I think I like-like you.
You are always on my mind (I used to make fun of people who said this but god it's true!)
I love how we talk about music and agree on everything (except on rap but I'm opening my mind up to it just for you)
I love how you sing along to songs under your breath and then to me when you notice I'm staring (I always get goosebumps just thinking about us at the concert with your arm around me)

At the same time I'm nervous.
Nervous because as everyone says all good things come to an end.
Nervous because I'm never good enough.
Nervous because as soon as I'm happy something happens and it's all gone in a second.

But for you I would brave my fears and doubts just for the chance to hold you in my arms again and maybe just maybe we will meet at another concert and reconnect like we did so many months ago before.

i guess i make it too obvious
i don't want to talk about things
because since i turned sixteen
you haven't asked me how i feel
or how my day was
but i guess that's okay
because i was always the one drowning
and you were always the one
yelling at me to "just swim"

how do you tell someone
no amount of telling me to love myself
will make me find myself beautiful
and how do you tell someone  
getting out of bed in the morning
feels like trying to swim with
stones tied to your ankles
and how do you tell someone
trying makes it worse
and how do you tell someone
everyday is a struggle,
and ode to the man hanging on a cliff with one hand

*a boy that still had someone to confide in
dared to tell me,
"don't bottle up your emotions"
so i looked him in the eyes
as i bought a bigger bottle

I know a girl who cut her hair short
My freshman year
Because a boy had pulled it so hard it
tore out her heart

I know a girl who cut her wrists
When we were in 8th grade
Because her mind was not good enough
For her boyfriend.

I know a girl who cut class
My sophomore year
To ***** a senior
Who had ****** every girl in the school
"except me" she said
"We make love" She said.

"We were great" She said.

"We weren't meant to be." She says.

Wife beatings
Child beatings
No peek receivers
***** weighing

BYE!

for the girls
that will never know the difference
between affection and aggression
for the kids forced to bring
broken arms and black eyes
to show and tell
each bruise a reminder
never to make him mad again
he told you he was nothing
like your father
so you let him leave you bruises
to know what it felt like when he was gone,
tell me what it feels like when he's gone.
they will tell you
boys will be boys,
but that is no excuse
for telling you
that you asked for it
i love you,
i beat you,
I'm sorry,
there is no excuse,
don't ever accept that
boys will be boys.
darling,
aggression and affection
are not synonyms
they exist in opposite universes
and i will scream
until my voice in nonexistent
for my eight year old cousin to understand
when he hits you on the playground
it does not mean he likes you
never make the mistake of
thinking he loves you when he leaves you scars
when you see the flames
burning in his eyes
and fear starts in yours
don't you ever
confuse it with love
women will continue
to believe they asked for it
will continue to believe
they wanted it
until we convince them
your clothes do not say
**** me
your alcohol content does not say
**** me
only you have to power to say yes or no
only you have the power to tell yourself
the only cause of **** is rapists