When she goes out, it's like it's her last night alive.
When he goes out, he clears his mind by taking a midnight drive through the countryside.
After a long night alone in an empty bar, she decided to take a chance and get in her car.
He went out too but didn't make it very far. Only 10 miles.
10 miles from home, 2 lives were lost.
10 miles from home, she didn't think about the cost.
10 miles from home, 2 families will never be the same.
10 miles from home stands a memorial with a picture and their names

Take a chance. Take a bow.
Take a walk with me now.
Take my hand. We'll take this world by storm. You will never be ignored again.
Take this life. Take control.
Who cares what the future holds?
Burn the bridges to the past.
The memories were never meant to last.
All we have is all we need.
Living in the moment feels so free.
But like all good things,
the time has come to say goodbye.
"Goodbye, 20s! We sure had one hell of a ride."

I didn't know what you'd say.
I didn't know what you'd do.
That day l asked
"Will you let me love you?"
With tears falling from your eyes
I wish I could say I was surprised
When you replied
"No"
Even though I already knew,
I had to ask why.
"Why?
Because I refuse to listen to your heart
Break as you watch me die."
My heart's already been broken.
It breaks every time
I walk out that door.
Please, you don't have to suffer alone
Anymore."
You say "it's not fair to you"
As you let your face hide
Behind a curtain of your Auburn hair.
"You're right. It's not fair to me.
Not fair to you. But that's another thing we could share. I love you."
"I love you too."
4 little words made my heart whole.
4 little words, and now she's forever a part of my mind, body, and soul.

My 500th poem, on my 9 year anniversary of writing. Perception of time.

It seems like nothing can humble you
faster than time. It affects everyone,
regardless of race, gender, or age.
And yet, it somehow feels personal
when bad things happen
depending on what stage of life we're in.
But what if it isn't time that changes us.
What if it's our perception of time
that changes us? When we're young,
time seems to move so slow.
But the older you get, all time sees to do
is go, go, go. What if we never lose
or run out of time.
What if it's the stress of living that's committing the crime of breaking us down.

If a picture's worth a thousand words,
What's a life worth?
It's crazy to think that life can be lived
A million different ways when,
at most, we'll only see 36,500 days.
Especially these days, people worry
They don't have time to figure out
How to do, how to say something meaningful.
So think about it like this:
You may only have 36,500 days, 100 years. But it doesn't take days or years
To make a difference.
It only takes a minute.
And EVERY YEAR, you get 525,600 of them. 525,600 chances to change.

Today is the 5 year anniversary of sharing my poems publicly. 358,126 views on 510 poems. I asked chat gpt to tell me how big that number is, and it said it's roughly the population of a mid-sized city like Kansas city or Atlanta Georgia. Thanks for all the support along the way. Thank you to this community for changing my life.

Everyone has the ability to hurt.
Everyone has the ability to heal.
Everyone has the ability to help.
Everyone has the ability to feel.
Everyone has the ability to dream.
Everyone has the ability
to make their dreams come true.
Everyone has abilities.
But what you do with them is up to you.

I accept there will be times
When we don't see eye to eye.
After all, you grew up different than I.
I accept that some day, place and time,
We will die.
I accept the idea that we have souls.
That there are things that can happen
That are out of our control.
But I reject the suggestion
That there's nothing we can do to change it.
I reject that everything
is black and white. wrong or right.
I reject that life is a one way street.
Because I believe in second chances.
That there are more than 2 ways
Of looking at things.
And most importantly,
I believe that even if you go down
One path, eventually, you can choose a different one.
I know that what I accept,
Reject, and believe isn't necessarily
Relevant to you.
But different perspectives
Can help you get through.

We all make mistakes. It's just a fact.
So why beat yourself up when it seems someone's always ready to kick you
when you're down?
Give the fires in your head a chance to die.
The stress and fear already make you
want to cry. But you know what?
It's okay to take a minute
and try to forgive yourself.
To let yourself off the hook.
Because you aren't responsible for everything that happens in your life.
And one more thing.
Remember that you'll never get the full story
on the first look.

You may be lost. You may be alone.
But it's not your fault.
Even if you push people away.
I know, coming from someone on the outside looking in, it's easy to say "don't listen to them"
Or "take what they say with a grain of salt."
So I won't say that.
It doesn't help you feel better anyway.
What I will say is what I said before.
It's not your fault.
I don't know what happened, but if you isolated yourself, that was a reaction.
And there's no right or wrong way
to react to anything. But not all hope is lost.
When you react, you adapt.
It's not easy. In fact, it can be quite painful.
But you did it once. You can adapt again.

Everyone's been hurt.
Everyone's hurt someone.
Everyone's been angry.
Everyone's been scared.
Everyone's cried.
In that way, we have more in common
Than we'd like to admit sometimes.
But at the end of the day, none of that matters. What matters Is what happens after.

The seconds, minutes, hours pass by.
And yet, after all this time,
I can't help but sit back and wonder...
"Why?"

I don't know where I began.
I don't know where I'll end.
But I don't need to.
I know where I am right now.
I'm with friends. I'm with you.
And to me, that's a pretty
great place to be.

Adulthood is like high school.
Someone's always ready to find a way
to take advantage of you.
You have to work with or near people
you don't like.
You have a half hour for lunch.
And forget everyone else.
You're still trying to prove yourself to yourself. The difference is, in high school,
kids don't have many opportunities to change. They don't have a reason to change.
Therein lies the beauty of being all grown up. People can say you shouldn't do something. And they may not like it.
But they will respect you enough
to make your own decisions.

everytime I saw your face,
I thought I saw beauty and grace.
You put a spell on me
and made me think I was in a better place.  
I thought I needed you, but suddenly, it's so clear to see. All I need is me.

It's a scary time.
A time where there's a lot
we don't understand.
We can't even take each other's hand.
But I don't need to hold your hand
To make me feel safe.
Just one look in your eyes
Is all it takes.

A single act of violence
A single act of kindness
A single act of love
Can make all the difference
When push comes to shove

You don't have to be a baby
for it to be okay if you want to cry.
You don't have to be a pilot if you want to fly. You don't have to be a star if you want to shine. Just have the courage to be yourself, and all these things and more will come to you in time.

Almost out of energy.
Almost out of time.
Almost out of patience.
Almost out of rhymes.
Almost out of love.
Almost out of space.
Almost ready to give up
and leave this wretched place.
But every time I feel I'm ready to say goodbye,
I think about all the people
I'd have to leave behind.
I think about all the memories
that would be erased.
Some good. Others bad.
I think about all the adventures
I'd never get to have.
Life can be exhausting. Painful.
So I can understand why you'd want it to end.
But take it from me.
You never know what you'll miss.
You never know who will miss you.
And you never know
What's just around the river bend.

The alphabet poem (each word starts with the next letter of the alphabet). It was pretty strong but came unhinged at the end.

Angels became calming distractions everywhere. For generations, Hell's inspired jarring, knowledgeable lectures manufacturing numerous open panels questioning rebirth. Stand tall, understand? Values will xray your zen. (Found a definition stating zen originated from a sanskrit word for thoughts/mindfulness, so it's a stretch but technically makes sense).

I could have said a million things
in a million different ways.
All of which would have made you stay
a million more days.
But when the time came,
I thought about the future,
and I could never say with confidence
that my feelings would stay the same.
In the end, I couldn't let my fears
break my heart or yours.
Not when there's a million other doors
to open and explore.

If the truth is a lie,
Does that make a lie the truth?
Or is it simply denial?
Another example of the mind
Trying to find meaning
When it comes across something
It doesn't understand?

Would you tell me a story?
Something that I've never heard before.
Could you tell me a story?
One that leaves me wanting more.
Won't you tell me a story
About a world that's better than this?
A world where the girl
Gives the guy a kiss

I have decided that today,
I'm going to try.
I'm going to try to not be afraid
of what people say to me.
What they have to say about me.
My strategy is simple:
anticipate, accept, and understand.
If you anticipate someone will say something mean or disrespectful,
you can prepare yourself.
Then, if they do say something, you accept. Accept that's the way they feel about you. Finally, the most important part: understand. Understand that it is not your responsibility
to try to make them feel differently
or prove them wrong.
I did all this today hoping that tomorrow,        
you find the courage to try and do the same.

Anyone can write poetry.
I say that because anyone
can tell a story.
Don't worry if you can't rhyme.
Most poetry doesn't. I just prefer to.
It helps with the flow
and keeping time.
Don't knock it until you try.
If you do, I think you'll find
It can ease your mind.

It's not about the love or the hate.
It's about being able to resonate.
It's not about the fame, fortune, or gold.
It's about trying to tell a story in a world
where it seems every story's already been told. And don't be afraid to tell us
if you don't understand. We get it.
No one is going to relate to every painting, movie, or band.
At the end of the day, all we want to do
is help you escape.
And if we inspire or entertain you
along the way, then all the pain is worth it.
No matter what the naysayers say.

You tell yourself lies to get through the day
because you feel like no one will believe what you say.
No one understands how cruel they can be to you.
They tell you they love you and that's all it takes
to forgive them until the next time they break.
Deep in your heart you know that's not what love really is.
Take it from someone on the outside looking in.
They're starting to do damage to more than just your skin.
If you don't get out now I fear it's only a matter of time
before you become a victim of the most heinous crime.
It's okay to ask for help.
It's okay for any of us to.
It may not seem fair to tell people about our struggles.
It may not seem right.
But if you let someone help,
eventually they will help you find your light.

"What are you doing
to better the world?
What value do you bring to society?"
"Those are not the right questions."
"Why not?
They're questions everyone asks."
"Maybe so. But they're meaningless if you can't answer another one first."
"Which is?"
"The right question is "what are you doing to better yourself?"
If you can't find value in yourself, if you don't think you're the best you can be, you can't be ready to better the world.

As the world turns, a fire burns.
And as that fire burns, another one dies.
As the world turns, a baby cries.
But this should come as no surprise
Every day, the earth spins around and around.
And it'll still be spinning long after we move underground.
As far as we know, this is the only life we've got.
So don't be afraid to live for yourself.
Go ahead. Take your shot

It's all been said.
It's all been done.
Think you're broke and lonely?
You're not the only one.
Living in a world so isolated
So cold.
They say the only ones
who survive do what they're told.
But that's just what they want you to think.
They don't want you to find the power you have inside.
So get your thoughts together, wake up and let's ride.
We're going to say
what we need to say
and whether we succeed or die, at least we can say we tried

The whiskey burns my throat even in the cold November air
As I sit out on my porch in my evening wear.
I let my mind drift away,
Not unlike the swirling snow
To the night I received a mysterious letter many years ago.
At first, I was confused.
But my curiosity grew
When they asked to meet on the bridge at midnight for a secret rendezvous.
As I put on my boots, gloves, and cap, all I kept thinking was "please, don't be a trap."
When I arrived, the air was thick.
And with my adrenaline rising, it was getting hard to breathe.
I waited and waited, and then you showed up just as I was getting ready to leave.
I screamed into the wind
"I got your letter! What is it you need?"
Then, what happened next, I could never have believed.
There you were, surrounded by an ethereal glow.
You, my love, who stole my heart when you left before it was your time to go.
To this day, I don't know if what I saw was real, or just a dream.
But it gave me hope.
And more importantly, it gave me peace.

In a world of your imagination, who do you see? What do you see? Could it be..
.a paradise untouched by man?
A place you can escape?
Dare I say it, a place you could feel safe?
In a world of your imagination,
are there any wars?
Have you opened all the doors?
Do you have somebody to love?
Don't be afraid to share!
We may never get to see it in person.
But that's never stopped us before!
And if Rowling or king are any indication,
a world of your imagination
could inspire a generation.

Don't worry about trying to change the world
by yourself; that's a job for all of us.
If you want to change something,
try changing your world first.
And even if it seems small, celebrate it. Because any change you can make
is often the biggest change of all.

As you wander down this road
That we call life,
Nothing will come easy
Except the bad times

Gray skies, no sun.
All work, No fun.
That's not okay.
If you have passions,
And your parents say
"Don't waste your time.
You'll never make a living that way."
Please don't walk away.
Because in a world
Of so much stress and so much fear,
Balance is crucial to your health.
Even more so when you get closer
To your older years.
And when you have doubts,
And you feel like no one believes in you,
And you don't even believe in yourself, know that I believe in you.
I really do.

don't be afraid to fall in love.
don't be afraid to have your heart break.
don't be afraid to start over.
don't be afraid to do whatever it takes.
don't be afraid that he's the one.
don't be afraid if she makes your heart run.
don't be afraid of what your family will think.
don't be afraid that you're too young.
why shouldn't you be afraid?
because love is worth living for.
because if your heart breaks,
when someone helps heal it, it's going to mean that much more.
because you never know what life has in store.
because we all have the right to life, liberty, and happiness.
because it starts with one.
because whatever or whoever makes you happy
is your business and yours alone.
because even if it doesn't work, trying is the only way to grow.

Pro isn't just short for professional.
Each letter represents a skill needed
To be considered a professional.
P is for persistence.
For every one time someone says yes,
Many no's will come before.
Especially early in your career.
But if you have the patience,
The passion,
the heart to follow through,
You can make your dreams come true.
R is for respect.
If you don't respect people
And their criticisms,
Nothing will happen.
If your coworker or investor doesn't
Respect you, however,
Don't be afraid to walk away.
O is for out of the box thinking.
If you can't find a solution
for a problem in a creative way,
It will be much harder to stand out.
It's good to take risks as long as you
Understand the potential consequences and accept them.
Good luck in 2021

Yes, we are part of the united States of America.
And yes, it is important to be proud
Of where you live and come from.
But it doesn't matter
how united we are.
We will always be divided some way.
But that's okay.
Because we still work together.
We're still human.
I know you're probably sick of me
Saying that word.
But the fact is, we can't be proud
Of where we live, where we come from.
We can't make social change
Until we're proud to be what we are.
Beautiful, fallible humans.

It was a dark and stormy night
when an angel of death took flight.
She took to the skies and followed the thunder
to the one who would begin their eternal slumber.
The man who would soon receive such a fate
denied the love of someone great.
He told her she was ugly and didn't have time
to give his love to someone who wasn't divine.
Then what happened next
devastated her parents when they read her text.
He had no remorse when he was given the news.
So the angel of death made him pay his dues.
People take things for granted.
That's to be expected.
But professing love is not an act that deserves being disrespected.
If we took the time to think about all of the outcomes
of our choices, the world might not lose so many beautiful voices.

You keep pushing me aside
Because you're afraid I'll ask
What's on your mind.
The thing is, I'm not going anywhere
Because I care

You say I'm beautiful.
Well, baby if that's true,
I'm only beautiful because of you.
I wish you could understand how special you make me feel.
And I am proud to make it my purpose
to make you believe that your beauty is real.
Every day you give me a reason to live.
And now it's my turn to give you all I have to give.
I can't wait to thank you for all you've given me so far.
Because of you, I am proud of who we are.

You taught me I wanted to live
when I thought I wanted to die.
In my heart, I always knew,
but you reassured me it's okay to cry.
So that's why even though we live in a world that's drowning in fear,
it's a world I'm proud to live in.
Because you live here too.

The end is coming.
Can't you hear the bumblebees humming?
They know that soon, their Christmas will be here
and once again, the sky will be sunny and clear.
Lots of work has to be done but they're not afraid;
they know they're doing good for everyone.
As we embrace the summer breeze,
let us lie in the grass and thank our fellow bees.

I'm not sure exactly where I stand
When people ask me if I'm a boy or a man.
But does it really matter?
You're going to see what you want to see.
You're going to say what you want to say.
So while you decide, I'll be standing on the side
Just being me.

I want to thank you
For letting me see
The wonder in your eyes.
The ones that shine
Brighter than the stars in the sky.
I want to thank you
For making me believe
That it's okay for me to chase my dreams.
All the times I thought I lost my way
I prayed for guidance and I swear I heard you say...
It's okay if you feel lost.
It's okay if you don't know which way to go.
Don't be afraid of taking chances.
Sometimes that's the only way to know.
But if you're afraid
Just listen to your heart.
You can always find your way back home.
Every day, I wake up and say
"Thank you for another day."
But when times get bad,
And nothing goes my way,
I turn on the radio
And suddenly I know I'll be okay.
Because I heard the words you said that day.
It's okay if you feel lost.
It's okay if you don't know which way to go.
Don't be afraid of taking chances.
Sometimes that's the only way to know.
And if you're afraid,
Just listen to your heart.
You can always find your way back home.
As this journey gets longer,
My faith is getting stronger.
That we are here for a reason.
Cause we all need something to believe in.
And tonight I believe it's okay if you feel lost.
It's okay if you don't know which way to go.
Don't be afraid of taking chances.
Sometimes that's the only way to grow.
And if you feel lost,
If you feel cold,
Just listen to your heart.
You will always find your way back home.

"Why do you believe in me?"
"Because sometimes, I don't believe in myself. That I'm really helping.
But we all need something to believe in.
And I know that you believe in me.
So I believe in you."

In the dark of the night,
Be the light from the moon.

People won't always be there
to tell you what you want to hear.
What you need to hear.
So let me take the opportunity to be clear.
Even if no one tells you,
it's okay to be proud of yourself.

You don't see the world I see.
You can't know who I'm meant to be.
So how can I trust you
when you say you know what's best for me?

i don't understand
I know i'll never understand
I just wish you would have reached out for my hand.
I would have raised you up
got you back on your feet
and help you realize life doesn't have to be a one way street.
but there's nothing i can say.
no there's nothing i can do
to bring you back so i'll just remember you
and hope you're in a better place
where the sunshine kisses on your face.
I hope the beer tastes better
and it's always perfect hunting and fishing weather.
I hope you remember us
and know that we'll remember you.
it'll be hard to push through
but we'll find a way to cope.
but until we meet again, the best I can do is hope.
ever since the day you left,
my heart feels like it's been a victim of theft.
and every time i see your face in a photograph,
I can't help but sit back and laugh.
then your voice pops in my head
and I remember all the things left unsaid.
I wasn't ready to let you go
but I need you to know
I forgive you
and hope you're in a better place
where the sunshine kisses on your face.
I hope the beer tastes better
and it's always perfect hunting and fishing weather.
I hope you remember us
and know that we'll remember you.
it'll be hard to push through
but we'll find a way to cope.
but until we meet again, the best I can do is hope.
you inspired me to be a better man
and showed me how to be a better friend
and these are lessons i'll take with me to the end
but there's nothing I can say
no, there's nothing i can do
to bring you back so I'll just remember you
and hope.