perhaps
we always drift together
because our hearts
know more
than our minds

s.s

Step 1: Get out of bed
Step 2: Look in the mirror
Step 3: Practice your smile
Step 4: Eyedrops to hide the red eyes
Step 5: Conceal the dark circles
Step 6: Breathe
The curtains are almost up
Step 7: Lock down the pain
Step 8: Ignore the weight on your chest
Step 9: Silence the screams inside of your mind
Step 10: Choke down the sobs
Step 11: Ignore the stinging in your eyes
Step 12: Swallow past the tightness in your throat
You’ve put on this show a million times
Step 13: Don’t let them see
Times up. Curtains up. Camera rolling

Do you see
the generation today,
my generation struggling
emotionally
having jarred into their heads
that it's not okay to cry
that it's not good to cry
that it's going to be alright
if you would just stop crying
if you would just wipe the tears off
that crying is for the weak (oh my son is not weak)
that crying wouldn't help
that crying is for the enemies
my generation
was served a lie on the platter
and we gulped it down
our throats without a thought
so that if we ever choke with tears
we'd gulp the lie over and over again
but mothers and fathers
look yourselves in the eye
and tell me if shedding a few tears
didn't turn down your grief
and tell me if shedding a few tears
made you any less a man
made you any less a woman
made you any less a human
Mothers and fathers
look your children in the eye
and tell them
crying is just another emotion
that has the ability
to sit down with your heart
in moments of grief
and be the friend
it needs the most.
tell them
crying is for the strong
crying is for those who feel
crying is for everyone
tell them
crying is okay.
crying is good.

So tired so very very tired.
My torn shredded body is weakened by the day,
By labours unappreciated
Kindnesses unseen ,
Jokes and smiles forced upon a face starting to crack with time and dull with age.
Bones ache and scrape
And hands become to tremor
Eyes start to fail and mind is even slowing .
I count down hours till I can relax with you.
Our collaborative aim to labour in vain to save
So that we may have some enjoyable kind of life
A shared life for soul mates
But this rat race is cruel and working is never quite enough
And despite good intentions
And despite wants and wishes
Dreams of adventures
We are drained from life
And so we sleep
(c) Ashley Kane

We're almost touching.
we were walking side by side,
you're talking about cabs in your hometown.
I can feel the gravity of your hand, calling my fingers
whispering "it's alright."

We're touching but not quite.
you held my shoulder to protect me from the passing cars.
and for the first time in a long while, I felt so fragile.
In this world where I find it hard even to breathe,
you believed me.

I almost said it.
All I need is one ounce of strength to tell you every single thing that I have ever felt about you.

I want to find home in your collarbones.
Would you be kind enough to let a stranger in?
I want to seep in your being because I'm cold.
The world is harsh and my cracks are aching.

Almost.

she knows she has to let go
but she's not ready just yet
you were playing with fire
but she didn't see it as a threat
she likes pretending she doesn't miss you
pretending she doesn't care
but you set her on fire from the first moment you were there
and her biggest mistake wasn't falling in love with you
it was thinking you would love her back
now no one can make up for what she thinks she lacks
and as the nights grow longer
she's become increasingly afraid to admit
you don't just constantly cross her mind
you still live in it