The Aces check their sleeves,
Hearts rippling across the breeze.
The Queen arises
Slowly,
Torn dress ripped at the knees.

The Jack saw his fill
And quickly took his leave.
Stood trembling in a doorway,
Mind struggling to believe...

The King was an alcoholic,
It was widely known to be so,
Each eve he would sit solemn,
Wine in hand and sword on show,
Clapping to the Jokers' japes
As he danced and sang
About love and fate.
But how was the King to know?
Not two rooms away
His wife had lain,
With a smile and a *****.
Creating a cuckold and a fool...

The Jack had had enough
And promptly marched
To the throne room.
Armed with only knowledge,
Unleashes inevitable typhoon.

The winds will rise,
This house shall succumb,
Imploding inwards
Till the house is done.
And all that remains
Among ash and decay,
Broken hearts and broken spades,
Is the Jokers last laugh.
A mockingbirds call as daylight fades.

I don't fit in
And I don't stand out
I just blend in
And get lost in the crowds

I'm just another person
On just another street
I don't know anybody
And nobody knows me

But things worth exploring
Aren't always explored
And things worth adoring
Aren't always adored

I'm just another face
Just another girl
But if you don't explore the oyster
You'll never find the pearl

Where'd you go, self?
Where are you?
Are you hiding away,
or afraid to shine through?

Why don't you come
around anymore?
Did you get swept
up in the world?

Did you change who you are?
Did you buy a disguise?
Are you the one hiding,
or did I close my eyes?

Do you just have
too much to do?
Or am I the one
who's too busy for you?

Are you too ashamed
to show your face?
Why are you running?
Unlike others, I'll chase.

I'll be back
In a few days.
I've got to find myself,
Before I'm too far away.

Every one is asking
Too much from me

Mom wants perfect hair
Grades and me to wear dresses

Dad wanted a boy
He wants me to have more motivation

The brothers wish for a better sister
A normal sister they will never get

Peers want my friendship and guidance
I want peace and quite

Close friends want me to have all the answers
And not to ask any of my own

Even hello poetry asks
To add another

I want to do what I want to do
For myself and myself only

I start now

i can see my muse when i close my eyes,
hidden and tattered, fallen behind
some amorphous blob of human pride

sleeping with a corpse,
it’s too late to find
something that warps
with my mind

america, land of the free,
where your dreams fill up to your knees.
****, that’s a little too deep for me.

i mean, i guess i’ll always just be ‘okay’
because if we all stand up
then we’re all the same anyway

it’s never been this hard to keep up appearances.
you aren’t supposed to forget how to ride a bike.
and i can’t have out of body experiences
because i never quite know what i look like

there are too many disgusting things
about human beings, i know,
and i am
still young.

crushed lips and bruised hips
have faltered me;
i once thought soft flesh was beautiful
until your skin grew rough
around
the edges.

so maybe now
i am just used to you.
like how i always reach
to the right of the sink,
except
there is nothing
poetic about
the orientation of your bathroom.

after all, we spend so much time in there;
me kneeling over porcelain judgement,
you sitting
and watching
me, too familiar now to hold back my hair.

too familiar now,
you know me so well,
i can no longer be
that ethereality
that floats in your dreams
and keeps you happy.

there is something disturbing
about being around someone who
can see all your human flaws:
skin too fair and unbrushed hair,
lying to say it's better this way.

it's better this way, they like to convince you
that it's true or maybe they just want to prompt
acceptance but
why should i settle for
less than perfection
of something i've dreamt of
my entire life?

this isn't poetic.
this isn't beautiful.
stop kidding yourself,
you are
only human.