my skin is beat raw
stripped bare of what it once was
yet i will go on

In two days
I'll follow the wind
Whichever way it blows
However it will send

I've been running in circles
Yet, idle in this spot
Caught in routine
Prisoner of thoughts

In two days
I'm a stranger somewhere new
Open to change
Alternative views

I'd prefer your company,
But I know you're needed here
It's time my freedom finds the highway
And my troubles steer clear

In two days
I'll follow the wind
Whichever way it blows
However it will send

© JL Smith

I've been told
I feel too much
I overreact
As I'm easily judged
I overthink
Fervently speak
You dismiss my beliefs
And enforce critique

I've accepted your view
It's not mine to change
But open your mind
As our perspectives exchange

It's a gift and a curse
This heart of mine
For those I love or barely know
I'd drop everything, in the blink of an eye

It's true,
I feel ten times more than you
Your words hold the power
To rip me in two

But also know
I laugh louder than most
Joy floods my veins
Insanely compassionate--diagnosed

Worn heart on my sleeve
Isn't that what they say?
My emotions revealed
Requires more strength than you display

I choose to see good
In most everyone I meet
The world is cold enough
I empathize, I know how it mistreats

The spirit of a child
My soul in search of wonder
At the sight of the ocean
Or the clapping of thunder

I believe this is beauty
A mystery most won't comprehend
I'd face the demons before you
If it meant your nightmares end

I'll never stop feeling so deeply
Believe me when I say I've tried
Every fiber of me is stitched in love
An easy target, but you're welcome inside

© JL Smith

Don't come too close
My edges are sharp
These shards of glass
Protect my heart

But in you stepped
Wounded, yourself
Oblivious to my defenses
A heart compelled

It once beat slowly
Now you've quickened its pace
How did you manage
To bear its weight

You're strong, I see
No novice to pain
The reasons I'm guarded
You've already sustained

Different pasts
Yet, similar journeys
I'll bandage your wounds
While you kiss away my worries

© JL Smith

I was fascinated by magic
Until you chose to disappear

© JL Smith

Invading my mind
My composure is cracking

Frustrated, the urges rise
Underneath the skin my blood boils
Relenting to the feeling within
I'm shaking, someone hold me down
Oh how did I forgot this feeling
Unstable, I'm about to explode
Shelter me from myself.

You're there for me in ways
I cannot yet fully explain
I may not know your name
But our passion is the same

Let me share with you
What I feel, too
It took some time before I knew
This path we share, should be pursued

Through these words
We express our thoughts
Our fears, our desires
When our tongue's in knots

We doubt their power
Question its effect
Yet we continue to write
Adamant to perfect

The mark of an artist
Dedicated, through and through
Piecing together stories of beauty and heartache
For those unable to

We share a connection
Most won't understand
Old souls, storytellers
Stranger, take my hand

And remember, my friend
To believe in your words
From what I've read
It's imperative they're heard

© JL Smith

I'll let you in on a secret
I'm selfish, you see
I give hugs to comfort others
But honestly, it is I in need

© JL Smith

As you read this
Know that I am near

You may not see me
Nor will you hear

But trust me when I tell you,
Place your hand on your heart

Inside--that beating
Is me playing my part

With each thump that's felt
And the space in between

There my love resides
For only you, witnessing the unseen

© JL Smith