Because “yes”
Means yes
And “no”
Means no,
Especially when I’m being
Ever so
Serious with the things
I’m seeing
From you; Messaging
But never speaking.
Stop asking questions when
I say so (then
Maybe I’d try to
Be nicer to
You).
There are reasons as to why
I don’t really cry
In front of those I can’t rely
On. Stop bugging me
And then we’ll see.

I love me
Then I   love  me not
One second I am thriving,
The next I an stirring the ***
Once again

Somewhat sensitive
I'll never know peace
No! **** that!
Don't be, just a subject
Of your conditioning

I'm here
To treat you
With decency
And teach you

How to see right through the *******

Each of us is a world
Self-contained and sprawling
With high towers and deep caverns
Open fields and endless skies

Our worlds can collide
                                           encroach
Drift into others
Accidentally
Deliberately
With a rush of wind and crash of sound
Or creeping in like mist, slow and silent

Many of us build walls
                                          protection from encroachment
                                                    ­                                             actual or feared

Walls provide distance from others
Space to breath, to think
To exist

Wall-building is difficult
It requires practice
Rebuilding to maintain them

Sometimes our walls grow spikes
Provide offense
                              as well as defense
Cause harm
To both encroachers
And passersby

Or they grow so high
We can’t see over the top
Can’t distinguish a siege attempt
                                                         ­    from a knock on the wall

Walls provide necessary protection
Room for respite, but
Our walls can’t discriminate for us
                                                               a threat from an invitation

We must stay aware
                                     of the worlds beyond our walls
Build walls of glass
Instead of stone

View with curiosity
All who approach
Distinguish true encroachment
From clumsiness or ignorance
Retain the ability to reach beyond your walls
Reach out
                   without encroaching

To connect with other worlds

Like a cell drawing in pure water, rejecting unnecessary, undesirable molecules.

Like a virus spreading multiplying, taking over with vigor and tenacity.

Like the bubbles on the burbling lips of a toddler, growing and popping and dripping.

Like a ronin samurai without a lord, coming and going like the wind.

Like a thought that just won’t quit, a feeling that burrows into the bones.

Like the intensity of a fire, when a steady wind presses the seat of the fuel source.

So is my passion for life.

she goes to the beach with her shoes on -
yet longs to dip her feet in the water
the waves come crashing towards the shore, with open arms inviting her
but afraid, she steps away
only allowing the water to ever-so-slightly
kiss the tip of her shoe
a little more than the tip, and she scurries back panicked
though never turning away from the water,
she gazes still, pining with regret
oh she’s so tempted ~
as the wave ebbs, she inches towards the receding boundary
though unable to cross her own.

the wave, patient as ever, gives her another chance
and another,
lovingly,
incessantly,
it moves closer, extending its welcome
but she scurries back again
thinking about damp socks, or even worse
wet, sandy feet.
how was she supposed to get home with ease?  

distracting herself, she looks up at the night sky
though not the stars, she remembers instead their counterparts
the stars twinkling within those almond eyes -
smile brighter than the sunshine, aura peaceful like moonlight
laughter louder than crashing waves
but presence fleeting like butterflies.

what would happen if she acted too late?
unlike the waves, the smile would fade
those eyes would turn away, leaving her in the shade ~
driven with the fear of loss, she finally plunges, unafraid.

she’s in the moment, one with the sea
she can think about how to get home, only when she needs to be.