You are like the sun shining
through the clouds,
you blew me a kiss with
your beaming smile.

With your tender touches
I am kindled burning bright,
with desire and life.

You inspire my flame to
rise and shine, you rain but
I catch it in my heart
felling the emptiness with
your unforgettable name.

You are a scar upon my life,
you infected me with your
blue eyes and ocean view.

You inspire me to do better
for God and family.

Life's too short to let it
fly by without a sign of
recognition or recommendation.

On the darkest days
you come with the light,
beaming bright when there’s
no shine on the outside.

You are my sunrise.

© 2020 By Amanda Shelton

Beyond the dreams of the world
lives a flame that flickers
with hope.

Upon the path we cling
onto the dreams our parents
wished for us.

The rope is always ready,
you just have to grab it
tightly and allow it to pull
you up to higher ground.

These walls we’ve built
are not eternal but the
love will be left behind
in the ruble.

The devil comes only
in weakness for he’s
a coward and a lazy
monster. He knows how
to break your meditation,
boil your thoughts until
they are ashes, damage
your faith and worship.

But it’s up to you if
the devil breaks your
heart and soul, for
with the LORD comes
strength, and mercy,
eternal life, and guidance
from his council.

© 2020 By Amanda Shelton

I am floating upon the
restless dreams I’ve collected.

The clouds have lifted
revealing the stars,
it rained so long I
forgot about them.

I once swam in the ocean,
I learned that I am not alone,
every grain of sand was collected
pushed upon the shore building beaches and mountains.

I am like a grain of sand,
life pushes me ashore I
build beaches and mountains.

We all are grains of sand,
waiting for the waves to
push us in the right direction.

© 2020 By Amanda Shelton

The Cheshire cat once told me
I am lost only if I forget
I have several ways to get
where I am going.

Nothing is in black and white,
on no, it’s vibrant colors
full of passion and waves
of blues and greens and
billions of fish.
I am one of them.

I am like a net
I cast myself out
into the wide open
seas, bring in my little
fishies. Sometimes I come
back empty so I have to
try again.

Never forget you’ve got
several ways to get where
your going. Just keep going.

You are only held back
by your forgetfulness.

The path has always been
in front of you. Just take
the first step.

© 2020 By Amanda Shelton

You think you know how to cry?
Imagine this…

You are laying in a pool
of grunge and despair
you start drowning in
the mud slowly being
pulled into the muk
and heaviness. It holds
you down like chains and
stones are keeping you as
a prisoner.

Everything you regret
comes to beat you
and breaks you down before
you have time to heal it
comes to make you suffer.

Depression was never my friend,
it’s an enemy an invisible
monster eating you alive.

I suffered deeply,
years and years
seemed like eternity
that never ends.

I trusted my friends
and family to hold me up,
to save me from the monster
that hid under my skin.

I learned how to fight,
I learned how to speak,
I learned how to live,
I learned *******
the monster that tried
to steal my life.

I crawled out of the grunge,
I became a beacon for other
suffers like myself.

Depression was never my friend.

You can be a survivor too.

My family and friends,
my support and community,
they are my friends.

© 2020 By Amanda Shelton

Honesty is my best friend,
I have no choice but to
be honest so I will be honest
for you my friend.

My mother taught me,
I am graceful, I am
like a dancer, I pick
my battles honest and
bravely, I march on into
the dark, as life burns me
I just shine for you all
can find me in the darkest
night.

I am a flame a flickering
blaze burns from my depths,
I burn like a star beyond
the night.

I will never loss my
fire for it burns through
your mind in the poetry
that I write.

My passions I express,
my wings I spread wide
taking me above this,
beyond the scope of your
experience I am always
waiting for you to join me.

My reality never had boundaries,
I am like a caged bird set free.

Poetry made this possible
so so did my mother who
taught me, I am everything
I want to be. I just have to
remember to never loss my fire
I can burn hotter than life so
you will never forget me.

I am grateful for the pain
and suffering being human
has brought me, for it helps
me grow stronger.

We all are powerful
change, and masters of
our lives. I am stronger
because I am a believer
because of my mother
who taught me to be braver
and feed my flame with
the Heavenly Father.

You think I am going to disappoint you?

Oh no, I am going to follow the stars you have laid out for me. Thank you momma, I love you.

I am braver because of you.

© 2020 By Amanda Shelton