at last, my love, you came to meet me!
at last, my stomach churns to greet thee.
so soon, you came, to lift my heart
(but deepen cupid's evil dart.)

how, now, my love, can you be with me,
through all god's tricks, which played you swiftly;
to whom, my heart, do i owe the pleasure?
but you, dear one, who came with leisure!

you were my first cigarette
so fast you burned, and sweet,
and made the spinning in my head
and sped my heart's slow beat.

when the last of you i'd breathed
and you and i were done
there were burns all over me
and an aching in my lungs.

feel the muscles tensing there
softly hear my praises sing
raise my pulse, and pull my hair--
my body is a loving thing.

touch my neck: its hairs will raise
feel my goosebumps spread;
if your lips on mine should graze
i shall never join the dead.

but to you i'm only skin
and all my tears are not enough
to baptize me from how you've sinned
and how you took advantage, love.

Hot as fire your tempers rage,
Cold, the song you sung
As you move and as you age
I hope from Hell your heart is sprung.

God hath had a gen’rous hand in giving
Lovely things and pretty tricks to thee.
Long as I, my dear, retain my living
I, your other eyes, may help you see:
Your manner is much sweeter than my measure
Like scooping seas in tablespoons away,
And counting far more glitt’ring golden treasure
Than I could ever spend to make you stay.
Suppose this is the pain that I must shoulder;
Imagine that I give until I die.
You told me I was good, said you were colder
And when I called you pretty, asked me, “Why?”
But if I write my love, you can't complain
So I shall give you verse this way again.

Stop to breathe.
Let each moment count,
Let every heartbeat shake you,
Spend your time in gardens of roses,
Coffee shops, rooms with fading books:
Spend moments chasing hours that
Will never return.
2. Love yourself.
You cannot pour from an empty glass;
You cannot give from an empty self.
Don't wait around for those who say,
"I'll love you when you're whole," or
"I can fix all of you that is broken."
Do not believe that you are broken.
3. Love your neighbors.
Not because any man commands it;
Love your neighbors because they are trying.
And so are you.
Like them, you cannot grow without love.
Like them, you are always able to give more love.
4. It's okay to leave when they hurt you.
It's okay to go, okay to withhold forgiveness.
Some wounds don't heal.
Your worth is not based upon how well you heal.
Time has a way of teaching you,
Giving, in pain, the lessons you must learn.
5. Repeat.
You are never done.
You are never too far gone.
You will be okay.
You will love again soon.

How could you feel sad, I wonder
With a crown of leaves upon your head?
And with fresh softness in your voice,
I wonder why you wish for death.

There you sit, perched carefully
With vine leaves in your hair
And linger with your touch, and grin
And when I stop to smile, stare.

Who is it that's hurting you,
I want to ask, but don't.
I'd like to give you happiness
If you'd let me, but you won't.