The bonsai grew all wrong
Its branches outweigh the base
And the wood is whispy and pale
Without the spring a sapling entails
It's big, much too big, too long
A band stretched past its place
Becomes a twig in impatient hands
Pressured, and snapped, and palmed
Bonsai's mature slowly
With snow and vibrant leaves
To rush things is more than lowly
You've sold their soul you thieves

There once was man and a scholar
Seeing a woman though he'd rarely call her
She'd text and want more
But he thought it a chore
What a ******-up commitment teetotaller

He looked me in the eye
And demanded to know
Why the car wasn't running
He needed to go
And I stared back
Without expression on my face
Thinking he's trapped
And running for the cage
He saw it then
The truth in my gaze
His panic grew and then rage
Then everything vanished
But his silent plea
And I stared back
And I stared back

Rain is only rain
When it's with itself
A raindrop alone is merely a tear
Maybe that's why I can't cry with others
Maybe that's why I love the rain

I've never spoken of
Or written about
The words who most demand a voice
They singe my veins
And char my heart
If I can't get a grip
I may jot them down
And burn them in return

I don't think I like likes
I try to hold them to the side
But they creep in through the back
As my fingers dance
Disrupting what should be a simple act

They leak into my brain
And take the place
Of thoughts and emotions
In my writing race

I know what you like
I know the fonts
The alignments the subjects
The shortened prompts
The lazy scribble and romantic taunts

I can't help it I see it
In every poem I read
The best decays along with the trash
But try to run from a halmark splash

And it's there, it's in my head
When I'm writing
What they want and what I want
Are twisting and fighting

So I hope
that I'm just weak
And most users are stronger
Or indifferent to what others think

I can't sleep
I can't now
If I were to rest
This day would end

I can't sleep
Not now
What would it mean
This bitter trend

So I walk
I must
With no hands
Fresh legs on quickened sands

I'm lost
Under lights
Of lamp post leaves
And paved dead ends

I think...
Too often I think
That it's all too much
I can't sleep
I walk
I pretend I'm ok
Hit my bed and restart the day