She was an acoustic version of herself,
Stripped down,
Strummed by life's callous fingers.

Before you jump into a life that doesn't fit you,
Get to know yourself the same way
You would get to know someone else.
Observe what you do, not what you say.
You may find that your actions
Clash with your fashionable self-portrait.

My heart is a desert,
Parched,
Ready for the soothing rain of your love.
But the promise of your affection
Is a mirage.

You can keep your basket of good intentions.
I say this without condescension.
It's just that I've got a small place;
I really can't spare the space.
Plus the basket seems rather flimsy
As if put together on a whimsy.
Now if you happen to have a sturdy crate of action,
I think I would be able to make an exception.

Feelings - fluid like water,
Fluctuating states
As they are exposed to the elements.

The heat of unprovoked dislike
Causes a rolling boil of resentment and insecurity,
With the steam of confusion as its crown.
The cool air of sympathy
Causes it to simmer down
Into lukewarm vindication.

The chill of indifference
Forms an icy block of aloofness
That eventually crystallizes into disdain.
Time, coupled with the warmth of understanding
And acceptance,
Melt it into affection.

The thing that attracts you to me
Is the thing you want to ****.
You are like a little boy mesmerized by a firefly -
And then snuffs out its light.

Grunting and growling,
Like a feral animal in a cage,
Her spirit lashes out,
Clawing at the bars of convention.

The anticipation,
The reality,

The feeling of disappointment,
Like a steel anvil in free fall.

Guilt is a lone dark wolf.
It runs, ducks and weaves,
Daring you to pin it down.
Its doleful howl is unrelenting.
You long to put it out of its misery
But it is ever elusive,
Taunting you with its agility.

What song will I play today?
A cacophonous anthem of anger?
A slow, winding sonnet of sadness?
A buoyant hymn of happiness?
A dulcet chant of calm?
What song will I play today?
It all depends on which button you press.

There aren't many certainties in life,
But here's one -
People will disappoint you.
And that's because they're human.
And humans are riddled with flaws.
Try not to take it personally.

Life is a mountain.
You're either born at the top,
Or have to make the climb up there.

Loneliness - it gnaws at you,
Leaving a hole resembling a deep well.
The dark emptiness congeals
And sharpens into a fierce pang.

Loneliness - a desolate wilderness
Where many can be found,
Yet to each other remain unseen.

Loneliness is my best friend.
It didn't start out that way.
I used to feel down
When she came around.
It didn't matter to her
If I was with others or alone.
I would try to ignore her
Or distract myself with other things or people.
But she would stick around anyway.
Her uninvited visits don't make me sad anymore.
I've come to accept her -
Even embraced her the last time she came by.
I can always count on her to keep me company.
I wouldn't say that I prefer her,
But she's grown on me.

Hope is the smooth, clear blue sky above us.
Reality is the rocky, dusty dirt path beneath us.
We live somewhere in between,
Striving for something fulfilling,
Seeking guidance in trees of distraction,
At times suffocated by the murky air of despair.

But then we remember to look up
And gather strength from that undisturbed sea of blue,
Feeling warm bright rays of comfort.
Life is no longer foggy -
At least for the moment.

The bass bounces
Between my ears like a yo-yo.
I walk to its beat -
My steps helplessly syncopated,
Containing the hint of a dance.

The promise of forever,
Like a freshly baked cookie,
Is soft and sweet.
But after some time,
Like a cookie gone stale,
Hardens
And crumbles in reality's hand.

Regret is a sharp punch in the gut.
You gasp for air, looking for a salve for the pain.
You wish for a rewind or undo button.
You rationalize, apologize, tell soothing lies
To yourself until you realize
And accept that there is only now.
There is no time machine.
There is only now.

Regret is an ocean.
It comes in waves,
Washing away
Sandcastles of serenity.

Sweet relief is akin to
Being engulfed
In the lingering embrace
Of someone you adore.

A shallow friendship is like a can of soda.
You drink it, thinking it will quench your loneliness.
But it actually makes you more lonely in the end.

You are
A breath of fresh air brushed with lavender;
A book that grips and makes one ponder;
An evergreen swaying in the breeze to a silent beat;
The feel of warm beach sand under bare feet;
The sound of sparrows singing in the noonday light;
The space beneath the comforter on a snowy night.

You are,
Like each of these simple pleasures,
One of life's exquisite treasures.

My mind is a jungle,
Dense thought trees
Blocking rays of clarity;
Ruminations intertwined,
Like twisted vines.

What is true romance,
If not the acceptance
Of each other's collection of scars?

Trust -
Fragile like a glass doll,
The glue of relationships,
Like iron battered by water,
Corrodes,
If handled carelessly.

Uncertainty -
Its weighty sound belies its amorphous character.
It creeps up, breaks in and steals your peace of mind,
Like a stealthy burglar.

It laughs at your fruitless attempts to predict the future.
It knows you can only guess,
Only hope,
That what lies ahead
Is brighter than what came before.