The way you watched as I ran ahead in search of elephants,
Is not the reason I feel in love with you,
On that crisp autumn day.
The way we both agreed on how terrifying it would be to zip line over the man made jungle,
Was not the reason I held your hand so tightly.
The reason I feel in love with you was how excited you were to see the red pandas,
" Like they're ready for a wedding"
The reason I held your hand so tightly,
Was because the butterflies in my stomach were threatening to make me fly.

Do not ask your citizens to apologize for you,
For your iron fists and oppressive ways.
Do not ask children to cower in school yards because they can't understand why they're being told to go home,
" I have to wait for my mum to pick me up."
Do not ask friends to shield friends from being punching bags,
From iron fists you support.
Do not ask women to surrender their rights,
Because you as man need to be dominant.
Do not ask companies to shamefully prevent travel,
Because you are iron ****** and dense.
You do not ask because you do not care,
But we do it nonetheless.

November...17? 14...15?
Dates no longer carry your shadow.
I awoke in a panic this morning,
Thinking of how easily the day went by.
I didn't even cringe,
But this morning I awoke with the faint taste of our ashes burning in my throat.
Your name was a linger.
This morning I remembered I had forgotten,
And the feeling was weightless.

I shall not pass,
For I do not look like them.
I shall not want,
For I am not worthy of having.
Dear God,
I was made by your hands,
But the men of distant lands deem me worthless.
Dear God,
Teach your children to be kind,
My skin burns from their vengeful whips.

How terrible it must be for the moon to never kiss the sun,
He must long for her warm touch,
To feel her fingers ignite him.
How many more times can he beg the sea to paint a picture of her brilliance,
Only to be met with " her beauty is blinding."
So he chases her in an infinite game,
Whispering to the star crossed constellations,
Of how much brighter he would shine,
Were he to have her by his side.