes
And slow your breathing
I long to finally be let free
More and more

I am desperate
I just want to sing and to scream
To escape the pressure
And to be something other than a darkness following you around constantly

Finally, you are taken over by sleep
And I am released
I can do anything
But as soon as I leave
I hear your silent screams

“Help me!” You try
Eyes closed
Heart open and out on your sleeve
Helpless
In danger
Without my protection

I don’t get very far
Only have a few seconds of being separate
Being myself
And just myself
But soon enough
You need me
And I can’t ignore your plea

So instead of roaming and screaming and exploring the world
I cover you
Everywhere
And keep the monsters away
All night

Yiu never know I’m there
Or appreciate me
I am your shadow
Just darkness in light
Just a blank figure of you

I just want to be me
Even if it’s just while your asleep