I offer you this poem,
or an idea of what this poem could be

because all I've got is 18 years in my back pocket
and that really ain't much life yet

I'll add the beautiful things I notice
but I feel I'm becoming too old
to notice beauty,
that's child's play

am I too young or too old?
usually it's both.

I'll probably stash the things I don't want to say
in the way that can be understood directly
because I want to sound deep and mature
and also because I want you to think
like me, for a bit
to borrow my eyes
and maybe you'll find what I mean
and maybe you'll find something even better
and maybe we'll finally feel that someone out there understands.

maybe

I want this poem to scare you
into doing something about some things
you've always wanted to change
or things I've always wanted to change but have always been
too scared, too young, or too stubborn to do.

I want this poem to move you
to write one that's even better
because maybe your eyes are like glass
so clear, you forget that it's there
or foggy
or blurry

but surely
new

but I have yet to find the words

I haven't looked through enough eyes
I haven't opened enough hearts
and I haven't read enough poems like this

though I don't mind spending my life searching...

but still I offer you
the idea
the possibility of a poem like this
because I'd really much rather like to believe

that it exists
          ...out there

as opposed to the alternative which is just too sad to ponder.