Submit your work, meet writers and drop the ads. Become a member
 
 May 2013 Erin
Jeremy
the thing about school
is it kills beauty

one does not learn to appreciate
a painting by analyzing brushstrokes,
shading,
one does not learn to appreciate
a poem by analyzing metaphors, similes
form, structure, rhyme.
one does not learn to appreciate
a sonata by analyzing cadence, melody
rhythm, harmony

we love art because when we
look at a painting, we see life in its most
basic form.
we love literature because when we
read a poem, we understand the beauty of
the world.
we love music because when we
listen to a sonata, we can hear the fabric
of the universe unravelling.

dear teacher
you cannot teach us these things
because we feel the earth in our bones
we hear the wind and it echoes in our soul
we understand the way the sunlight falls
over each and every one of us

and we know what it feels like
to be alone
to be alive
because that is how the world works

you cannot teach us how to love
one does not learn how to breathe
you just
do
education is dumb
 May 2013 Erin
Jeremy
two feelings
 May 2013 Erin
Jeremy
There are only two feelings in this world

The first is standing with your friends
holding hands
on top of a van stark naked
at five a.m.
watching the sun paint the sky with red and orange and yellow and gold
and feeling the palms of the two people you know better than yourself interlinked with yours
howling into the almost-day-yet-not-quite-night
overcome with your ambitions and hopes and dreams and songs and sights all at once
and you feel alive
alive
alive

The second is sitting on your balcony
with your legs hanging over the ledge
your feet barely touching the rain as the storm pours down
listening to songs from the 60s on the radio
wondering why they don't write songs like this anymore
while all your friends are at a new years party at some kid you don't even know's house
and you're staring out into the ocean as somewhere over your head the countdown starts
and you know you'll be alone for the rest of your life
happy new year
 May 2013 Erin
Sarina
nicotine
 May 2013 Erin
Sarina
When I met you, I stopped smoking
and began to paint my nails every weekend evening. I thought
you could ******* sadness as if it were your own
because I did not drink alcohol,
nothing could dilute it. It was always there on my tongue.
You had never smoked or drank or tried
to **** yourself, though, so you did not recognize
the acid and that hurt my feelings more than razors or erasers.

I was the first girl you slept beside,
you the first to kiss my eyelashes like smelling daisy stems
before I became conscious in morning sunglow.
Even December air had the inside of a lemon’s color.

And that was better than smoking or drinking or killing myself
or painting my nails mint green,
picking off the excess from my cuticles, without you.
 May 2013 Erin
Ivie
I call you 7 times,
It’s my lucky number, wishing you’ll pick up this time
It keeps ringing, and I can see the shadows of doubt reaching for me, crossing the fine line
You finally pick it up; I heave a sigh that I didn’t know I was holding
I tentatively ask if your free, my heart flutters against my chest
In can hear you say “I’m not, I’ll call you later?” its question, uncertainty clouding your sharp voice
I wait endlessly, like a lover patiently waiting for him to return safely from Afghanistan,
He never does, she never calls. And so the night falls.
A sharp blow against my rib cage, desperate reminder that I’ll never have it back
Hopelessness has replaced the bone marrow, in my carved bones
You carved my bones, inscribing your smile in it with the Swiss knife I believed you kept under
                                                           ­                                                                 ­your pillow, like my heart
it’s my fault, my eyes not very telescopic, wanted the golden sun, they didn’t tell me it’s a fireball
I hung expectations from the empire state, you have permanent ache in your legs,
You gave up the idea of the view, I don’t blame you
Old friend, I won’t call you 8th time, my bones have started singing in your absence
I’ll take this as my queue to escape, for I never wanted to be a verse, I wanted to be the chorus.
 May 2013 Erin
Damaged
What if one day,
I just wasn't anymore.
 May 2013 Erin
Robert Guerrero
First glance my heart stopped
As my eyes lingered
My lungs began gasping for air
As my voice slurred out the words
Adreishka...I...l.love...y.you
You left me speechless
My love
You are the only thing
This world offered me
That was actually perfect
My heart plays rhythms for you to dance to
My soul sings songs for you to relax with
My body becomes your castle for you to be safe
My love
You left me speechless
Adreishka...I...l.love...y.you!!
Next page