Music
   has the power
to stop my racing thoughts.
   To capture me in
         JOY.
To hold me patiently
   so I can BE
   in the shifting chaos
   around me.
MUSIC
   my solace,
   my peace.

Look towards the simpler things
On a different frequency
The sun is shining
Sky is blue
Grass is green

Take time to sit then think

Form a rhythm
When in need
Breathe deeply
There is value to be found
from the free

the covers will protect
me from the monsters
but they won't protect me
from the fear

there's a moment, late at night, when the
world has gone to sleep that i sit and think
to myself; what is life like away from here?
where, in this big wide galaxy could i find
happiness? because it's not here, where i am
now. where do i find it? where do i even
start looking?

Keep moving forward
Do not ever look back
Pick yourself upward
Just get back on track
Think grand thoughts
Envision yourself getting sharper
Find your strength and courage
In order for your days to be brighter

Writing poetry is a lonely thing
It looks you square in the eyes, smiling
It asks you to write alone
Even in company
When writing poetry
You are alone

And even lonelier still
It asks you
To go inside of yourself
There are things there you must find

There is a man inside my body
A boy
And they look just like me
They each hold letters
I do not know what they say
I must find them

Poetry is love you want
Is someone you want to be in love with
Poetry is a child tugging at the pant-leg of someone
You want to be in love with

Poetry is the coffee stain on long sleeve shirts
Right over the wrist
Your mother called them chocolate stains
Never blood

Poetry is my drunk fingertip stumble
My white-boy wasted
My way of loving less awkward

Poetry is someone telling you they love your poetry
Poetry is loving someone for loving your poetry
Poetry is also kissing that person

There is a man
In mirrors he might be me
We have a letter we want to give to you
But they read like a feeling

We spend hours in solitude
Finding ways to step into the daylight

Poetry is convincing you
You need a reason to step into the daylight

There are words etched into your teeth
All white
No bling
The letters change with the shape of your mouth

Smile more often
Even when you don’t want to

Poetry is trying to teach you to speak peace
with the words in your smile
To people you don’t want to speak peace to

Poetry is an angry father
Is neck bruises from belt loops
Is rug-burn from being dragged across the floor

Poetry does not love you
It simply asks you
To find space inside of yourself
And then it wants you to give it to someone else

There are people inside of you
With stories

Writing poetry is a lonely thing
Giving it away
Until no one can be a thief to your soul

That too
Is poetry