Joy
Is warm apple cider
Drank on a porch
On a cold November day.

Joy
Is a friend
To whom you don't
Have to clarify and censor.

Joy
Is having a moment
To relax
And soak in the world.

Joy
Is having a friend whom talking to
Gives you energy
When you're an introvert.

Joy
Is a quiet read
Outdoors
After a stressful day.

Joy
Is somehow knowing
That everything
Is going to be okay,
And if it isn't,
That no one
Will leave you.

Joy is a slight smile,
A faint contentment
Upon the cheeks and lips,
And a great relaxation
Within.

Joy
Is what I have,
Somehow,
Right now.

You made a poet fall in love with you
And expected her not to write sonnets about your eyes
Haikus about the way you kissed her in the moonlight
Expected the fire in her heart not to inspire couplets
You made a poet fall in love with you, and when you left
Expected her not to write pages about the ache in her chest
Write a soliloquy dedicated to her tears
Expected her not to feel every gut wrenching moment of the pen hitting paper like your words hit her in the most vulnerable places of her mind.
You made a poet fall in love with you, and you expected her to be silent.
That is no fault of hers.

i know something doesn't feel right,
you know it's got to feel right.

i wish it felt right,
but no one ever taught you how to wish.

so maybe that's why I'm still here
and maybe that's why you're not.

One night
two souls met
at the old bridge
to debate the differences
between men and women.

"i prefer
being a woman,"
said one. "They're born
as princesses and live not by
suggestion but as the heart determines."

"Sheesh," said
the second. "That's
all pretty and nice
but men have power.
Will always run faster, lift
more, protect the population."

"Impressive," the
first soul said.
"Still, ladies have compassion
even when they've lost will. When
we've had our fill we stop eating and place
the rest of our food in a **** box like a sane person."

The second
soul yawned. "We
eat for energy so
we'll always be able
to guard and protect, you.
Admit it, your attracted to tough guys."

"I've always been a lesbian."

(awkward .."oh..")

The first
soul retorted the
silence. "Because women need
protecting. You've placed us under
your big toe and refused to ever let go.
But I've been back just a day, and I've got some info."

"And what would that be?"

"Gender is irrelevant but women run the show."

(awkward .."oh..")