MY OWN PATH

I stare straight ahead reluctant.
I know I should follow the lines,
But my heart is telling me to go off course.
Create my own path.
The choices in life are not always black and white,
We need to learn it is okay to zig-zag.
What is so wrong if we do?
Will the world stop?
Will life cease to exist?
No.
On the contrary.
It will be better.
It will reign with beauty,
Ooze with style.
It will have color and distinction,
Drenched in seductive suggestion.
All because creative minds made their own paths.

FREE

Walls of glass,
Doors of iron,
Nothing can keep me from you.

Screams of fear,
Tears of shame,
Nothing can make me forget.

Splintered wood,
Deafening silence,
Nothing could prepare me.

The deafening silence,
From the tears of shame,
Break through the glass walls.

And I am finally free.

WHAT IS LOVE ANYWAY?

When you’re feeling down,
And not the best version of yourself,
Love is what picks you up.

When you’ve had a bad day,
And take it out on those around you,
Love is understanding.

When you’re hurt,
And unable to care for yourself,
Love takes over.

Love is the hug that warms your heart,
The smile that lets you know things will be okay.
Love is the candy bar he knew you would like,
The call to say hi, simply because he was thinking of you.

Love is growing together.
Learning to fully give yourself to another person,
Without having any expectations in return.

Love is beautiful.
Love is a blessing.
Love is life.

MY COCOON

Never the pretty one,
Or the popular one,
I was made fun of often.
Teased for how I looked,
How I talked.
I became extremely self-conscious,
More aware of my appearance than I should have been.
At all times,
My hair was done,
Make-up on and nails freshly painted.
Yet,
I still always felt like that ugly, unpopular girl.
I didn’t notice the guys paying attention to me,
The girls who wanted to hang out.
I was the caterpillar who had transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

A NIGHT FOR LOVE

The warmth of the fire,
The glow of the flames.
The crackle of the sticks,
Like they’re calling my name.
The stary night sky,
So far above.
Sets a nice mood,
For an evening of love.
I grab my favorite blanket,
Lay it out on the sand.
Invite him to sit,
Then reach for his hand.
Expecting a spark,
I feel a bit foolish.
For nothing was there,
Leaving me to rethink my wish.
I let go of his hand,
Look him in the eye.
No words are needed,
I softly begin to cry.
He stands to leave,
No apology offered.
I bury my head in my hands,
The night’s tone now altered.

THIS MOMENT

“Push me, Daddy!”
“Higher.”
“Higher!”
The giggles are loud and infectious as my toes touch the sky.
The colors swirl around me, becoming one as I fly through them.
Knowing he is behind me,
I live in the moment, enjoying the thrill.

“Push me, Daddy!”
“Higher.”
I smile ear-to-ear as my toes graze the tops of the fields.
The steady colors lining my vision.
Knowing he is behind me,
I enjoy the moment.

“Push me, Daddy!”
I close my eyes and smile, as my toes scrape across the ground.
The colorful flowers sitting on the side.
Knowing he is behind me,
I treasure the moment.

“Push me, Baby Girl.”
His smile is warm as he picks up his feet.
The touch of his hand comforting, as he places it on mine.
And knowing I am behind him,
I thank God for this moment.

DEATH OF A FOREST

You follow the trail,
Quietly observing.
Taking in all the sights and sounds,
You close your eyes.
Capturing the moment in your mind,
Recording every detail possible.
The quiet babbling of the brook,
The chirping of the crickets being exchanged for the chorusing of the cicadas.
How the wind feels against your face,
The leaves crunching under your feet.
How the cool crisp air smells of pine,
The full thick trees begiN to shed their dark green cover.
A tear forms and slowly trickles down your cheek.
For with the beauty of the fall,
Comes the death of the forest.

ONE DAY

Answer the phone when they call.
Take the time to say I love you too.
Let them hold on a little longer when they hug you.
Because one day…

Laugh at their lame jokes.
Listen when they tell the same story for the hundredth time.
Appreciate the advice and wisdom they have to offer.
Because one day…

Let them pay.
Take the pictures.
Visit with them.
Because one day…

One day, the phone won’t ring.
There will be no more I love you’s, no more hugs.
The stories will have ended as well as the advice,
And you will be left with nothing but the pictures and memories.

COME WITH ME, MY CHILD

I stand alone.
Victim to my own thoughts,
Surrounded by darkness.
Wanting to move forward,
Step out of this vast emptiness,
I look around.
Prisoner to the situation,
Bystander to life.
Thinking about the what-if,
Wishing it were different,
I break free.
No longer a victim,
No longer a prisoner.
Shifting into the light,
Creating a new path,
I have evolved.