Lest we wonder; who shall wonder for us, for with all
we know. We shall never know enough.

Lest we speak our mind; what more can we discuss,
speak of yourself. But also do have ears to hear.

Two unconstrained mouths; will heed nothing,
as are fools; in competition of being the most loud.

One paints a face with their spit; while making the other
a clown.

To the courters of love; pretending love is all lovely. You are
so hopelessly blind.

Behold love's beauty, she does bless your eye. Still often
a curse; to many who take her lightly.

Gain the most lessons; while still in your youth,
for what is a lesson, if you don't apply a use?

Still never pardon all mistakes because of youth;
rather live on honesty, and be well fed on truths.

approached the world
with all that was left of me
with the scars on my back
and the light within

in this little backpack
the lessons i learnt
the mistakes i've made
the promises of tomorrow

time flew by
and it's almost...
....no longer scary

the scribbles in my book
i will hold dearly
so one day they may turn into art
for the world to see

Faint(adjective)- (of a sight, smell, chance, or sound) barely perceptible,
Like the beating of a broken heart being drowned out by
Screaming behind closed doors. The redness that circles
Around the crying eyes you use concealer to hide behind.
Faint as the sun shimmering over your receding silhouette
As you pass just beyond the horizon line, away from me.
Faint chances of survival, when fifty yellow-gold and black
Rosary beads hang free around the necks of those who surround you.
The tinge of iron you smell as your blood pools in your mouth, but
The will to never faint, as in fall to the ground in front of thirsty crowds.
Faint thoughts of happiness that arrive like butterflies, though
They never land long enough to wrap your arms around.
A faint pulse after chasing a feeling through a needle.
Faint, like the beauty of life being burned away. Ever faint
Are the screams of smoldering redwood trees.
The faint spinning of the globe, balanced on an invisible finger.

Nature itself has boundaries by which it abides
The waters of the sea can only go as far as the shore
Unless instructed otherwise
Likewise you need to set boundaries in your own life
You are responsible for who you allow entry into your life
Keep the darkness at bay
But remain open to the light
Who is the light you may ask
Those who bring forth the best in you
And remember not everyone who says "I love you" is necessarily of the light
Weeds grow among flowers too you know
Who is the darkness
Those who practice envy, strife, and sow destruction
Who reflect their dislike of themselves upon others
Avoid such people
Do not engage
Lest they reel you into their bottomless pit of despair
Like a fly you may get tangled in a web
From which there might be no escape
And soon the spider will emerge to devour its prey
Learn from your mistakes
That's what mistakes are about
For you to obtain knowledge
But NEVER repeat the lesson
Forgive but keep a distance
Never allow your heart to be darkened
It will only make your enemies happy
The world consists of givers and takers
No one stands in the middle
Trust your gut
It will never tell you a fib
Keep the good and cast away the bad
But never forget what you had learned from the bad
LEST YOU REPEAT IT
Don't be afraid to use the word "no"
You'll be surprised how much power such a small word contains
Always try to do the right thing
And remember that the journey which you are on
Is YOUR responsibility alone
So remain true to yourself
And don't forget to enjoy the ride while you are at it

dear basil,

regret is useless
learn the lesson and move on

blow out the candle next time
don't go to auditions alone ever again
call your friends more
live outside of your head sometimes

don't wait for her to find someone else
because you're scared of rejection

make a wish before you blow out your birthday candles
write down that thought stuck in your head
don't wait until 10 pm to start that movie on a school night

but it's okay if you want to turn back time a little
just as long as you learn why

love,
basil

Some people get lonely at college,
but I never really feel alone.
I have these critical parental voices
that always keep me company
and point out my mistakes.