Upon the rising sun
my soul took flight,
as the morning rolled
in on the foggy view
beams of light woke me
with such a sight.

As the quiet atmosphere
was broken life began to
breathe and woke with
eyes wide open.

The skirt of morning lifted
upon winter's embrace.

©️ 2021 By Amanda Shelton

Within the darkest hour
ghostly dreams come to life.

The chiming of the clock
the clock strikes 3
the morning rolls in
on a foggy mist and a
chilled breeze.

Like a ghostly breath,
memories linger.

A hiss can be heard from
the room across the hall,
a door creaks and the sound
of a cat running around.

The Christmas tree is decaying
the wallpaper fraying, cobwebs
cover everything.

Darkness lives here, the ghosts
from decades passed celebrating
the season all year round.

Deck the hall’s with rotten
food, drinks are dried the
alcohol evaporated years ago.

Merry Christmas you ghoulish
fiend, may your nightmares
be merry too.

This is a Christmas nightmare
come true.

©️ 2021 By Amanda Shelton

When the flowers bloom
without me, my memory
will live on through
their perfumed dreams.

From here life start’s anew,
upon the softest breeze my
ghost travels far and wide.

Every move I make,
every breeze that blows
my way, I leave a little
bit of myself behind.

This unpredictable existence
moves freely, upon my heart
strings it plays fine and
dandy.

My life vibrates into the
vastness of space, I become
a ghost blooming in the gloom.

©️ 2021 By Amanda Shelton

I was born on a hot summers
night, 3rd of July on a Friday
9 pm.

With fire in my soul
and future sunrises
waiting to bloom, I
grew.

From the soil of American blue’s,
moody beaches covered in sunbathing bodies, seagulls and seashells of LA and Pismo.

My mom taught me well, I had
a voice and I have a story
to tell.

She raised me on rock n roll
guitar riffs, piano keys
at my finger tips and a voice
like a bell ringing in a tower.

With a bible under my belt,
and black belt karate around
my hips, with yoga on the side
I grew into myself.

Art galleries and canvas rooted
in my mind, from the beginning
I was meant to shine.

I was raised on American soil,
apple pies and biscuits with gravy.

I was soaked in the mud of
the Kern county mountains,
I swam in the river and ran
through the city barefoot
dreaming of a better future.

Poor and sick, but brave and
willing to learn I became
stronger and better than
I ever imagined.

I proved them wrong by
surviving mental illness,
cracking the lock to my
own purpose.

The meaning to life is simple,
to live it to the fullest, too be
brave and bold. Live it well.

©️ 2021 By Amanda Shelton

Upon the night the poet writes,
within my darkened room
under candlelight all is revealed.

From my ink comes black and blue, with bruises from my passed I stain these walls.

Memories never leave me,
pain and suffering is like a
shadow always following me.

Writing is a release, a bandaid
to help me heal.

These emotional hills are a
struggle to claim, but I grew bat
wings so watch me fly.

©️ 2021 By Amanda Shelton

If you are afraid you have to go about life scared but be brave. Don’t be a victim, be a survivor.

Nothing holds you back but fear and ignorance. They walk together. You have a choice what direction you go. Remember it doesn’t matter if you think it’s a bad choice you still have a choice.

Life is too short to always be afraid, but if fear won’t leave you you have to live with it. It’s okay to be afraid. You can be brave. Just keep swimming. Others are beside you. I am here too.

If you are afraid you have to go about life scared but be brave. Don’t be a victim, be a survivor.
----------------------
Upon my tears you fell,
you broke my heart.

Shattered to pieces,
burned to black
life blew away in ashes.

My lows got deeper,
my highs got higher,
my life seemed shallow,
my grave seemed closer.

The sun forgot to shine,
the clouds forgot to move,
the river's edge overflowed,
love forgot me leaving me in
a pile of dirt.

My heart wings broke, no longer
am I able to fly.

Love forgot about me,
it bruised me, it beat
me.

Depression seems to know me
better, but is toxic and painful.

It passes slowly and like molasses,
life flashes before my eyes.

By my surprise a light
blinds me, a reminder
of what is to come.

From deep within my black hole
one word brings me to the surface,
survival.

Be brave and accept yourself,
flaws and all. Scar's and pain
is part of the process.

You have a choice, to gain
muscle or stay week and fragile.

Anyway, I've learned to love myself accepted my flaws and scar's.

Be kind to yourself and others.

Mindfulness brings us together.