My chest is a cage
Constricting
Concealing
Holding back
And keeping away
A place where I hide
From my deepest of fears
But this prison
Is where my fears are held
Tucked away
In a
Not-so-safe hiding place
Because it is all too easy
For me to reach inside
And ponder them
Until they
Grow
Expand
Metastasize
To the point where they consume
My chest
My shoulders
My arms
My fingers
Through my legs
Into my toes
Until these fears finally fall
Down
Down
Down
Into the pit of my stomach
Where they stay
Until in the dark of the morning
When I can finally throw them out
Through way of mouth
In fits of
Coughs
and
Words
Of the unflowered kind
Because what I am spitting out
Is of the unflowered kind
And yet there are survivors
Who dangle
And play
Amongst my heartstrings
And the air in my chest
Until another
Bad Day
When they can consume my head
And constrict my chest
With the overbearing weight
Of
Everything

Fingers dance
And crickets hum
Stars twinkle bright
As thumbs strum along
You sit with me
And we sing a song
Summer at last
Has finally come

I wanted to write a poem
But sat outside and watched
The leafs grow
And the children swing
And the flowers dance
Instead

I wanted to write a poem
But read a book
And thought about adventures
And hoped for one myself
Instead

I wanted to write a poem
But called up a friend
And told a joke
And made them laugh aloud
Instead

I wanted to write a poem
But listened to music
And the sound of your voice
And the house settling at night
Instead

I wanted to write a poem
But always find myself
Doing other things
Instead

But if you think about it
It's kind of like writing a poem
Anyways

I am so desperate for change
That sometimes
I catch my unsatisfied fingers
Playing in my pockets
In hope to find something
Something
And scraping the limits of the fabric
Only to find
Crumpled receipts
And old pieces of lint

What if stars were candle lights
Burning away
The flame so bright

What if love was post-it notes
Left scattered about
Quick thoughts of hope

What if dreams were floating clouds
Changing shape
Pure and proud

What if thoughts were old snail letters
Happy moments
Of cards and cursive letters

What if rain drops were butterflies
Falling gently
Wearing dresses and ties

What if Mondays were a lively ball
Flowing long dresses
With men standing tall

What if the wind were a music box
Whispering songs
Without any talk

But what if stars were candle lights
Burning away
Their flames so bright

"Where have the stars all gone?"
She asked the sky.
"They've all flickered out."
He replied with a sigh.

I miss you old friend
Where have you gone?
The sun has come out
And brought the breeze with it along
I giggle in my yellow dress
The bugs tickle on my skin
It's time to play outside
With our trees and river again
We can go sit on the steps
Or play pirates on the swing
Pick flowers in the garden
At least the flowers left by spring
And if it starts to rain
I will laugh at your wet hair
You'll laugh at the mud on my face
And I'll laugh too, I just don't care
Because we are best friends
Who play with the sun
And at night we talk to the moon
With him we become one
But now summer begins
And I turn with a frown
Because your tan fingers
Are nowhere to be found
And I can't help but wonder
As the chrysanthemums yawn
Where my freckled summer friend
Could possibly have gone