It is always raining
On the outermost edges,
In the alleyways and
All through the subway streets
Inside,
Outside,
The snow and the hail and the goddamed rain
It pours through the cracks
Of my heart

As I gazed into the dense inner-soul
of that broad birch tree I
so often sought,
I discovered nature's ever-changing influence:
orange, soft leaves had began to
stem from farther branches, yet turning still
to a softer yellow -
almost in attempt to compete in colour against
the richness of the sun.
I breathed in the sweet scent of autumn,
longing for the cooler nights and crisp mornings when
the workings of winter begin to
leave subtle clues.
A wispy wind streamed through the leaves
as if in a hurry to bring the message
to far away trees alike:
Autumn is here.
Strolling barefoot through the thick grass
my mind wandered past
the rainbow assortment of roses that lay
further ahead and seemed to settle, at last,
in the folds of a tall oak tree -
surrendered almost completely to
the fiery hues, it reflected
a glowing fireplace; the leaves danced and
branches crooned melodies to oneanother
amidst the heat of the flames.
And at last I yielded to it;
finding a tranquillity I needn't question
as I decided: autumn is the best season indeed.

(C) 20/4/15
Courtney L

Someone once told you,
“Boys don’t cry.”
And for a while,
you believed them.

But like a flower,
kissed by the sun
and nurtured by the rain,
you opened yourself to the world.

And the world can be harsh.
Cloudy days can be cruel.
But if you wait for the sun,
I promise it will come back.

Your empathy may destroy you,
but that’s the price you must pay
to feel happiness and love
as deeply as you do.

And they will tell you,
“You are weak.”
But darling,
you are not weak.

And they will tell you
“You are less than.”
But darling,
you are more.

Boy who cries, you are beautiful.
But they will tell you
you are not.

Don’t listen.