The Poetry Marathon

we are born not knowing the curve of our hips

or the texture of our hair

prejuduce.

We are born well-versed in the language of love.

The bitter taste of derogatory adjectives

are learned or passed down.

To destroy.

I hope I don’t dream tonight,

dreams of creatures that exist by my side

as I walk, as I work, as I laugh.

Creatures who smile and tell me I’m pretty,

creatures who are skilled in the art of flattery.

I hope I don’t dream tonight

of the nightmares I face during daylight.

Oh, how easy it is to dream of a life far away.

What if that life wasn’t far away at all?

What if we existed alongside our parallel selves.

They smile when we cry.

They hurt when we are happy.

They love when we hate.

They are satisfied when we are hungry.

They keep the balance of the universe

Existing in silence for us

As we exist in silence for them.

Mommy,

It hurts me when you cry
It hurts me when you ask why?
I know you never wanted to say good bye.

Mommy,
I know you love me
I know you miss me
And I want you to know
I’m watching over you now.

Mommy,
I live on in your heartbeat,
I rejoice in your breath.
I’m happiest when you smile
And I cry when you cry.

Mommy,
Every tear you shed hasn’t been in vain.
Think of how many babies you’ll save
By telling our story.
I don’t want you to worry
About what people say.
Only you and I know what happened that day.

Mommy,
Be strong and be brave.
I’m with you everyday.
I’m your Angel in Heaven,
Your savior, your guardian.

So here I am again.
Sad. What’s new?
My dreams are rarely wrong.
And I had one of those dreams last night.
Where the girl in the dream should have been me.
But she wasn’t.

Then he came into my dream. He met someone. And he was so incredibly happy. He updated his status. Changed his music. Changed his profile pic. And all I could do was wish that girl was me. I woke up sad and empty.

A feeling I haven’t had in a long long while.

It’s pointless bring unhappy over something I can’t control. Why give someone else control over my happiness. That’s not on. Only I have that right. Giving someone else control over my happiness is giving them control over my life.

So what if I had a dream. So what if my dream isn’t wrong. I guess at the end of the day everyone deserves to be happy. And mine is taking that much longer. Because when it happens – I will only spend my time enjoying that happiness.

Do you see that girl with the big brown eyes,
The one with the radiant smile?
Do you notice her walk
Or would you rather hear her talk?
What is it about her that makes you stare?
What is it about her that makes you care?

Do you see that girl with the big brown eyes?
The one who’s tired of listening to lies?
Don’t you wonder why she no longer smiles?
Have you ever wondered who she really is?
And what it would be like to see her laugh?
Did you notice her tears
When she turned your way?
Maybe not, ‘cos she blinked them away.

Do you see the girl with the big, brown eyes?
The one you promised you’d never hurt?
Do you remember her voice?
Do you recall her hope?
You ended it all with one quick choice
And didn’t once think how she’d feel?
Do you see the girl with the big, brown eyes,
The one who forces a smile
While deep down she wonders why.

Birth

I remember the long summers,
The short winters and days that passed in a blur.
What seemed like an ending was actually the birth of something new.
Death signifies the start of something new.

The entire universe is a mass of energy —
Energy that flows in you and me.
We are the light years and the black holes,
We are the undiscovered planets and, shattered stars.

Our emotions, our movements, our words,
Are all,predetermined by the energy flowing
Between the different worlds.
They took birth inside us at the beginning of time.

Oceans move according to the pull of the moon.
Beings are influenced by the movement of planets.
We are all connected more than we think
So why this idea that life only exists on earth?

Energy can take birth anywhere in the universe.
Life exists in all shapes and sizes.
What matters is how we plant the seeds
That give birth to the future.

Storm

Think of me when thunder bursts through dark skies.
Only then will you know the tears I’ve cried.
Remember me when lightning brightens your path,
It’s a gift both precious and stark.

You didn’t understand my pain
And took my feelings in vain.
You held my heart in your hands
And crushed it so hard it bears your brand.

I seek my solace in the storm.
Not many think it’s the norm
But who can tell my tears from the rain?
Who can tell if it’s the cold or pain?

Maybe one day we’ll meet.
You may not see me,
I may not recognise you.
I hope by then the storm ceases to rage
And understanding dawns with age.

Maybe then I’ll understand if this was my protection,
Or maybe your ultimate redemption.
Whatever the reason, I pray for peace,
And blessings so deep, they’re a permanent lease.

Waiting

Everything happens for a reason.
Everything happens in its time.
But how long should I wait
Before life showers me my dues?
Is there such a thing as dreams coming true?
Or perhaps it’s a wishful thinking
To prevent us from sinking
Into the depths of despair.

How long should I wait?
How long will it take?
What more should I do?
To skip to the front of the queue?
To meet the love of my life
And spend all of eternity in his embrace.

Maybe it’s just a fantasy,
A mere figment of someone’s imagination.
Perhaps it’s a conspiracy to file hope
And keep us from falling.
Still,it doesn’t reduce the mindless waiting.

Alteration

He pulled her inside
The bus took off noisily
She screamed – they ignored.

Heaven into hell.
Black Clouds moved over the sun.
Her end was near.

Light. Dark. In between.
Joy. Laughter. Success. Destroyed.
Where is the justice?

Why must women hurt?
Do our vaginas Make us weak?
It has to stop now.

Rape. Murder. Lies.
One human against others?
Let’s save each other.