Annie Borisuk: Favorites

Feb 2014 Annie Borisuk

Dreamer

Feb 2014 Annie Borisuk

Ian Cairns

Dreamer

For centuries philosophers have speculated the role sleep plays in society
But it was not until the 1950s that sleep woke up in academia
And today sleep studies show what dormant minds really look like
Information about our rest we've never seen before
However, I've always understood the importance of bedtime
You see my parents taught me that sleep and love are soul mates

My mom
She's the sleeper
She loves to sleep
She cuddles up on any piece of furniture in my house and snoozes for hours
Never views a sitcom past the first commercial break when she's tired
And she's okay with that
Dad never lets her drive on road trips when night falls
Preferring his sleeping beauty tucked safely in the passenger seat
Their hands meet as she lets the stars serenade her to slumber
While he anchors his left hand on the steering wheel
Thanking his lucky stars for his real life princess

My dad
He's the snorer
He loves to snore
He roars like a lion on his love seat and naps for hours
Never views a sitcom past the second commercial break when he's tired
And he's okay with that
Mom never lets him sleep alone too long though
Keeping his nose plugged strong enough to signal for bedtime
They both stand together as he lets her guide him to slumber
While she ushers her left hand around his back
Thanking her lucky stars for her own prince charming

Now my parents call me the dreamer
And I sure do love to dream
It seems my parents are textbook role models for me
Because when you live inside a fairytale for far too long
Your reality becomes an endless stream of fantasies
Your expectations are exceptionally out of context
Strictly written for poetic lines in picture books
Never meant to be held
Never meant to be felt
Only meant for spines stuck on rosewood shelves

My parents call me the dreamer
And boy I love to dream
I believe in creating the unthinkable
And when you live inside a fairytale for far too long
Nothing is fictional
You picture a life with storybook endings
Praying the author never runs out of ink
You crown each syllable the king of the moment
Treating each page like royalty
And I've always been okay with that

So when I asked my mom when she knew she fell in love
She spoke of an instant of unadulterated emotion
She said she knew instantly
She didn't need to sleep on it
When I asked my dad when he knew he fell in love
He just smiled back at me
He must have known instantly
He didn't even speak on it
So when I ask myself when I might fall in love
I can't help but smile
Think of fairytale titles
Mile wide love notes in all shapes and styles
And a moment where my reality sets my hopes on fire
And I won't need to dream about it anymore

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

There's No Way

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Fel

There's No Way

Sometimes I wonder
Whenever I'm thinking of you
If you ever think of me

And then I think
Well, that's preposterous!

There's no way that there is someone out there thinking of me

There's no way that someone dreams of me

There's no way that someone quietly whispers my name to themselves

There's no way that someone doodles my name on their notebooks

There's no way that someone goes to school just to see my face, my smile

There's no way that someone draws my name in the foggy bathroom mirror

There's no way that someone stays up thinking of conversations we could have

There's no way that someone is writing useless poems about me too

There's no way that someone gets ready everyday in an attempt to impress me

There's no way that someone finds me flawless

There's no way that someone could ever want a wreck such as myself.

*There's just no way

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

The Raven

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Lucas K

The Raven

To whom it may concern.
Through memory and thought
I have seen it all.
About those already gone
And those yet to come
I am concerned.

I have seen a tree in autumn high
Far and further still its shade did fall.
Blessed from above and chained to the ground
As day by day there was less from a day.
Thus I have seen how earth slowly bled
Teardrops of yellow, through orange, to red
Discarding the many, sparing but few.

So I have seen a rose that dropped its petals
Upon the bed of someone's tomorrow.
Stained from desire of promises clashing
Half empty the sheets come morning remained.
Thus I have seen bitter sweetness and sorrow
When moments and faces were borrowed at will
Piled for later, traded for thrill.

I have heard the songs brought up by joy
Carried forth by comfort and faith, elated with hope.
So I have heard the laments and prayers at night
Nurtured tirelessly by fear and by sin, bred in despair.
Dread be my comfort and I shall fear no more!
Fear consume my faith and I am not a sinner!
Sin dry out my hope and I shall hail you forevermore!
Forevermore and ‘till the end of time
Take me at least to the edge of this very night
To the brink of the day and back nevermore!

Yet, I know of a seed that bit through the frost
When prospect of morning yielded to chance.
Born to commence though bound to the End
Bathing in blessing of fire ignited by rain.
Thus I know of a smile that sprang out of hope
Eyes that craved for the shivering light
And a heart that beat over cries in the night!

Through memory and thought
I have seen it all.
Counting the days as I pass them by
By the grace of the wind,
By the will of the sky.
From where all the roads begin
To where at last they meet again
My memories are aching
But my thoughts are asking: ˝Why˝?

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Leap of Faith

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Lucas K

Leap of Faith

Once...
I lost something I've never had.
A gentle scent, always there, but never part of me...
Locked inside its frail mind
My will just stood and watched
As nothing but a fervent dream,
Like a star, dying out, sent the sky ablaze.

So once again
A wish is left in the hands of chance,
And a heartbeat skips the choice...
Hope steps up for dare,
And the leap of faith never comes.

Is it really so hard to live,
When you know someone out there is
Worth dying for?

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Who Am I?

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Lucas K

Who Am I?

I am a ship.
There's nothing special about who I am,
for there are many like me.
Tall and proud,
small and brisk,
each with its unique direction.
Some to be admired,
others to take the risk,
all carved in false perfection.
Yet there is one simple wish
to which we all aspire.
From the day our journey starts,
through the rough tests of the sea
to reach the safety of our haven
is all that we desire.

I am a wanderer.
Send me on a voyage to which I see no end.
I will take it gladly.
When I gaze into infinity
I see far beyond.
So mourn for me not when I set my sails.
I shall return.
Send me through the darkest storm
guide me past the reason’s plea!
I fear no rock nor waves or tide
I fear no whipping of the sea!

Yet, each wave I break
Leaves a crack in my haughty hull.

I am a wreck.
A shattered pile of glorified wood.
A cracked bucket
leaking out treacherous dreams
it could not hold
even when it should.
There are parts of me
sunken
lying numb in deepest chambers of the blue.
There are bits to see
floating
scourged tirelessly by everything
I ever knew.

I lie naked under face of the sky.
I am afraid.

I am driftwood.
Carried around by the will of the waves,
their salty lips against my wounds.
All that is left of me
rocks
in a steady
steady flow
ridiculed by currents
and wind.
Me…
Who am I?
That I do not know.
Perhaps
I do not care.
Today
I traded my spirit for hope
and despair...

Until one day
I am washed ashore.

I am a raft.
Piece after piece put in an awkward place
empty spaces sealed with fiery salt,
scars healed by its sweet embrace.
I am complete.
There’s a soul
clinging on to me with nothing else
but the warmth of her skin.
I am her guide
and she is mine.
I am taking her home
across eternal oceans
in search of haven upon a familiar shore
and I
am not afraid anymore.

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Soul Mate Science Test

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Ian Cairns

Soul Mate Science Test

Attention class:
There's been a shift in our syllabus
There are some questions on my mind that warrant a new lessonplan: Does true love exist?
I will admit lately I've hypothesized that it's merely just a myth
Some wishful thinking from romantic half-wit heretics
So I'm assigning a soul mate science test
A pop quiz prophecy that could bind two of us together forever
Proving true love is suited for scientific vindication
If you respond to each question honestly
One trusty staple is capable of uniting this loose leaf love
Depending on your lead-based expressions
And their smudge-marked impressions
So please put your notebooks down
And pick your pencils up
Let's begin:

1. Is the beauty you possess easily represented in the thoughts you express?
Provide an ample sample size of your logic to suggest your loveliness works wonders.
2. Given that the fastest manned aircraft reached 4500 mph
If you spiraled down from the heavens at 9.8 m/s²
How long would it take for you to shatter record speed
And recognize that my arms are open to being your landing pad?
3. If your failures colored red and successes tinted blue
Became marbles piled high in mason jars
Would you let me embrace your entirety in the most worthy shade of purple?
4. Skin, rarely remembered, is the human body's largest *****.
Without caution, show me that your brain and heart
Are eager to become the king and queen of your anatomy.
That your organic vastness can infiltrate others' flesh majestically.
5. Think carefully. Who was the last man you kissed?
Are his lips worth enough for you to dismiss
A potential chance at creating unending bliss?
6. True or False: You would lie to me to spare a hurtful truth.
Provide evidence that you are comfortable revealing the undisputed details of your personal journal
Unraveling the spools of your most mysterious fibers.
7. Disprove Heartbreak Theory.
Show your work with mild-mannered mannerisms and sentimental illustrations.
Use crayons or colored pencils to emphasize your best intentions.
8. Chemistry is the study of the properties of matter.
Using the periodic table of elementary emotions
Describe what matters most to you.
Remember to cite your sources of inspiration.
The inner workings of your engine that fuel your fondest explorations.
9. Fill in the blank spaces between my fingertips with your tenderness.
Is it a perfect fit?
If not, describe the characteristics possibly prohibiting this grip.
10. Cells are the smallest units of life.
Draw a diagram dissecting the little pieces of you
That belong in my possession at all times.
Include both strengths and vices.
Exhibit a sense of self-awareness that I can mimic
When I'm stuck inside my quicksand mind.

And one final reminder:
Remember to print your name legibly on the front page.
Failure to do so will result in catastrophe.
An unidentified masterpiece resulting in agony for you and I.
Practically reversing the critical proofs that your pen just described.
So let my eyes scan your signature with methodical joy.
And the curves of your cursive ink lines can become my mind's strongest ally.
Let me know you're willing to be known.
Because I need to know you're alive.

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

I See You

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Ian Cairns

I See You

I see you

I've seen those eyes before
Drowning in patched-up paddle boats
With promises of tomorrow slipping down your face
Like saline shipwrecks fleeing harbor
And greeting the ocean floor with damaged handshakes
And now you're hopeless
Focused on could have been's and maybe one day's
Knowing one day
Swelled up storm clouds
Could slide through your cheek bones
Like sunshowers preventing your skyline parades
But I see you still searching for rainbows
Covering your face with two handfuls of imagination
Daydreaming of days where technicolor dreamcoats
Become wrapped around your soul
Like tuxedos for the bold

I've seen those arms before
Deafeated willow branches in the moonlight
Rebellious to rise upright
And now you're tired
Only fired up when your flesh
Converts to kindling on a campfire
Building sparks that shimmer for seconds
When your light deserves a lifetime
But I see you still inclined to shine brightly
Trying to assign meaning to your life with two inspired limbs
That can freely build bridges or climb mountaintops
Clinging onto hope with sturdy fists
Exploring the peaks of your potential

I've seen those legs before
Tattered toothpicks on prom night
Frozen in stage fright on the dance floor
Pressing muted prayers with each footstep
Into creaky floorboards waiting for silence to ensue
And now you're nervous
You're certain those two left feet can't possibly find the rhythm
So your shoes are the victims of bashfulness
Fearing one false step will uproot your jitterbugs
And place them alongside the butterflies in your stomach
But I see you still owning your insecurities
Because you know you're alive just fine

I see you
You are who I envisioned you to be
I see you
Brushstrokes of imperfections shaded in perfectly
I see you
It's more than just your typical hello
It's a phrase for all of us to speak solely with our souls
It can make you feel at home at the center of your bones
When all your hope is lost and there's no where left to go
So when I greet you
Listen carefully
This is a reminder that your eyes can be thunderous
Your arms can be victorious
And your legs can be ambitious
Your presence is necessary for this discussion
And your essence is accepted here
Let me speak your spirit into existence
Seeing is believing
And believe me
I see you

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Four

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

annmarie

Four

There's a lot that needs to be said
and I'm not sure how to say it.
I've stored up all the feelings
in the back of my heart
but there are too many of them now
and they're all starting to spill out.

There are a lot of words
that consist of four letters—
"twin," for example,
or "poem" or "moon."
Or "hurt."
Also his name, and yours.
And though the four-letter word
that reminds me of him
is "kiss,"
the word "love"
has only ever
been tied to one person,
and that's you.

And there are four-letter words
I hope that you're not—
"blue," or "gone…"
or "hers."
But I'm starting to get scared
that you're labeling me
with your own sets of four.
"Left" and "late—"
or maybe worse,
"fine" and "free."

I'm not sure how exactly
you see me at the moment,
but I need to let you know:
the words that fit me best
when it comes to you right now
are "torn" and are "lost,"
but also "(very) sure:"
there's nobody else
I've ever known
that I would rather
be calling "mine."

for Sophia, and yes, to Matt

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Bittersweet

Jan 2014 Annie Borisuk

Maytin Paige

Bittersweet

You'll say my name
and I hope
it tastes
bittersweet
as it leaves your lips.
I know when I say yours,
it is bittersweet.
But that's partially because I
loved you.
But I'm moving forward.
I plan to follow my dreams,
like you wanted me to do
but never helped me.
Even though you did try.
As you move on,
remember that
you only deserve the best.
And you'd probably tell me the same thing,
saying you deserve nothing.
Your name is bittersweet as my lips form around it.
I'm trying to move on
but
I don't want to move on
because that means I had done it without you.
You are my bittersweet memories.