Very little makes me feel softer than the warm glow of candlelight; though this incident of loveliness will be followed by an inexorable decline - a humbling reminder that these moments are fleeting. I will neglect the idea that a mere gentle breeze holds the power to extinguish the light that keeps me feeling beautifully tender - I will not think about how a candle simply cannot burn forever.

Tender, outstretched hands — a gentle invitation for the touch of acceptance, of which I have waited patiently for. I now not only hear affirmations of growth; I feel them too. Through the blessings of beautiful opportunities, I have grown fruitful, which I pay for in eternal gratitude. I seep into the earth, the trees, wind and sun, and slowly slip into a warm oblivion.

as I'm living in my peaceful world,
an unfamiliar person enters.
he looks small from where I am.
"it looks like he's glaring at me."
"he seems like a bad person."
"I'm way better than him."
the thoughts hit the ground
as solid, heavy bricks,
and my heart pounds in response.
more bricks form a disjointed wall.
I step on the bricks as I climb.
I peek at him over the top
as he approaches the wall.
I notice his soft, kind eyes,
and his soul warms me up.
I slowly descend the wall. 
the bricks start to fall,
landing right behind us.
my heart stops pounding,
and it gently whispers,
"those bricks never fit together."
I give him a tender hug,
and I let him into my heart.

It’s plain and chaotic
And unique and divine
The beam of her caring
In every tender glance

if i needed to hold you close for hours and not let go until our lungs stopped breathing,
if i wanted to wrap everything in pretty paper just so i could gift it all to you,
if i dreamt of you every night, soft and pliant or wild and running around inside my head,
if i told everyone around us about how kind you are, how lucky i am to cherish you, how great we feel together,

if i loved you so much that
i stopped trying to hide it within me,
would that be too much ?

I think you never really move on from 'that' person. The pain just becomes more dull where it once was so sharp, sending daggers in to your oh so tender heart.

A.C.

God left a long time ago and took the
tenderness
      with
them

I cannot seem to leave
my fervent solitude,
but if you asked me for
apricot jam with fresh bread

I will hide my sorrows
behind the blue curtains,
so you can ******* yellow love

By the gods, I cannot
bear the possibility of
the morning light kissing
your back as you dream

I fear such tenderness
might be fatal, dear

it’s been a while since i
last held your breath
close to my heart
and it’s been a while since you

took off to depart
on a ship with no air
you shout out from your own
layer of the atmosphere

maybe there’s birds where
the wind carries burdens
maybe the pressure
rolls off their backs with care

but precious moments
leak from my brain
and i have no way to focus
but to stare at the stains