Young Writers Society

I thought I'd go for a lighter tone this year.

I've noticed in my own work and that of other artists' that often the works that mean the most to the creator are the least favored among the populace. A lot of these will have personal, hidden meaning to me- I often slip in references to some of my other poems. I'll do my best to separate that from pure nonsensicalness, but it shall not be easy.

Let's all remember to appreciate art as a form of expression, even when it doesn't make sense to us as the viewer. (That was a nightmare of grammar.)

I wrote a poem a while back about depression. This is a rewrite, using the same theme, only this time it's about coming out of depression. It's an answer to the first.

01/30

You are my sun.
I spend my life spinning in and out of orbit
Off-balance, slightly crooked, just barely out of step.
I never learned to listen to the rhythm of the stars,
So I rotate, from hot to cold, never finding the center.

You pull me in,
I try to spin myself out of reach,
But you never let go.
You are the one who holds this fragile galaxy in place.
In your embrace, I find glorious life.

I pray this dance will never end.

So beautiful. Your words held me captive every line.

I typed this in a document first. Sadly, the formatting didn't survive the transition.

02/30

Lost somewhere between earth and sky
Dreaming of yesterday,
Balanced on the edge of tomorrow.
Halfway between here and there,
What was and what could be,
What is and what will never be.
Floating through mist and rain
Silent silver tears from heaven
Straining for where the earth reaches up and

touches

everything that is beyond.
A soft hello,
A gentle graze of fingertips
From one world to infinity.
I do not wonder that the angels weep at this tender kiss.

03/30

Everything is spinning out of place
And I cannot find the person I'm meant to be
There is no solid ground here, only
Wind and ice and slivers of forgotten yesterdays
And maybe that wouldn't be so bad
If I didn't find shattered mirrors at every step.

All I want is to breathe you in
Feel the weight of your arms across my shoulders
Feel the steady beat of your heart
Maybe it would help me keep count of the endless moments of nothing.
But I've heard you're not one for cuddling on long rainy days
So I sit by myself
Aimlessly stirring a cold cup of tea
Lost in memories of the days to come.

I wrote these earlier in the day but didn't get a chance to post, so I'm not actually late. And for this one, I wrote two versions, but this is the cleaner (less agressive) one.
Also, did I mention a lighter tone? Scratch that.

04/30

When I was a child I dreamed of wielding a sword
Rescuing fellow maidens that were too weak to carry their own
But I soon discovered they all had talons and breathed fire.

At the first sight of shining armour and strengthened limb
I gladly laid down my sword and followed my prince
Only to discover I had mistaken the dragon for the knight.

Now I find myself under lock and key
Praying you'll hear my absence
And perhaps care enough to risk your life for my freedom.

All caught up now! For the moment, anyway.

05/30

Floating in the void
Searching for the limits
But I can't tell here from there
Can't tell me from you
Can't tell light from dark
And how can I unlock my throat and empty my chest
When everything is pressing all around and the stars burn so hot?
"Reach for the stars"
But space is a lonely place.
"Follow your dreams"
I've had nightmares since the day the world died.
"Just be yourself"
I'm drowning
And I can't
Find
Up

Beautiful poetry. I especially loved "balanced on the edge of tomorrow"

Aw, thank you!

What is this crap even.

06/30

We wish to dance among the stars, but
Space is so empty, and night is so cold
And we never see that our planet spins through countless suns
We used to lay on our backs and watch the heavens turn above
And never wondered that they winked back at us.

07/30

It's been awhile since I've seen the fairies dance
The wind no longer carries whispered promises
The moonlight has lost its silent steady pull
They say the stars are burning globes of fire
And fireflies are merely bugs
The river carries no secrets
And the earth spins 'round the sun

But I still believe in fairy tales.
I still believe in us.

I actually kinda like this one, at least compared to the last two. Less forced, more my style.

08/30

Some nights
The dark is pressing all around
It seeps into my lungs
And I cannot breathe for fear of swallowing it
The demons climb up my bed
And the moonlight is cutting
The shadows hold all I do not wish to hear

Some days
The shadows will not be pushed away
The heat of everything is mocking
The silence fills my chest
And pushes against my tongue
The world is spinning too fast
And my feet will not stay where I put them

Always
I feel your arms around me
I am lost in the sound of your heart
I breathe in the smell of you
And when I fall, you carry me through
You give the world every color
And you swallowed all my nightmares

So this one may seem a little weird(er), but the process of writing it makes it one of my favorites. It's reminded me of why I love writing poetry so much. I'm guessing it won't make a huge impression on anyone else, but practically every line references some older poem or aspect of the story of my life.

09/30

For too long I have pulled
Now at last I see the pathways among the stars
I hear the songs they sing
And I dream of breathing them in once more
So here is my heart and here is my hand
The bruises on my skin are fading fast
Please don't consider the cuts on my feet, they too will heal
Only take me away from here
Lead me in intricate dances around the sun
Today you seem so far, but
In my dream you whispered words of comfort and held me close
So I've packed my bags and scattered my chains
Buried the echoes and wiped away blood
Wherever you may lead, blind though I am
I'm ready for the journey.

10/30

I close my eyes and find you
Amid deepest black and softest whispers.
The world shoves and I bruise so easily,
But your arms are my refuge.
They who hold the knife and grin
Will be lost in the shadows of time.
This is my great escape.
Pull me ever onward with gentle eyes and fragile promises,
Never let me fall down gravelled slopes
Hold me in your love forever
And help me stand above darker things.

11/30

Where is the home I once knew,
Made of withered grapevine and scorching sun?
Where are the songs I once loved?
I no longer see them beyond this clouded haze.
When did they fade,
And why are they gone?

How long will I search for all that is lost?
On hands and knees I sweep the ground
Weeping and praying to the darkness
Screaming "I never meant to leave"
But the shadows are unrelenting.
Now I have but one choice,
To stand once more and face the light.
May God give me strength.