Young Writers Society

9. this is the same way of flirting as birds

our way of love
is that of the birds
i sing you songs
as you pick at your melodies
eloquently
i bring you small things
you keep them in your stash
picking me dew-dipped flowers
my heart on wings
as you press your lips gently to my palm
“keep it,” you murmur with a smile
perhaps the best of all your gifts

10. five minutes from midnight
My mind slips away
into the delights of sleep
my eyes shoot open
as i begin to weep
for something slipped from my mind
as the seconds skitter by
words bubbling out
but i cannot abort
so i force these syllables
alas, our time here is short

13. response
i lay down in the fresh soil
the grass surrounding me
these, called blades;
they do not cut
yet they are the most painful i’ve experienced
silence in my cries
whimpers muffled by the night
i whisper my questions into the darkness
the forests murmurs back in reply
but i still find no answers

14. truly love
i long for the familiarity of a home
a sweet warmth
a family one can see and say
“They truly love”
but we are torn
like spinning threads
once intertwined
yet we’ve snapped
malice seeps in from the maternal side
toxic standards of what we should be
the father does his best
he truly loves
but she does not.

but i can’t find trust in either

so i search for fillers
though they can never fit the mold
but somehow i find my true family—
not related by blood—
in the ones that don’t tear at me
for i’ve been chipped down to nothing
by one i call “mother”
but they build me back up
put what they can together
they truly love.

her arms choke me
theirs hold me gently
like i’m a piece of pottery;
acknowledging that i could break
she grasps desperately at fistfuls of my pieces
now there is blood everywhere
she broke these sharp edges into me
so i cut away because of her
she wants to truly love
but she cannot.
not me.

16. simplicity
i lack the ability
to express my love for you
in its full capacity

your lips drift across my fingers
soft and careful

so i settle for a simple “i love you”
in a warm embrace
for in it’s simplicity, it’s still the most true

17. home
being received
with open arms;
an inexplicable feeling
to be able to walk--
run--
simply melt away in those arms
a breathless sigh of relief
i am welcomed home

18. you for you
blue jeans
bleached shoes
that’s how someone
might prefer to see you
my preference lies
with your baggy pants
and stained low-tops
not loving you— i just cant
what am i to say
when you ask how you look
or what i think?
i could never ask you to change
because you’re perfect
as always.

19. Proverbs 8:27
mountains molded
the valleys carved
fingerprints left across the land
like fresh clay
shaped with purpose;
intention
and beauty

20. due
i could come up with infinite metaphors
for this fervor
it’s as if i say the word “love”
every time
some say that you’re worth more than a million dollars
but you have no price
you are worth more than any number
it’s pointless to try and describe it
even you try to explain
yet you fail
for your love, too,
is countless
you look at me with such softness
with your coffee stained eyes
my own begin to well up;
none have ever looked at me with such kindness
your face is flecked
as if God took His own paintbrush
and flicked on your little beauty marks—
i see now why they are called that—
and carefully crafted
your charming smile
the only tears i’ve seen you cry
are those for me
which brings me both shame and great joy
yet privileged
that you shed your precious silver droplets
for someone so small
yet you say i am precious
so for this i say you are a gift
a miracle of sorts
since i never imagined one could love this much
and need so little

21. better
a nurturing hold
words of comfort;
quiet and caring
though i bleed
you bandage my wounds
kiss my tears away
and i forget
during these moments
the pain
fades away
for it stands no chance against you