Growing up being told you're smart,
Making straight A's,
Hitting those marks;
You started to believe you were something great.

The truth is,
Tens of thousands of valedictorians graduate every year.
Most don't change the world
In the way you wanted to.
Some become parents,
Work those 9 to 5 jobs;
Too busy living a typical life,
Not studying or traveling abroad.

You thought you were different.
Now can't you see?
To **** the marrow out of life
Is to live privately,
And the attention you seek
Will come from friends and lovers locally.

I left my hand print
On a glass door this morning
And thought nothing of it

Just like your mom smoked crack
Like nothing of it
Or your dad walked out
To avoid the fiscal cliff
Of raising you

I left a hand print
Thinking nothing of Jared
The window wiper
Who makes half as much as I do
With twice as much
To lose

My existence to him
Is the effort he takes to hunch
And clean up my disrespect

Jared is seventy two
And has back problems
From "The War"
His wife is dying of cancer
And he stays late
To wipe away
My inconvenience

Jared will never know my name
I will never know Jared's name

Jared will never understand
Why some people
Can't just use the **** handle

I will never understand
How my daily actions effect everyone
Thinking nothing of it

Jared will work late
I will leave hand prints

But someday

I will wear shoes
Similar to Jared's

When your child sleeps for 16 hours do not call them lazy; ask them if they are feeling alright and do not accept that they're "fine".

When your child skips dinner do not just assume it's a diet, sit them down and ask why they are not eating their favorite meal and don't let them convince you that they are not hungry because odds are they're famished.

When you see scratches and burns and bruises and cuts on their body I hope to god you don't look the other way, I hope you hold them tight and tell them how much you love them.

When your child begins skipping classes and asking to stay home do not yell at them, climb in bed with them and ask them what is going on at school.

When your child eats 3 helpings of food and snack after snack after snack I hope you don't think this is normal and I hope you ask your child what is troubling them and I hope you tell them they're beautiful.

When your child pulls away from you and shuts you out and starts destroying themselves I hope to god you don't think it's a "phase" and I hope to god you take on your job as a parent to try and understand and love them, do not tell them to "grow up" because odds are that's the exact problem.

Mommy,
Grandma looks more and more like the raisins on my snack.
You say she might say funny things,
and act silly. Like me!
But you don't treat her like you treat me,
you yell like a banshee.
She yells too.
Then I yell, but over everything you must not have heard me.  

Mama,
You still have trouble hearing me,
more so with little brother screaming.
Could you please make it stop? I have to study for finals.
I don't think I will pass.
I never told you, but I think I'm too dumb to amount to anything.
Sometimes I'm okay,
because I can't hear myself tell myself that I do not think highly of myself.
I can't hear because of the screaming and crying,
and you telling yourself that you are fat and are going to die.

Mom,
I'm fine.
No I mean it this time,
I have found comfort in the patterns of rhyme.
I yell into cyberspace, but don't make a sound
and I wear my painted smile like a clown.
That reminds me,
You're scared of clowns.
So why did you marry one?

Take my hand.
Close your eyes.
Breathe me in.
Just free your mind.

It’s only us.
Time does not exist.
There’s no need to rush.
Just enjoy this bliss.

Trace my lips,
As you hear me speak.
Can you hear the thumping,
Of my racing heartbeat?

Let your hand,
Graze my cheek.
As I listen intently,
To the words you speak.

Do you feel the air,
Brush by your skin?
Do I stir up something
Deep within?

Relax your muscles.
You’re safe with me.
Forget the world.
As we make our own melody.