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1.2k · Feb 2015
Unsolicited Advice
Rachel Morris Feb 2015
Why oh why do you keep your head buried in your hands
Let the tears stain your clothes and face
Over a harmless act they define as unacceptable
Raise your head up out of the dirt
Wipe the tears away
You, darling, are a person
A human
Made up of love and music and beauty
Yes, there will be mistakes
But there are second chances and do overs
Let tomorrow be a new slate
A fresh canvas
Ready for you to make the art you were always meant to create
Dear friend, you are capable of more than you give yourself credit for
So let tomorrow worry about itself
And do not worry about yesterday’s mistakes
For they will not matter in the long run
Give all the love you have
Lend your hands, your ears, your heart, your time
Allow yourself to make mistakes
You need not achieve perfection in order to love others
You need not achieve perfection in order to love yourself
1.0k · Dec 2014
Safe
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
When your presence enters the room
An overwhelming sense of security surrounds me
You make me feel safe
A quality rare and captivating
You make me feel safe
As if I could release every inner demon
Share my wildest hopes and dreams
Tell you all the thoughts I have at night
The thoughts most people would never dream of giving away
You make me feel safe
Your piercing blue eyes look into mine and your arms wrap around me
In your embrace all anxiety melts away
And I forget every reason I have to be anxious
You make me feel safe
I look at you
And I know everything will be okay
956 · Sep 2016
Coming Out
Rachel Morris Sep 2016
I still lift my voice in song
To a God I no longer believe in
Not for my sake,
but for yours.
I am afraid of your heart breaking in two
When you find out that mine no longer yearns for Jesus.
934 · Feb 2016
Papa
Rachel Morris Feb 2016
A birdwatcher
A bus driver
A golfer
An airman
A man
With strong hands and a firm heart
And “the nosiest man alive”
According to his wife
A great-grandfather
A grandfather
A father
A friend
With unconditional compassion for all
Remembered by everyone who encountered him  
The truest example of love and kindness
Now, may his legacy live on through the hearts he changed
For his soul is now at peace.
Remembering and celebrating the life of my sweet Grandfather.
695 · Nov 2014
A Thank You Letter
Rachel Morris Nov 2014
I showed you my heart
A heart ******* its masquerade
You showed me your love
A love composed with no conditions
Rachel Morris Mar 2015
We have become a song
With soft melodies and peculiar harmonies
We crescendo into a greater understanding of one another
As we march on into the great adventure
But some days we choose to dance to the adagio drawing us in
As we decrescendo into quite noise
Surrendering to the silence that surrounds us
No matter the melody
The music
Minor falls and major lifts
I will choose to sing along with you
(Still a work in progress)
574 · Apr 2015
For Katie
Rachel Morris Apr 2015
You remind me of my younger self
With a heart as big as the moon
Eager to reflect the sun
The son of the God you are singing to
Eyes closed
One arm reaching to the sky
As if Jesus is an arm’s length away
You remind me of my younger self
The love of music is evident
In the way you play the keys
And sing with smiling eyes
The way I used to
Heels pounding to the beat of the drum
Head tapping to the rhythm of bass
Fiery passion flowing through your veins
A passion I lost long ago
A passion that bled and burnt out
Until I couldn’t feel the music anymore
And I hope you end up the girl I always imagined myself to be
While the music has seeped back into my skin
The fire never ignited again
Don’t let it burn out
Fuel your own flame
Surround yourself with those who would do the same
541 · Nov 2014
Go
Rachel Morris Nov 2014
Go
Hourglasses glued onto tabletops
Clocks that will stop ticking
A song that will end at a motion of the conductor’s hand
So are the lives we hold
So stop being afraid of living
Go
Have an adventure in a city you’ve never heard of
Try on clothes you’d never dream of wearing
Jump into a pool fully clothed
Create art even when your brain says you shouldn’t
Say the things you were always too afraid to say
Love the people you were always too afraid to love
And stop wasting your time hating yourself
You cannot hate yourself into loving yourself
Be kind to those around you
And don’t forget to be kind to yourself
Hold his hand in the pouring rain
Kiss her cheek
Loose yourself in a book you always said you would never read
Fall in love with a fictional character
Then have your heart broken when the author decides it is their time to die
Tell the stories you were always too afraid to tell
Call that soul you miss deep inside your heart
Even if it’s 2AM
Remember that cameras and cell phones can only capture photos
They cannot capture memories and moments
Don’t waste your time capturing more pictures than memories
Don’t waste your time wondering what people will think of you
It does not matter what people think of you
Don’t forget to live
Don’t forget to love
Don’t forget to forgive
Don’t forget to ask for forgiveness
Remember that our bodies are not meant to enter the grave
Well preserved, without a single scratch
We should arrive at our graves exhausted, battered
Hearts filled with the adrenaline of adventure
And shout with our last breath, “****! What a journey!”
Life is messy
Life is hard
But most importantly, life
Only comes once
There are second chances in life
But there are no second chances at life
536 · Nov 2014
Bullet Proof Battle Plan
Rachel Morris Nov 2014
We listen to politicians promise to end poverty
We hear preachers plead for money to send people to evangelize
All we hear is talk of change
All we listen to are speeches filled with empty promises
And never do we see anything being done
So shut your mouth
and  
DO SOMETHING
Offer to buy lunch for that homeless man you see every day
Donate the clothes you do not wear anymore
Listen to those who trust you with their secrets
Stand up for those who won’t stand up for themselves
Stop talking about changing the world
Stop making promises
Shut your mouth and
just Do Something
response to the prompt "the world would be a better place if..."
520 · Dec 2014
(Reminder)
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
grades do not define your intelligence
the numbers on your report card do not determine your importance
worth and grades do not correlate
your mental health is more crucial
than acing that test you have tomorrow
close your weary eyes, child
and rest for a while
Rachel Morris Nov 2015
Does the number of times you caressed my face and kissed my lips make up for the number of times you made feel like ****?
Does the number of times you wrapped me in your arms while I cried make up for the number of times you caused the tears yourself?
Does your old soul make up for the ugly side no one should ever have to see?
Does it matter than you helped me through the rough, even though I spent so much ******* time covering for you when you couldn’t face it yourself?
Where do I draw the line between being selfless and forgetting to take care of myself?
Am I a selfish ***** for wanting to give up on you?
Should I listen to what they’re telling me?
486 · Dec 2014
Chandler
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
Chandler smiles
like the world depends on the warmth it emits
Chandler laughs
like today is the last day he will have to chuckle
Chandler says my name
over and over
like he will never have another chance to say it
over and over
my name forms in the back of your throat and
rolls up to the back of your tongue
Rachel
Chandler is nineteen
Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy
Trapped in a body he cannot control
Like prison walls around his muscles
He is unable to move most of them
He uses what he can
He raises his good hand, waves, and flashes a smile
that screams flirtation  
Chandler winks
Knowing he can make any girl swoon
Chandler says my name
Even when I am not there
Chandler’s hand may not fit perfectly with mine
But I will make the puzzle pieces fit
Chandler is somebody I know I will outlive
And the thought terrifies me
Knowing already that he may not make it past twenty
And while the clock is ticking
We will make the most of every moment
I kiss his forehead
He causes my heart to smile
and we shall live every moment to its limit
as if the world depends on it
457 · Sep 2016
Haiku
Rachel Morris Sep 2016
Your kisses taste like
My morning cup of coffee
Awakes me inside
449 · Jan 2015
How to be a Musician
Rachel Morris Jan 2015
let the music flow through you, uninhibited
and
make the audience forget they came to a concert
436 · Nov 2015
6, 5, 4, 3
Rachel Morris Nov 2015
A fool, unaware, naïve, and immature
Invincible through all my bones
How wrong I was
Slowly slightly changing

Now counting down days until tomorrow
Unsure of what tomorrow holds
Restless soul of mine
Refuses remain still

Adventurous spirit flows throughout my veins
Creating new ways to love
Giving forth my all
Proving them wrong
436 · Jan 2015
Robert Allan
Rachel Morris Jan 2015
He stands tall, but not the tallest any more
Hazel eyes define every other feature on his face
His hair is like mine
A mess of untamable curls like our father had in college
Calloused fingertips reveal every late night spent
Playing his guitar
Learning and writing songs alike
His voice is a spectrum of booming frustration to gentle advice
Afternoons after school
and late nights after breakups were spent belting at the top of our lungs
all of the songs we only sang in front of each other
When he was in high school
He was a safe I could keep all my secrets with
The ones I wouldn’t dare tell mom and dad
and now
I can only make deposits on holidays and seldom weekends
Over anything else
I love how he trusts me with his secrets
Making just as many deposits as I do if not more
Though he is only a call away
It’s not the same as having him down the hall
It’s not the same
It’s never going to be the same
428 · Dec 2014
Unforgotten Apology
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
Over two years have passed since we last spoke
And I wish these two years
hadn’t spread us apart like dandelion seeds
so many words have been left unspoken
and I wonder if you ever think of me
Late at night
all the “what if’s” running wild
and I wonder if it’s even worth it
to try and get your attention
just to say
I’m sorry
427 · Apr 2015
Worry Not
Rachel Morris Apr 2015
Worry not of the days to come
Worry not for the hours ahead
They shall take care of themselves
Instead
Replace worry with love
Replace fear with courage
Roll down your windows
Take note of the leaves rustling in the trees
And if you listen closely
Even the flowers have a song to sing
And the birds are harmonizing with them
Take a moment to breathe
Forget about the deadlines
The appointments
The places to be and the things to do
Worry not of those things
Instead
Look into the bowl of your neighbor
Make sure they have enough
Give away all the love stored away inside your heart
But: *make sure to give some to yourself
396 · Aug 2015
Nine Love Letters
Rachel Morris Aug 2015
Dear Cody,
You have been and always will be my brother, filled and overflowing with love I could never comprehend.

Dear Tim,
You are my protector, my safeguard and stronghold, seeking justice when you know injustice is present.

Dear Paul,
Joy radiates from your smile, and you chose to smile despite everything you've been through.

Dear Micheal,
I'll always cherish the years we had together, though I wish you were sitting next to me on the piano bench instead of a prison cell.

Dear Ty,
Originality and authenticity are difficult to find these days. May you never lose that spirit.

Dear A.J.,
I've never met a man who stood so strongly by his convictions. I hope we can make music together again someday.

Dear Ben,
Thank you for the years of consistent handshakes and hugs. I could never articulate with words how much they've meant to me.

Dear Brigham,
The love you want so badly to give away could overflow the oceans. Never stop being reckless.

Dear Cole,
After three years of painful silence, reconnection with you is the sweetest redemption I've tasted yet.

For all:
Now go, conquer the world, follow your convictions, keep your candles burning, fuel your own flame, and spread the love you posses like wildfire.
395 · Sep 2015
High School Band
Rachel Morris Sep 2015
The best part about high school band
Is not the trophies
The awards and medals and ribbons
Those things are great, but there’s more to it
The best part about high school band
Is not the stadium lights
Late nights spent laying on the warm turf during water breaks
The August heat and November snow
These things are wonderful, but there’s more to it
The gift of being able to hold an instrument in your hand
And produce the sound of the human soul
You are able to create an unforgettable experience
for hundreds and thousands of people
Simply with the breath in your lungs and the apparatus in your hands
This is the best part about high school band
You have the ability to combine notes and rhythms and chords
And bring tears out of the eyes of the audience in the process
Cherish this gift, for not all will have the chance to possess it
You’ll forget the scores and placements and how tall the trophies stood
but you’ll remember the power, the family, the passion
Hold tightly to these things, because four years will flash before your eyes
And you will miss it more than you could have ever imagined
393 · Dec 2014
Untitled
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
We sit in silence together
Surrounded by the celling fan and window creak symphony
The quiet moments speak louder than the laughter
I revel and hold tightly to these minutes
Knowing I'll be packing my bags in a matter of months
Leaving for unknown territory
Turning a new page in this book
Not knowing what I will write
And I can only hope that
You will continue to write your name
In the margins of my story
In between the lines of every page
And all that I ask is that
You will continue to write in pen
And never regret the moments you have written
386 · Dec 2014
Peace Come Soon
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
How do you console the inconsolable?
What are you supposed to say to sons who've lost their fathers
And mothers who've lost their daughters?
I hope that peace will soon flood these heavy hearts
And that I can find even the smallest of words to say
377 · Nov 2014
Thoughts
Rachel Morris Nov 2014
On nights when I lay awake
stare at the celling
pretend I’m looking stars
I wish that they would see you
through my eyes
But more than anything
I wish that you would see yourself
through my eyes
priceless, not worthless
honest, not offensive
just another soul trying to find
the purpose of it all
353 · Feb 2015
six word memoir
Rachel Morris Feb 2015
love is all I'll ever give
339 · Jul 2015
A Love Letter
Rachel Morris Jul 2015
Dear Micheal,
I'll always cherish the years we had together
Filled with heavy metal music and terrible singing sessions
Though I wish you were sitting next to me on the piano bench
Instead of a prison cell
327 · Oct 2015
Another Thank You Note
Rachel Morris Oct 2015
and all the while I would have never thought
that you would be the one to save me from the fog that
kept me stuck inside the rut of abusive affairs
305 · Nov 2015
Untitled
Rachel Morris Nov 2015
Discovering you is like discovering the ocean
A vast oasis of never ending secrets
Which have the power to captivate, confuse, convict, and cut
Deep into the hearts that care so deeply for you
290 · Feb 2015
Love Embodied
Rachel Morris Feb 2015
There’s a fire in your eyes
That won’t be put out until your last breath
Your passion for the world shines an aura so bright
Even the blind are able see it
Bringing light and love to everyone who crosses your path
Your pen leaves a trail of words that
Will change the world
There’s a flame in your spirit
That will set a spark through all of humanity
Filled with hearts you love, each and every one
Go and take every chance you have
Open every door in your path
Live your life filled with love for all
Teach others to do the same
And perhaps then the world will know peace
279 · Nov 2014
Untitled
Rachel Morris Nov 2014
Imagine a world where we tattoed ourselves in all of the nice things we didn't think people needed to hear
All the compliments we didn't think we needed to give
Imagine if we took all these chances we had to be the best part of someone's day
277 · Dec 2014
ten words
Rachel Morris Dec 2014
you're a museum
and I love every piece of art

— The End —