your name alone is poetry.
immaculate is your stare.
your eyes.
sacred.
black pearls from the depths of your soul.
ever whispering the wonders it brings.
divine. so underrated is the word.
to describe the sensation of your touch.
your skin so supple and tempting.
ravishing.
its radiance. blinding.
delectable.
luscious.
indulging.
a sensory overload of emotions.
an aftermath of dreaming what your
lips taste like.
succulent?
heavenly?
i am lost for words.
let the gods utter reasons so
distinct i might get the point.
pleasant but dangerously addictive?
just maybe so.
but not even close to obsession.
just the mere sight of you makes
the view grand.
a spectacle to behold.
in awe.
for you are my poetry.
gratifying.
just full of mystery.

i used to think my body would look prettier in a casket
but i spent hours looking at it in a mirror anyway.
sometimes I feel like my body doesn’t want me in it anymore,
or like my mind is trying to trick me into leaving.
my aching limbs and tired heart make me feel like
my body has been around for longer than I’ve been in it.
it's only just now starting to feel like it's mine
because when enough grown men yell at you from their pickup trucks
and enough frat boys shout at you from their porches,
you start to learn that your body isn’t really yours,
and it took me too long to be upset about that.
because when i stopped eating, i was the only one
who could feel that pit in my stomach,
and the only one who had to live in my exhausted body.
and i’m still not sure if i liked that or not,
but i do know that it made me feel strong.
and it took me too long to unlearn that feeling.
that safe feeling i’d get when i was all wrapped up in my hip bones and clavicles
and the waist i was always so scared to spill out of.
it took me years to learn that a cold heart isn't a blessing
but my feet still haven't gotten the message
i carry worry in my teeth
and shyness in my ankles,  
i’m filled to the brim with feelings that
mix together so much, i can't tell which is which anymore,
and i overflow so often that i should be drowning in saltwater by now.
my heart races so fast,
it's a miracle i’m still alive.
but on those days when i’m held together with safety pins and good intentions
when i wear lipstick like armor and couldn't look you in the eyes if i tried
i will curl my knees against my chest
and hope that that will be enough to keep me in my body.
my body, that’s filled with endless love and cruelty
but not enough courage
it’s an argument i can’t win
it's a house i’m locked inside of,
but i’m not planning on going anywhere.

He looked around before he whispered in your ear
His voice was soft as he told you, "Don't you dare fear."
You didn't understand, and you grew scared
And he took over your mind as you hid beneath your bed

Your nails scratched loudly against the wall, like a cat
And you closed your eyes as the tears fell and hit your mat
How had it come to this, you wonder aloud
But he warned you, and you remember as you hit the ground

We are the ones.
We pass each other in the hall,
and we make eye contact,
and we are unaware,
we never know exactly
what it is that draws us to one another.
How can two people who have never met before,
know each other so well and
make such obvious attempts to
get one another's attention.
How can there be a gravitational pull,
that seems to never let up,
that pulls you in until you're stuck.
But mostly, how can something so strong become so weak,
how can you forget about that pull, and no longer see
what was once so intriguing to you, and no longer recognize
the insanity of knowing someone who you've never met.
How can you go on with your life knowing,
That person could have changed you forever,
and every misfortune you have could have
been avoided by a simple hello.
And because you don't say it,
This is where you are.
Speak up.