The only promises,
I ever want to hear,
Are the ones you plan to keep,
Should you fail,
Let it be not be without the most vigorous of crusades.

I love with youth,
Vitality and passion,
But I hope to learn,
The art of loving old.

Sleep is so addictive
It numbs all pain and suffering
You can curl up with death
And feel its peaceful embrace

But when you again wake
Its hellish and unsafe
Your soul aches
You long for rest again

The word "child" speaks of innocence,
From it's beginning to end,
And yet,
The child is shown violence and horror,
The seen evil dwarfs every adult before them,
And yet they smile,
Though bound to a world of guilty.

A city of people
Established under the concept of individuality from its collector,
Accustomed to the separation and liberty
Others are not so lucky to receive.
Yet in the raptorial eyes of authority and power,
No such liberty matters.

In a country of despots,
The autonomy of this shelter threatened with extradition,
And the consequence of more strings
Being tied to the city by the ever-present hands of the puppet master.

A city of people
Protesting this invasion of the home.
Lives put on pause as a people’s purpose is pushed to the forefront.
Streets stuffed full,
Airports shut down,
The voice of the people shall be heard.

A city of people
Suffering through the brutality of their protectors.
Emblazoning their message to the masses.
Shattered windows and graffiti reveal the real truths.

Tear gas,
Fire,
Ammunition,
Authority.
The ruined arm of a medic cries louder than his plea for help.

No help has come.

In distant countries
Those with an audience speak out in the name of Hong Kong.
Punishment is inflicted upon them by the puppet master.

Money with the power of silence,
And censoring opposition.
Money with the power to end careers.
And keep the people blind.

Like the strings on a puppet,
Chinese business holds control.

A city united.
Abandoned, but not powerless.
Never paralyzed by the fearsome eyes of control.
Ever strong,
Stand with Hong Kong.

If I could crawl
I would do so among the great mammals of the sea
If I were to swim
I would enjoy the wet and godly heavens above me
Should I sleep
I would dream of paradise where no ill take me
When I walk
I wish it were without shame

I miss monarch butterflies on milkweed

I miss apricot trees

I miss planting random seeds

I miss how cut alfalfa smells

I miss my childhood dirt, tears, and all

You asked for my thoughts,
How do you feel?
And my mind wandered...
But never from you,
But to every instance of you.
Your shadow will never fade,
From the sunset of my memories.

Its beauty is burned into the sidewalks,
Baked by golden autumn evenings,
And the marks will remain even if you walk down a new street.

And I will see them,
Dark,
Against the white of concrete.

He bought me a new dress,
For my birthday,
"You're gorgeous,"
He said before I put it on,
"This is just something to remind you."

Should we have kissed that day?
The idea did rest hot on our lips,
And it's suggestion clear in our eyes,

We waited,
Still somehow,
The almost kiss remains sweetest.

To sleep is to trade,
The god of rest your consciousness,
For a moment of his addictive peace.

Many times I look at old names,
Which lay stale on my screen,
What ever happened to them?
What demons did they face?

I never meant to break,
The heart of a young,
Cowboy who was sweet,
Tea in the summer.

I was a confident,
Less than other girls,
And didn't understand myself,
In the eyes of he,
Saw me as a wild flower.

Friends is all,
To him I thought I was,
More than my shy,
Beautiful he said.

So I said a friend goodbye,
His ray of sunshine gone,
Too far for ropes,
Of love I had yet to learn.

"It was the first time in a long time I cried K."
"So hard I didn't know if I could stop."

To make a cowboy,
Broken is something,
I thought not possible,
As I felt anyone would,
Have found beauty in me.

I'm sorry cowboy,
I was young,
I didn't mean to hurt you,
Were the strongest,
Man I've ever known.

Once again you call me a *****,
For wanting one man's attention,
To the details of my dress
Heart, mind, and soul.
And perhaps I'm wrong,
For wanting his love so young,
But who are you to judge,
The details of my heart, mind, and soul?

I need an extra three hours
between my morning to noon
to stare in the mirror
hate my clothes
love myself
to drink my coffee and savor each sip

Sometimes my sentences end
incomplete and without
clear directions.

It's the stress,
it pains my head
and eyes.
It makes me want to throw up, sleep, and cry.