At seventeen, I walk this line,  
Between what's lost and what's mine.  
MATURE in ways they cannot see,  
While others dance in youthful glee.

I hide my gifts, I shrink from light,  
For fear they’ll claim what isn’t right.  
They flaunt their pride, so loud, so sure,  
Yet their certainties feel so impure.

I loathe the arrogance they wear,  
Yet hate myself for how I care.  
For in my heart, I see the truth,  
That self-awareness often wastes in youth.

I exist for no one else but me,  
My deeds unseen, a quiet plea.  
Misunderstood, they call me bold,  
But selfish? No, that’s not my mold.

I’ve wasted time, I’ve tried to please,  
To fit a mold that wasn’t me.  
But now I see it’s all in vain,  
A cycle of self-inflicted pain.

Some call me friend, but I can see,  
They’re only close when it suits their need.  
Their empty words and careless ways,  
They leave me hollow, lost in a haze.

They act as if they care so much,  
But their warmth is cold, a shallow touch.  
I laugh and smile, but it feels off,  
Like I’m just playing some tiring scoff.

I've seen a few, wise and kind,  
But they’re too far for me to find.  
Their presence feels a distant star,  
Too far to reach, too bright, too far.

end,,,,,,

there once was a fox
who wished he could be white as the snow
so he piled it on
but his breathing grew slow

there once was a flower
with petals so rare
that they would sparkle and shimmer
as they flew through the air

there once was a boy
with a heart full of gold
his mind painted melodies
and stories were told

till a man came along
said his heart should be green
and somehow, in an instant,
his life lost all meaning

the flower was told
“spread your roots far and wide”
by the tall standing oak tree
who was never defied

but the flower said
“no, i’d much rather dig deep
i’ll find my own water
i’m a plant, not a sheep”

that poor little fox
would soon pass away
from the weight and the cold
of the standards of today

well the boy took a stroll
his legs moved with power
as he walked up a hill
and set his eyes on the flower

he’d planted all those years ago
when his mind used to dance
when he lived life on the edge
took every risk and every chance

his heart started to beat
as the flower shared its treasure
his spirit was the fox
and the boys’ name was azure