illusive incantations illustrate iridescent impermanence,
inspiring intellectual integrations past impartial intentions,
interdependent identities ingrained in innocence improve infrastructural spaces,
invite implausible involvement to instantly inform change.

Casted aside I reside in the broken remains of yesterday,
What we saw together,
an everlasting forever is now in ruins ...
I'm numb.
Devoid of thought - forsaken is my heart - and now I cry,
But there's no tears in my eyes,
Drifting beyond my grasp is the hope i once clasped,
Gone with the wind I've fallen in sin,
I'm numb
I'm numb,
What I want is not what I'll have,
Perhaps she is glad,
I sit in shambles wondering why my thoughts ramble,
Incoherent repercussions.

Casted aside I reside in the broken remains of yesterday,
What we saw together,
an everlasting forever is now in ruins ...
I'm numb.
Devoid of thought - forsaken is my heart - and now I cry,
But there's no tears in my eyes,
Drifting beyond my grasp is the hope i once clasped,
Gone with the wind I've fallen in sin,
I'm numb
I'm numb,
What I want is not what I'll have,
Perhaps she is glad,
I sit in shambles wondering why my thoughts ramble,
Incoherent repercussions.

A full rotation.
Another year cycles by marking your arrival,
You entered this world with uncertainty and lived it gracefully,
You had mishaps along the way that formed you into the being you are today,
Further you propel into the vast,
Beaming with wisdom more than the year last,
Blossom forevermore on your birthday oh soul,
You are a speck of the divine,
A true marvel to witness.

Aimlessly the wind blows carrying the cloth across the seasons,
Soiled was its surface that was cleansed with the nectar of redemption,
Clean is its slate that's used as we enter the new age,
A welcome opportunity of rebirth and renewal,
Draped on the line basking in warmth and rays,
It dries with promise of better days.

Alas it was but in that moment, when your soul cascaded into the night sky, that I understood what a goodbye truly meant. A chill crawled down my spine as your body grew colder by the minute beneath my touch; a solemn awakening on my conscience as grief greeted me yet again. This familiar path I feared to embark on again has resurfaced, baring with its somber recollections - I witnessed you…finally at rest.

Her arms would never turn the corner to greet me as I landed from my flight,
The warmth in her laughter shall fall to silent ears as the house ceases to echo,
Those eyes would never challenge the radiance of the sun again,
For it was in this moment I embraced the season of change, the art of letting go.

Letting go is a natural part of life that arises in manners we may never consider. May it be a goodbye placed upon a past lover, a former roommate, an old apartment, even a job site - goodbyes signify the end of a chapter. 2023 bore many moments of letting go for me as I relished in the art of departure. I lost my grandmother, the woman who raised me. This emotion was overwhelming as it marked the beginning of her legacy that I am now adorned to live. I have encountered many moments of goodbye this year: moving states, a heartbreaking end to a relationship, ending a program, seeking a new field of employment, ending a friendship - the list is exhaustive. Yet, it wasn’t until the passing of my grandmother I truly recognized the beauty of letting go.

The art of departure entails embracing what once was whilst creating space for what is to come. Letting go is freeing yourself of expectations - rather having abundant expectancy.

To give life to the inner workings of my mind I ink the surface of these pages with secrets untold,
A breath of fresh air is this release of suppressed expression that now flows freely,
Life is but a muse to the poet’s pen.

Poetry is a universal language that defies all boundaries,
Such serene stanzas touch souls with hidden splendor,
This prose awakens dreams in the heart of the wanderer,

Lost is the mind as it travels across the words on display,
Connected is the spirit as it creates meaning unique to the self,
Life is but a poem waiting to be discovered.

Tightly stretched across the frame I am cut from unbleached cloth,
The coarse craftmanship of my canvas awaits an artist's touch,
Outline the path to discovery and redemption on my surface,
Paint me with the colors of hope and prosperity as you guide my creation,
Let the pigments dance across my existence as I glisten and gleam,
I am a sight to behold,
A testament to the contributions of all before me,
Unified together through this masterpiece I now carry their legacy.

Temporary is my existence on this planet I have mistaken as true,
For I am from beyond where my spirit flies free,
Celestial currents flow through melodiously within me,
As constellations hidden in my soul shine through my daily decree,
The wind whispers of limitations on my visitation rights as I fall to the illusion of security,
I am reminded by nature that I am not from here,
For I am from beyond where my spirit flies free.

In the silence surrounding her she harbors solace,
with a candle burning her imagination and intuition is churning,
She scribes through the hours of the night to reason with the jigsaw of jargon outlined before her.

A scholar defying the norm,
a messy bun with a few strands undone,
that's the mark of her intellect,
it's the crown she carries.

It was misguided attachment as you were broken and I was shattered.

We brought our shambles together and crafted what would have been forever.

Yet I awaken to a reality more fickle than fragments my memory can bare.

Reckless and carefree I pursued my beloved,
Without a thought I entrusted my spirit to his prose,
Only to crack at the seams at his departure,
Put a leash around my heart for I can love no more,
I mistook two moments of affection for a forever,
Ghosts of his memories lurk in every corner of my conscious,
Restrain my emotions for they know no more;
A momentary lapse of judgement.

Oh moonchild,
it is safe now,
Unfold your layers till you discover the stardust and ecstasy residing within.

You are but a speck in the creation of life,
born of constellations your mind cannot fathom,
existing parallel to each equinox awaited,
although the vast is mystified and serene,
remember oh moonchild,
you are deserving of the radiance you shine onto others.

Unfold your layers and look inward for there you will find,
the glories the skies contain confide the very heart which you thought benign.

Arbitrary numbers scatter her mind's surface,
Operationally stunted she scurried,
For no deviation could solve the turmoil vested within,
It was hope vested in the cosmos,
An escape adorned in constellations,
The unwinding of a student.

She who lives in accordance to nature unfolding is an entity who governs with equity,
Embracing the beauties of organic origins she preserves life's virtue,
Holistically embodying the spirit of now she carries an impartial tranquility,
Restoring balance towards fickle fabrications many are led to believe.

The courage of your convictions
       lies dormant in veil of
          ignorance society
              has casted upon
                 your conscious.

She pours her soul into his void
hoping to earn space in the suitcase he's made of his life.

She watches the nights turn to day as their conversations melt the hours away,
learning to embrace the imperfections he's paved his path out of.

Boarding his flight he leaves her astray,
Leaving but a final kiss upon a broken promise for a future now dismay.  

If in the twilight of memory he meets her once more,
she will sing to him a deeper song.

Breaking free from confinement her roots emerge,
Cracked ceramic cascades across the fractured memories she bore,
She is growing past the bounds they placed her in,
She is defying the norms they mistaken her for,
Her overgrowth is fierce and intimidates all so.

Dealt grief - heartbreak - and trauma this woman survives,
No vessel capable of containing her spirit,
Overgrowth is her resilience that pushes past the comfort of garden beds,
The skies sing her praise as nature paves her way.

& as you shade me with relief from scorching rays I bask in your benevolence,
For you are a creation of infinite cycles,
A manifestation of life itself,
An essence of soul's past,
A recollection of karmic accounts,
My friendly companion.

The vessel that is set to carry out its mission,
Is the very utensil the architect uses to craft the map,
My the courses it charts with swift motions and firm strokes,
It dispenses the virtue of possibilities onto the surface,
Opening doors to a world beyond comprehension,
How the mind wanders to conceive dreams the heart can only fathom,
Endless is its creation aiding all who heed its call.

Trickling down the skies above does rain kiss the land solemnly, Moonlight hidden from eyesight to protect lunar fantasies from brutal realities,
The storm rages.

& now I know this life is mine -
to embrace the change that awaits,
& relish the beauties of the vast world,
capturing the essence of the everlasting,
this is where I reclaim my solace -
& now I know this life is mine

When hope simmers down and despair sets in,
Look up.
See beyond the clouds,
Past the sunlight,
Into the abyss,
And receive the abundance that lies above,
The universe loves you,
You're here for a reason,
Embrace your individuality.

You are integral to the functioning of this universe,
You hold merit in your pursuit and ambitions,
Be present with your body and still your mind,
You are capable of overcoming even the worst hurdles life has to offer,
This too shall pass,
Be patient with yourself.

Stuck in a societal routine she hustles a monotonous 9-5,
Shuffling through days that melt into weeks,
Awaiting to escape arbitrary rituals - she seeks release.

A forsaken smile crawls forward as she greets her past,
Rushing with euphoria and glee - his call beacons her,
Uplifting and fulfilling does he compliment her every day,
A mistaken encounter solidified as she prays.

You struck a chord the moment you entered the vicinity,
Captivating all that crossed your path,
The stride in your step coupled with the pride held in your respects,
Unified by the reverberance of your allure enchanted most,
She was not fooled by the glee celebrated by the free,
Naïve she once was only to awaken to the taunts of the mistaken,
She exits from all viewpoints,  
Holding a guarded heart with precarious intent.

Stardust shimmers in night's darkest hour,
Constellations gleam across dreamscapes unseen,
Bask in the moonlight child,
Revitalize.

If I could repeat this life there would be much to do,
Hearts to mend and deeds to undo,
Time spent mustering courage would transform into acts of expression,
My journal would be blank for my prose would meet your ears and not the page,
I'd share my mind's cavern with you,
And the journey would be ours to conquer,
If I could rewind and reverse time,
I'd relish a life with you.

It is not a mere assortment but a testament to the sentiment we share,
A bundle of heartfelt glee I present to you,
An array of colors crossing symbolism itself,
A gesture reigning classical to say the least,
A bouquet of roses for you my dearest,
My sincerest regards.

Universe vested within and galaxies scattered beyond,
A moon child fathoms her demise.

Now she scripts her story,
to comprehend a broken promise you led her to believe.

Left stranded she sits with empty wishes,
reality shifted and demasked the charade performed.

This truth weighs down harder with each passing hour,
demystifying the future she thought known.

Trusting their situation,
she had fallen prey to the captivation,
from this illusive trance she wakens,
and realizes she was mistaken.

An assortment of constellations scatters her surface,
An aura of serenity cascades across her conscious,
Benevolent is the truth vested within her,
Divine is the mystics she pursues,
A wanderer weary from travel she rests upon the fallen star,
Regaining her momentum to stride across the dreamscape she ponders,
A silent soul forevermore,
Searching for the essence infinite.

Grace your presence on each living entity that roots itself solemnly in your grounds,
Rejoice at the mercy of the infinite as he showers his benevolence on your path,
The road to redemption is a tedious feat,
May you guide the course with light and serenity.

looking up looks good on you,

you weren’t of this world,

your heart was beyond the realms of reason,

a ray of sunshine returns to its source today,

continuing to shower her light on life as she did for 84 years.

Looking up looks good on you,

you make mortality beautiful with such celestial hues,

bringing peace to the plants you tended,

solace to the animals you fed,

and warmth to the hearts you touched.

looking up looks good on you.

Watching her as the last breath had already left her grasp… to see a light cease… was a conflicted reality. She was there — but gone. Finally freed from the cycle of samsara. Touching her face, seeing the color wash away the pains of yesterday, and feeling her body chill to a gruesome cold… it was in that moment I realized she won’t complain i’m cold anymore. She will warm and light up the sky with her smiles now.

Mortality is but a fickle yet omnipresent reminder to cherish each moment as it scatters past our horizons. It is but a gentle reminder to hold onto hugs a minute longer, savor a conversation a sentence deeper, and sit in the sunshine till dusk greets our departures. It is in the everyday we remain rooted in the reality of what lies hidden in the inevitable. Thus, in the moments mortality beacons at our doorstep — sending the gruesome chill of conclusion up your spine — cherish the warmth that radiates within your waking breath. It is in the inhale and exhale we seldom forget the gift of today that is bestowed on our conscious.

The ability to create, to debate, to deliberate on the topics that itch our fascination lies within mere moments of the now. She taught us to immerse ourselves in the ravishing splendor that life is because the inevitable looms above us all. Such a kindred spirit was she, a woman with a heart of gold. A soul that radiated in a light blind to the common eye. She held onto a glow that constellations graced — a burning light in of herself.

looking up looks good on you.

A woman who shatters glass ceilings with cognition and reason fights with fortitude,
She is a scholar in the works,
Armed with ink and post-its she readily crafts her voice,
Expelling knowledge as she ventures into uncharted feats,
Victorious is her journey as she lives the unspoken dreams her ancestors could only fathom,
A testament to their contributions she decolonizes the dominant narrative,
Her enrollment is a keepsake for their sacrifices,
Marvel at her composition for resourceful and informed is her prose.

Kneeling at the shrine she pays respects,
Acknowledging those before her and the universe beyond her,
Grounded in humility she stills her mind,
To bolster discipline and refine the conscious,
Welcoming grace and bliss from divinity undefined,
Celestial vibrations sync to her prayer's call,
Moonlit gratitude summons heavenly hues,
A moment of fortitude and reflection,
Sheer tranquility engulfing her surroundings,
She is basked in the beloved's protection.

Shatter the mental snares that claim your mind solemnly,
Break free from the cycle of repetition that endlessly subjects you to karmic toil,
Cleanse your aura of sin to bask in radiance as your soul shines purely,
You are an essence from beyond.

An exhale to rid the conscious of deliberation and doubt,
to cleanse the body from worry and anxiety,
to center the soul to its origins,
a moment to bask in solitude;
a solo journey through life and it's many triumphs.

She is a woman to marvel,
Igniting a passion that lies within she illuminates the darkness,
Crackling with aspirations and exploding exuberantly she propels into the unknown,
To face the foreign and conquer speculation,
Leaving behind a trail of glitter in glistening light,
She is but a breathtaking sparkler dazzling all in sight,
Blessed is he who gets to hold her and bask in such glory.

October arrives baring autumn chills,
Warm tones splatter the streets as nature sheds its many colors,
Mystery lingers in every street corner,
A spooky season reigns yet again.

Internalized mayhem stirs within your being,
Storm clouds brewing in your mind's horizon,
A scatter of recollections and discoveries surface in your conscious,
You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts,
This banter hangs in the foreground of action as you contemplate your next steps,
Treacherous thoughts,
Disconnected mind,
Heart aflutter.

A stranger amid a room of familiars stumbles upon her in the path,
She resonates with life on a continuum,
As he beats freely to a vibration he strums,
Acquainted by unprecedented occurrences they muddle among the mix,
Gaining comfort and solace in the energy exchanged.

A union of continuous vibrations orchestrate their story unfolding,
Painting glories and wonders defying logic and time,
In colors unseen and promises refined,
All to abruptly halt steadfast and still,
This departure creates distance and barriers afoul,
Sentenced as strangers staggering aside to tread their own courses, Echoing of an ache still.

Lavender lingers to mask the hues of the wounds inflicted by memories of what once was,
A somber retreat past the stratosphere is where my heart now seeks refuge,
Away from this dismantled construct - the fantasy you led me to believe,
I sit solemnly to listen to my spirit and how it yearns for the beloved,
The distance enforced left me astray,
Now my days are painted in lavender as I hope to heal,
Brighter times of union and divinity,
Of peace and prosperity,
Filled with redemption and revitalization.

the trials she fails scatter her decisions -
she harbors quiet chaos in her mind's wake,
fathoming a reality unfit for spoken prose,
a truth vested in ambitions stretched; striving.

Awakened she stumbles upon the remains of her conscious,
Forever being a fantasy she held onto solemnly,
Fragments of realization pieced with passion left astray,
Broken hearted prayers uplift and revive,
A warrior goddess prevailing.

Moonlight cascades down her spine highlighting the subtleties forgotten by sunrise,
Masking realities flaunted by recognition,
Soft corners celebrated at midnight's call.

Sun-kissed moments dancing across memory lane,
Wind bearing whispers of dreams past,
A lifelong promise broken upon a summer love,
Seasonal were the conditions of his infatuation,
Temporary was the forever she had mistaken,
Young remedies await.

Infinite rays trace the waters ashore,
Warmth radiates year round - engulfing the winds with glee,
How serene it is to have an endless summer,
A splendid decree.

Blinding and radiant the sunshine trickles through the windowsill,
Bringing life to the shadows as it kisses the surfaces surrounding her,
The rays bare news of a world afar,
Reminding her of a beginning anew.