If the rain fell like my tears,
I wonder if I would ever
See the sun, the sky, the moon again.

In case you didn't know
The pain you feel,
The fears you have,
The love you give,
Is real.

We talk about change whether it's good or bad
We talk about our dreams and things we wish we had.
We talk about our days.
We talk about our wives.
We talk about everything we hate in our lives.
We talk about things that never happened in bed, and yet for all the things we say, we can never seem to talk about what's really going on in our heads

Don't just live for the hell of it.
Don't just live because you can.
Live for the love of it.
Don't settle.
Live to be a happier woman or man.

Sometimes, I wish I could stop breathing
for more than a minute.
Because breathing means I'm fighting.
And God, I can't tell you the last time
I thought I had a good reason why.
Maybe it's in my blood.
Maybe it's just a matter of time.
Or maybe, just maybe...
you don't need to have a good reason to fight.

You can't change how people see you.
But you can change how you see yourself.

You hate the gray in your hair.
I hate my weight.
You hate your freckles.
I hate my dimples.
We both hate when we get pimples.
You don't understand why people love your nose.
But that's the way it goes.
These things embarrass us.
But honestly, they're the best parts.
Because we find proof that we're human in the reflection
given off by these things we call imperfections

I want to know why.
I want to know how.
I want to know what's on your mind right now.
I want to know what you've seen.
I want to know your pain
So maybe someday I can relieve
Some of the pressure
That suffocates your brain.

Who you are. What you've done.
What you'll do. People you know.
People you thought you knew.
These are all things
that can change your life dramatically.
But you can choose how they affect you.
And that's a lot of responsibility.
But it doesn't have to be yours alone.

I wonder how much would change
I wonder how much we could do
If we stopped trying to rewind time.
Would you be happier?
Would your soul be more whole?
Would you feel more or less in control?
The truth is, nothing good can come
From living in the past
In a world where nothing
is meant to last

Which is the mistake: to give or to take?
To close my eyes or stay awake?
Do you hide from yourself in the light
Or hide from people who hurt you in the dark?
Do you leave it behind
or try to reignite an old spark?
Do you surrender yourself in honor of your faith
Or do you believe in yourself enough to create your own fate?
The truth is, it doesn't matter how you answer because none of these options are mistakes.
They're choices. And, regardless of the outcome, it's not a mistake to make a choice.

it doesn't matter how many times
you win or lose, my friend.
So take my hand and I'll help you rise again

I would be lying
If I said I wasn't afraid of failing.
But I'm more afraid of succeeding.
There's so much more pressure.
You have more to lose.
Your actions have more consequences.
You have to think more carefully
Before you choose.
But sometimes, you have to take risks.
You just have to decide
If it's worth the extra stress.

Every day, you make a choice
To stay silent or raise your voice.
And that's your choice, and I respect it.
I just want you to know
That if today, you decide you want
To be a lion
and let people hear you roar,
I'll roar with you until you don't feel alone or broken anymore.

There's room to live.
There's room to love.
There's room to hate.
There's room to forgive.
There's room to change.
There's room to grow.
There's room to breathe.
There's room to believe.
There's room to grieve.
There's room to run.
There's room to have fun.
There's room for everything
And everyone.
You just have to make it.

I don't want to rule the world.
I don't want to rule anything at all.
Because eventually, those who rule
Fall and fall hard.

Whether I run
In circles, ovals, or squares,
I'll go anywhere
To find someone who cares

The world is healing
As our worlds are crashing down.
But someone has to fall
So another can wear the crown.
But even if we have to resort
To eating beans and rice,
Isn't having a healthy earth
Worth the sacrifice?

Are you afraid? You're not alone.
Are you hungry? Cold?
You're not alone.
Are you barely making it
between paydays?
I'm sure you can guess
where I'm going with this.
You may not want to
connect with anyone.
But just know:
You may have been alone before.
But things have changed;
Your boat's not empty anymore.

Anyone can save a life
All you have to do is listen
And remind people that they are loved.

I can't tell you why.
I can't tell you how to say goodbye.
But what I can tell you
Is I'll be here to hold you
if you need to cry.
And if you need to be alone,
I won't be far.
Just on the other side of the door.
And when you need it, I'll remind you
They're still with you
Even if they're not here anymore.

don't let yourself be swept away
By the promise of another day.
And if you have something to say,
say it.
Because no one knows
Exactly how long we get to stay

I didn't say "I love you."
I didn't say I cared.
I didn't say much of anything because, honestly, I was scared.
Scared I'd say the wrong thing.
So, I thought it'd be better
if I said nothing at all.
BuIt now, I'll say everything.
Because you deserved to hear it all.

Second chances are pots of gold at the end of a rainbow.
But we treat them like a prize from a box of ******* jacks;
Cherished one minute, then the next we put it back.
Not taking things for granted is easier said than done.
But if you get a second chance, treat it like it's the only one

If, today, someone walked
up to you on the street and asked "would you rather be seen or heard?", what would you say? Would you humor them and stay? Would you simply walk away? Growing up, I always heard kids say "I wish I was invisible."
Maybe it was because
they were shy.
Maybe bullies made them cry. Maybe they were embarrassed about how they look.
Maybe they just wanted
a safe place to read a book. Whatever the reason,
I can't help but wonder...if, today, someone walked up to you
on the street and asked "would you rather be seen or heard?", what would you say?
Would your answer be different than what it would have been as a kid? Or would it be the same?

Are we really at the end?
Or is this just a new beginning
I can't say I'm afraid because I lived a life worth living.
Whatever lies ahead, you made me strong enough to face it.
My only regret is leaving you behind but it's ok
I know I'll see you again someday

When will you give your heart a chance to soar?
What's it gonna take for you to believe you deserve more?
I know this is a theme I've explored before
That when people push you down, you don't have to stay on the floor.
But you still don't believe me, so I'll keep saying it until you feel it in your core.
You are not a product of your environment
You can change the score
The first step is to find happiness.
Then, it's time to start opening doors.
It'll take some time.
So make sure to bring a friend.
Don't give up, I'll see you at the end.

Anxiety can **** you.
A community can save you.
You save yourself when you ask for help.

Some people want to remember.
Others want to forget.
We may not always have a choice in the matter. But that doesn't mean our futures are set in stone.

Shadows are the darkness in the light.
They're harmless during the day,
but can be scary at night.
So if you're alone,
And the shadows give you a fright, Now you know their weakness.
Now, you can fight.

I know. It can be scary to feel.
You either feel too much or nothing at all.
Or even worse, you feel you've hit the bottom
so many times you stop being afraid of the fall. Maybe you're already there,
and you decide to take a look around.
You start to feel safe.
Because you fear you'll be judged
if you are ever found.
Judged for falling when people thought
they were picking you up.
Judged for staying at the bottom just because you were "stuck in a rut."
And these fears are valid.
These fears may come true.
But these judgements will come
from people who love you.
I know it might not be clear
what I'm trying to say, so here it is:
it's okay to be afraid.
But if no one knows there's a problem,
they'll never be able to help show you the way.

They say that sometimes,
silence says more than words ever could. Which is good.
Because right now, I can't think of any words that could comfort you.
I can't think of any words
you haven't heard a million times before.
So, for once, I'll let Silence take the floor
and hold you in my arms and my heart forevermore.

My 400th poem
Sleep

At this point in life, I don't really care
whether I'm wrong or right.
I'll be whoever, whatever I have to be.
As long as I can fall asleep at night.

How can so much go wrong under a sky filled with pinks, golds, and blues?
These days, it feels like a chore to turn on the evening news.
Don't get me wrong. I know life has never been a pleasure cruise.
But day by day, I'm getting more addicted to the snooze button

So many things went wrong.
So many things went right.
So many things keep me up at night.
But they aren't memories of us
or what we've been through.
What keeps me up at night
are the last words I said to you.

People need people.
Animals need animals.
But sometimes, we need each other.
And that's Okay.
Because no matter how independent you are,
Someday, we're all going to need
somebody to lean on.

I can't see the future.
But somehow, I have a feeling that someday, you won't struggle when you have to decide
if you should stay or go.
And that's a day you'll never forget.
Because that's the day you'll realize
that you don't need anybody
to make you feel like somebody.

Some nights are dark, some are bright.
But does the moon hide behind clouds?
Or do the clouds hide the moon and stars?

I didn't know I was lost until I met you
I'm still lost.
But before, I was lost in the world;
A sea of blue.
Now I'm lost in something new.
Something true.

Sometimes, you're gonna make mistakes.
Sometimes, you're gonna say the wrong thing.
But in time, you'll learn that doesn't mean you've done something wrong.
Sometimes, you're gonna crash and burn.
But sometimes, that's the only way we learn.
Now that you've lived and learned, you can move on.
So don't be afraid when you fall.
Go ahead, break down your walls.
You're gonna see beauty you never knew was there before.
Go on, hold your head high.
Jump up, reach for the sky.
And remember
Sometimes, there will be days nothing turns out right.
But someday, everything will be alright.

So much time to win.
So much time to lose.
So much time to think.
So much time to choose.
So much time to love.
So much time to hate.
So much time to give.
So much time to take.
So much time to be afraid.
So much time to be brave.
So much time between
the cradle and the grave.
So much time to create.
So much time to destroy.
So much time to unapologetically
Be who you want to be.
Whether you're a girl or boy.

Don't know what you want me to say.
But I won't lie
We're not okay.
I can't believe I feel this way
But my skies have turned
From blue to gray.
Lying in this bed we made
I think about this game we played.
We used to be partners in crime
But I guess it's true
All things change with time.
You used to be the one for me.
You used to be my star.
I remember the way we used to kiss
When you climbed into my car.
Now our story's ending,
There's only one thing left to say.
I'm sorry baby,
I'm sorry baby
But I think I might be gay.

I've seen it all before
And I'm sure I'll see it again.
But I don't know if I'll ever meet
Someone as special as you, friend.

It's not about the bad times.
It's not about the good times.
It's about all the times.
The heartache and the pain.
The kisses in the rain.
There's so much for you to gain
If you don't worry
About your heart getting stained

We only live once but that’s alright.
As long as we find our love
and our light.
You’ve shown me a way
to make it through the nights.
You helped me in a way
that I never can tell.
You showed me love
and brought me out of my shell.
So I need to thank you now
For  pulling me off the stairway to hell.

You don't have to stand up.
You don't have to stand down.
You don't even have to stand your ground.
You don't have to stand up for yourself.
You don't have to stand up for anyone else.
You don't have to stand up for what you believe, but take it from me.
You'll never know how much of a difference
it can make if you do.

I'm not as concerned with what
I leave behind
As much as I am about
who I leave behind.
Because when I die,
it'll be like I'm blind.
And as much as people
can be black holes,
People can also be
the sun, moon, and stars;
Ready to help you wherever you are.
So that's why I want to live.
Not just for me;
but to stand beside someone
Who stands by me.

Standing in the garden, I admire the trees.
So strong, so tall, so carefree
Watching its leaves dance through the breeze

Every night, I search the sky
For the stars that spell out your name.
Because ever since you left
Without saying goodbye,
Nothing has been the same.
So if I'm lonely,
I lie underneath your willow tree,
And as I look at the stars,
I swear I can feel you next to me.

Things are bad.
They've always been bad.
And I'll tell you a secret...
Bad things will keep happening.
But life is too short
to treat it as a spectator sport.
So don't wait for the bad times to end
To start living again