There are two voices
Behind my shoulders
Giving conflicting advice.
One says, Reach;
The other, Draw back.
It's a crisis of decision
For the left or right.
These voices meet
Between my ears,
For a synthesis.
So I listen to the third I hear,
One that avers,
*Live life right.

Children aren't cruel
Because of their learning at school.
From earliest times,
They're fed on Nursury Rhymes
From Mother Goose,
Of children being fatted for the oven,
Jack breaking his crown,
Humpty got cracked,
The Duke got sacked,
And as fast as he could run,
The Gingerbread Boy
Never got home.

it was enough for you to kiss me once and my stomach did that thing where it plummets to the ground and bursts through the floorboards and all the air leaves my lungs which is rather ironic considering I never felt as alive as I do when you're next to me

I've spent centuries
in this agony
My body changes
but time stays still

All this time I've passed
waiting to be found
like a bird inside a cage,
my feet chained to this ground

I can't keep my monsters at bay
but I can't run away

In the eye of each soul
all I see is fear
and my own still whispers
"I'm not from here"

By now I thought
I'd have more power
But at the end of each day
"it" still devours

Even though there's love in my heart
I still feel like falling apart

Each fight feels like
dark mirrors inside a maze
and all I see in this reflection
is my own empty gaze

My mind is light years
away from this place
Still the only thing that saves me
is your warm embrace

And when it feels like I have no choice
I recognize your voice

I'm so tired of this fight
But your love still keeps me warm
Together, we'll win this battle
Together, we'll breathe through the storm.

All my life I've been told
How to act and how to think
What to do and who to be

"Don't use those words"
"Don't stay out late"
"You should have fun!
Just not that way"
"Keep your grades up"
"Keep your laugh down"
"But whoever told you
you should frown?"

I've always been good
I did as I was told
I never misbehaved
But now I'm growing old
My youth is passing by me
And how have I spent it?
Obedient - I'm seeing it
Never the miscreant
But always the misfit

"Don't talk back"
"Don't disagree"
Can't you see
your words are hurting me?
"Honey, I always wanted the best for you"
Then why don't you let my real self
shine on through?

Never had any friends
and you ask me why?
How am I supposed to blend
when you never even let me try?
But that doesn't matter
it's not what I want
What I want is out there
and you keep me locked up
But it all ends now
though you still ask how -
how did this happen?
Why did I change?
Well now I'm here to tell you
I broke out from my cage
All these
Obligations
Frustrations
Condemnations
Aggravations
Your fixations
and my deprivations
They're done now cause can't you see?
From this day on
I'm doing me.

i cried myself to sleep again last night
those old demons resurfaced
and i knew they would follow me into my dreams
i dreamed that i was scared
i was broken
i was alone
the ghosts of my past were all around me and the tears just wouldn't stop
and they said it would happen again
because why wouldn't it?
i was too weak
i wasn't worthy enough to prevent it
they closed in on me and i couldn't breathe
and then
then everything slowed
and i saw your eyes
they smiled at me as you soothed my soul and wiped away my tears
you wrapped me in your arms and said it would be alright
that you would protect me
you promised
and for the first time in a long time
i believed
i woke up alone in my bed
but i felt your presence
like your arms were still around me
my pillow was dry
**the tears stopped

Give me your hand
my forbidden one
Let me lead you to the darkest corner
where our truth can come to light
Because that's the only place
we can exist -
in between the spaces of words
always left unsaid
Where you're not afraid
to show me your soul
And I'm not afraid
to let you take a step closer
But the flame can't burn for long
Because we both know
when morning comes
we'll play pretend
The whispers of the dark
will lay forgotten
Because in our world
of unfinished sentences,
where more often than not
there is a coma where a full stop should be;
"U" and "I" will never be
side by side.