They stabbed her
Gnawed at her body
Feeding off her every
insecurity.

They punched her
Repeatedly, rhymically
Beating the life and soul
away.

They thought it was funny
They thought it was clever
They thought it was cool

They knew it wasn't correct.

They thought that
taunting with someone's life was a joke
That it was hilarious
to tip somebody over the edge
That it was satisfying
to bring someone down

That it was clever; the way they forced their victim
to
drown.

Sticks and stones would break my bones
but words would shatter and splinter my soul
until it couldn't be pieced back together again
until all the hope in the world had shrivelled up
and withered away and died
as if souls were
fragile things like
whispered secrets
and
love
and
poetry.

Father
I've missed you
I understand it wasn't your choice
The more and more I learn about you
The more it seeps in as reality
In the middle of a personal search
To figure out who is "me"
I did the math and figured out
I'm right at the age that you got the doctor's shout
Nothing lasts forever
With or without
I keep hearing that you were a good man
I believe it
Never a doubt
I wonder what exactly you would expect from me
A father to a son
A father to another
I hope I've made you proud
Yet there is much work left
It's strange really
I'm more familiar with being called dad
Than ever calling someone dad
It's never happened actually
But I get it
In our small encounter together
I will keep you close
Forever
It doesn't matter that you left when I was small
I didn't know any better
You were half of my all
I won't hold it against you
It wasn't your fault
You helped me to see the importance
Of a father's part
I wish you were here
So I could talk to my dad
So I could tell you about everything
What I've done
Where I've been
Whom I've met
The man I have become
You or I never got asked for this
It's okay though
Without even really knowing you
I know I miss you
People are happy to meet me
Knowing I am your son
That is both of our faults
Because you were such a cool guy

To be good,
to be caring,
to be kind,
to be loving -

I try.

To be gentle,
to be sympathetic,
to be humble,
to be energetic-

I try.

To be smart,
to be helpful,
to be present,
to be hopeful-

I try.

To be fun,
to respect,
to be happy,
to be perfect-

I try.


I try.


*I fail.

Seven bucks an hour,
Bills stacked on the counter,
Got a baby on the way, he'll have to feed.
His pride is gettin' torn down,
His confidence is worn out.
This ain't the way he dreamed that it would be.

She's got no time for makeup,
'Cause she's got three boys to wake up,
Never thought she'd have to raise them on her own.
And some days she feels like cryin',
But she's holdin' on, survivin',
On the love that makes their little house a home

She's been here before,
And she's only eight years old,
But she knows the name of every nurse she sees.
And though she don't like the chemo,
She waits it out, never losin' hope,
that someday soon she'll be cancer-free

You're a fighter,
Got that fire,
When they thought you'd fade away.

Hold a fist up,
As you get up,
Feeling stronger everyday.