love-hate relationship;

ugh, it's you again, huh?
well, come on in
and make yourself comfortable

i know you won't be going for a minute

it's a love-hate relationship
always desperate for the other
and yet when coming face-to-face
finding it's presence discomforting
and annoying

but still
every time we meet
there is a spark of hope and happiness
even for just a moment
before it dissipates
until the next time

add add add;

add add add
it's just a popularity contest
like high school prom king and queen
who will get the titles?
who is the most famous?

how many of those can you truly call upon
when you are falling so far down
that you need an army to lift you up.

like memories
we have lived through millions
but which are the ones
will we remember on our deathbeds?

harry potter and graduation;

so i have come to realize
the very last installment to harry potter
the very last film
will come out the year i graduate college.

it is surreal, really
finally, the adventure coming to a complete end.
and it holds more symbolic meaning to me
than anything else ever had.

harry potter comes to an end in july 2011
and i will graduate from college august 2011.
it is like a sign, to leave behind childhood
to close a chapter of my life i held so dear
to pave the way to a new future
taking my first real step into the adult world.

day-by-day;

what am i living for?
it seems like a day-by-day
not really looking forward
but simply living in the moment.

but count the days that passed
the years now only memories
beginning to fade in the distance of time.

what is the purpose?
it seems surreal to see
that more than half the year
has faded away.

i feel stuck in place
glued to the ground
and unable to move my feet
forward.

the perfect image;

i've concocted the perfect image
the highest standard attainable
and it is sitting vacant
waiting for the one to fill its place.

waiting waiting waiting
patient and impatiently
just hanging around
until the moment where
everything falls into place.

time crawls by slowly
but still it stands strong
vigilant
holding its ground until
the dust is finally blown off.

grumble;

grumble grumble grumble
time to satisfy this natural calling
and then maybe i can focus
on what needs tending.

i am decorating my mind;

i am decorating my mind
filling the grey walls with books
pushing a comfy aubergine chair into the corner
right next to window that spans wide
doubling what is my fourth wall.

i am decorating my mind
and beyond the window lies
an outside world that is almost always
shining with brilliant sunlight
with fluffy white clouds scattered
among a sea of ocean-blue skies.

i am decorating my mind
hanging canvas paintings of cities
so life-like, one must double-take
and looking closely, every pixel is a memory
which has formed in my life-time.

i am decorating my mind
because it is my sanctuary
a place that i can retreat to in the darkest of times
the one escape that is my own
that no one can ever destroy.

rolling thunder;

a rolling thunder outside
no rain, no lightening
just a semi-calm sound
soothing and non-threatening.

a peaceful atmosphere
amidst a brewing storm
perhaps it is the eye
or maybe its typical temperament.

but no matter
this continuous roll that does not deviate
to stark silence or treacherous screams
we can continue to bathe in its lullaby.

make up my mind;

i guess i can make up my mind now
and stop beating around the bush
maybe now i can start something
that hopefully is not too late

what exactly had i been waiting for?
what did i finally lose?

even though it was never mine to begin with

it feels as if a balloon has burst;

it feels as if a balloon has burst
spilling an icy cold on my insides
stopping my heart and my breath
as the pain begins to escalate

i should have expected it
i really did know, deep down inside
but even so, it aches and it burns

but now, maybe it won't be so bad
anymore

maybe it will turn away and crawl back
hiding from the view of the world
that it was invisible to anyway

there's a bridge between us;

there's a bridge between us
that is seemingly growing longer
stretching out for what seems like miles
and i am not sure how we can meet
halfway.

the love between is there, true
but aside from genetics
we seem like polite strangers
no matter how much we beat around the bush.

i don't know what to say anymore
i don't know how to change it anymore
i don't exactly want to give up
but what is there to do?

children are vulnerable;

children are vulnerable
and you committed a crime against one.

it is so degrading
that you should not be allowed
to see the beginnings of a new day
ever again.

a little girl is helpless
completely dependent on an adult
and you broke that trust.

you are the epitome of evil.

summer dresses and iced tea;

summer dresses and iced tea
in the heat of a summer's eve
the closing of a beautiful day
a setting sun to fade.

oh well;

huh, so that is how you look now
completely changed, older, much older
not that i can remember what you looked like
many years ago.

so, if you look like that
he must mirror it, if only slightly
i doubt i could even recognize him
anymore.

not my fault, however
it was not my choice
but happened nonetheless.

oh well.

she wants to take a ride;

she wants to take a ride
out on the countryside
with the wind tousling her hair
and the vast sky before her
open and wide.

the other side of the mirror;

how do i get there, she wondered
to the other side of the mirror
an alternate reality and universe
where i once dwelled
in what seemed like a memory from long ago.

i can poke and prod, she said
but it will not give
and there is something
or someone
on the other side
that i want so desperately.

it is really frustrating, she vented
i will go completely mad
if i am to stay where i am
for even a minute longer.

please, please, let me through, she ached
i think i know why
the reason to my beating heart
whenever i think about the other side.

i think i know, i need to go, please.

can you stop haunting me;

can you stop haunting me
my dreams are torture enough
because waking up hurts
as i know it is most definitely
not my reality
nor will it ever be

you and i equate to nothing

fireflies;

fireflies
flickering little lights
twinkling in the darkness
one by one
illuminating.

on the eve on a warm summer day
precariously falling into the traps
of a child's wish
for a living nightlight.

and year after year
summer after summer
they will be back
to foster the dreams
of generations to come.

so innocent;

so innocent
a brain devoid of washing
an empty slate to create
a lack of influence to induce
so vast and beautiful
waiting to be molded.

so young
starting out life only a few months before
a guinea pig to two
learning the ropes to the world
completely dependent.

take your steps slowly
don't rush blindly
try to see the world in multiple views
understand it from another stand
but above all
awaken your potential
and live to your fullest.

beautiful, young, free;

so beautiful
so young
so free
and living in the moment
taking it for granted.

time goes forward
and we are always growing
aging another year
another day
another minute
another second.

we waste away our most precious years
only to look back at it much later
and wondering
what the hell were we thinking?

pyramid;

here
let us try
this once more
maybe, just maybe
it will actually look like
what i am aiming for.
it may not be quite
perfect, but it is
the beginning
to what we
all hope
for.

i almost died;

a painful stitch on the right side
right over the rib
i can feeling the bump
the calcified ridge
from a wound long healed.

why now
after all those years
does the injury ache
subtly, but clear all the same.

it triggers the memories buried deep
of the first time
i almost died.

oh how quickly time flies by;

rifling through the hard drive
an array of photos
reflecting memories as far as five years back

high school
first job
birthdays
outings

every image whispers ghosts from my past

oh how quickly time flies by
and i can picture myself
in another five, ten, or twenty years
repeating the exact same statement

i am feeling disconnected;

i am feeling disconnected
like i am watching the world
from the outside in
wanting to desperately be a part
a corporeal existence.

it is almost disheartening
to seem excluded
like an outsider intruding
on the life never to be my own.

i am even plagued in dreams
by such circumstances and situations.

it is beyond my control
and yet so close
i can almost taste it.

so why can i not be a part of it?

you know--;

you know--
you can say that i am afraid of growing older
that i am afraid of change
change to the world
--my body
--my mind
it is an overwhelming sensation
like dreams of falling.

hard to breath;

hard to breathe
suffocating
like choking on a sour lemon
how to reverse the effects?

feeling pinned down
shackled to the ground
becoming all too familiar with it
unwillingly and inevitably.

it mirrors a cold existence
the happy thoughts and memories
no longer in abundance
but faded like the dust
lost in the spiral of time.

the unsung hero;

forgotten
he was left in the sidelines
the unsung hero
a warrior lost, drowned by his past
his glory shadowed by the chosen one.

nothing could have been successful
nor would freedom have existed
had he not orchestrated the plans of war.

he was a prisoner, a spy, a pawn
two sides of war, two sides of a coin
having to make his stand
on both good and evil
a paradoxical crisis.

he is the one without support
risking his life and dignity
to grovel at the feet of a madman
to do the biding of a conspirator
just to save the world
which turned a blind eye to his torment.
the world that gives nothing
and yet desires everything.

the world believes he should pay
to atone for his past sins
even when circumstances were beyond his control.

every night he goes to bed
shaking from the after-effects of his latest tortures
his body tired and broken
lacerated from the deepest corners of his soul
to his superficial layer of skin.

and yet, he puts himself on the line
time and time again
he sacrifices every comfort he never had
to ensure that the world which scorns his very existence
can live to see another sunrise.

[05/2010]

dreaming about a new tomorrow;

she is dreaming about a new tomorrow
the future that which she can almost taste
the very understanding of knowing
hitching up a level of anticipation
that she can barely contain.

it is like a tune
to which she cannot
stop dancing to.
the rhythm the essence of her soul
her heartbeats her metronome.

slowly but surely
that beautiful dream of hers
will rise along the horizon
to shift from future to present
to become her reality
until it fades into the backdrop
and becomes a wonderful memory of the past.

[05/2010]

i love how a scent;

i love how a scent
can send you hurtling
through the space of time
to a memory buried over the years.

the sounds and the sights
they rush right by, flying, speeding
it is hard to hold on tight
on this gut-wrenching, whirlwind ride.

it is a chain reaction
the connections your neurons create
the scents being your catalyst
your brain filling in the gaps
reviving the puzzle pieces.

and we all hope
that those scents from the ghosts of your past
are pleasant memories
that foster satisfaction and joy
and brighten the darkest of days.

[05/2010]

dreaming of another world;

i am dreaming of another world
so unlike my current reality
where circumstances are only possible
in the imagination of books.

a completely different view
an untouched landscape just waiting
to be conquered.

how could i possibly immerse myself
and stay there forever?

a free man;

and there he stood
an outsider in an alien world
completely naked to those before him
as they scrutinized his sincerity.

who is this strange creature
they whispered amongst themselves.
can he be trusted
is he friend or foe.

could they afford to give him the benefit of the doubt
when so many like him before
proved to be a dangerous omen.

or is he truly an ally
holding up the facade of a bastard
cruel and unrelenting
only to protect what was dear to him
so that he could finally walk out
a free man.

caboose of life;

such a turn
like flipping sides of a coin
so abrupt and without warning
so completely upside down.

hurtful but true words thrown
however badly it needed to be said
however badly it needed to be heard
with love as the catalyst.

but it still aches
a lump in the hollow of the throat
eyes pricking the back of eyelids
but never spilling over.

it's all about change
and a will to push forward
to pave a new pathway
instead of cowering in the caboose of life.

scared of change;

she is scared of new places
of new surroundings, new people
she is scared of change
maybe that is what is holding her back
keeping her from reaching her potential.

she clings to what is familiar
to every last speck of dust
knowing that if she leaves
she may never find her way back.

it is almost a nightmare
in the midst of a tormenting heaven.
how badly she wants to leave
but so terrified of the unknown beyond.

she prays so fervently for the strength
she wishes so desperately for the courage
to be able to break out of her shell
and let the light into her life.

lost;

lost
maybe it is time for a change
possibly a new beginning

should i embark on an adventure
and leave behind everything i know
to pursue a secret just for me?

maybe it is time to walk away
footsteps that will carry me to there
a place far from my home
where my future lies.

it was my birthday;

it was my birthday
may fourth nineteen eighty seven.
this year i turned twenty-three.
did you even think about me?
did i even cross your mind
even for just a second?

what did you do, i wonder
have you forgotten me.

i haven't forgotten you
but i don't care for you
not really
and i am entitled to do so.

you, on the other hand
do not have a choice.

in a cruel way
i want you to remember
to be pained at the knowledge
that you never got to see me grow up
because of your selfish choice.

in a cruel way
i want you to know that you died
a very long time ago
as your new persona was birthed
from the smoke from which you lit
possibly your first taste of the darkness.

i want you to know that you hurt me
beyond what my memories can recollect.

i want you to know that i hated you once
so very much.
that i wanted you dead
i wanted you deported
i wanted the blood that ran through my veins
to drip onto the dirt ground
where i felt it belonged.

but now, i do not hate you
but i do not love you either
and i still have not forgiven you.

i have, however, come to terms
and only recently.
that person who was once in my life
is dead.
that is how i see it as you are definitely
not who you used to be
not for seventeen years.

many may forget their past
the details of their early lives.
just a fuzzy haze.
but i remember quite a lot
in vivid detail
and even the sounds.

but i wish to only focus on memories that happened
before your 'death'
quotations as you are still very much alive
i assume.

memories from when happiness was abounding in my life
where love bursted from the seams of its container.
the memories after are still fond
but without you in them.

and although i try my hardest not to
i fantasize how things might have been
once upon a time in the future.

what kind of person would i have become
would i be the same
or would i be completely different
on a track of sex and drugs
not healthcare and education.

so maybe, i am to thank you for leaving
for no longer being in my life
because perhaps without you in it
i have become far better than i ever could have imagined.

so now maybe i have come to a decision
to shut the door on that one part of my past.
it is over now anyway, isn't it?

it's time to say goodbye
and hopefully for the very last time.

the dream, the everything;

the dream
the everything we worked for
the very essence of our soul

it is heartbreaking to see it crumble
to watch as the foundation begins to crack
like a mirror fatally dropped to the ground

it seems unfair that this said dream must meet demise
in the most cruel possible way

it is not the cause of one fault
but of many rolled into one
catastrophic tornado

and to rebuild this broken city
will take much longer than ever before
especially with a burdened heart

conscience;

conscience
that little voice in the back of your head
telling you what to do, guiding you
from right and wrong

what happens when it leaves you
when you are left to fend for yourself
when the world becomes silent

how long could you survive

uncivilized;

uncivilized, they said
like a ragged train wreck
an animal on the loose
most definitely inhuman.

where does such a vision
such ideology extend from?

"all animals are equal,
but some are more equal than others"

how scary the irony
of how it seems to be taken to heart
by closed-minded individuals
who believe it is their birthright
to be superior to others.

it is an asinine revelation.

guilty;

guilty, a feeling all too familiar
reverberating throughout the years
from childhood to adulthood
haunting me along every path.

i feel as if i am hitting my head
against a brick wall i cannot break down
forever to stand before me
blocking the exit to the new world.

running and running
but never-ending
and no where to hide.

how to overcome it
how to leave the past behind
how to go on forward.

haunting love;

can you not see that she remembers
the details are so crystal clear
the moving pictures so vivid
the memory so haunting.

love
what is that which we call love
affection?
infatuation?
obsession?

the beautiful heartbreak that was the outcome
from a world that held no joy
but only sadness and fear
from whom we trust.

what do they think
when the turn their heads away
from the multicolored bruises
that decorate pale skin.

why do they ignore
when we call out for help
why do they let it go.

pretty little bracelet;

pretty little bracelet
resting beautifully on a thin wrist
sparkling in the limelight
exactly where it should be.

but a little too small it became
a little too tight it hugged the skin
indentations imprinted
as if to mark its territory.

so a grip and a pull
to free oneself
like a bird in a gilded cage
but still a prisoner
no matter how pretty the shackles.

and then the final spring
a burst of beads flying
clattering to the marble ground
and running off in all directions
every harsh memory fading away.

no more is the wrist captive
no more can that beautiful disguise control
free, free, free
just as we always should have been.

free fall;

that endless plummeting downward
spiraling out of control
yet so focused and steady at the same
a journey that sees no end.

the blur of everything rushing by
a free fall with no direction and no purpose
but only existing for the sake
of existing
like everything else.

she wants to say she's sorry;

she wants to say she's sorry
that maybe she was looking in all the wrong places
for the one thing that did not exist
but right in front of her.

her hopes and aspirations
perhaps her standards
all too high
always seemingly out of reach.

blooming;

marriage and babies
seeing them grow up
those that i once knew as children.

shoot, where am i in my life
in terms of the 'ticking clock'
maternity has not set it
nor has a ring on my finger
no one to tickle my heart.

at this point
i can be content with being single
no connections or ties
just living freely for now.

but it does pinch
and it does ache, even just a little
to see the happy families blooming
right before my eyes.

it came so quick, so swift;

it came so quick, so swift
without warning
and out like a capped candle.

all the hopes, dreams, and ambitions
nothing but faded whispers in the wind
cut from the rest of the world
forever hanging in limbo.

so precious to give up
but brutally taken away
cruelly cut short
leaving behind agony.

hold on to it
as tight as possible
never let go
because when it strikes
there is no turning back.

there were those happy memories;

there were those happy memories
of sitting around the christmas tree
opening presents, laughing gaily
spending time with beloved family.

those days have come and gone
lost in the past of time
disappearing somewhere in the darkness
collecting dust along the way.

it seem as if those feelings
will never lighten again
a flame that will forever kindle
dimly in our hearts.

maybe sometime in the future
it will slowly come to the forefront
and take its rightful place once again.

the seas have parted;

the seas have parted
and we're slowly drifting away
on little boats in opposite
directions.

new adventures await us
but will we forget our past
the times spent with one another
as we embark on this next chapter?

resisting temptation;

it's frustrating, really
how do i curb my thoughts
away from you.

resisting temptation is quite difficult
to keep myself from losing control
and falling down the hole.

i need the ropes and chains
to pull me back
to keep me from going over the edge
and failing myself.

help me end this
help me see pass this.

laundry dance;

she does her laundry in her undies
because she has nothing else to wear
but she does it so prettily
without a single care.

where she is, she is free
in the safe haven of her home
blasting out the music
dancing happily
in tune with the washer.

and then it comes to a halt
the final little click from the machine
indicating the end of a cycle.

but never to fear
she has two more loads
and the fun will begin again.

i stop, i breath, i listen;

i stop, i breathe, i listen
to all the quiet around
searching out for the sound
that will shatter the glass that surrounds.

there is something ethereal
that science nor religion can explain
of finding that one star
hidden in the core
of our bodies.

it is something we cannot see
nor can we grasp in our hands
but only what we can feel
by simply listening to ourselves.

it is different for you and i
each person for their own
it reflects who we are
unique in every way.

she wishes;

she wishes she waited, saved it
and didn't through it away
haphazardly

where did that control disappear
one thing led to another
and finally pass the boundaries
like sand slipping through fingers

a bit of guilt gnaws continuously
year after year, anytime it came close

why didn't she wait
why couldn't she wait

when she was young;

when she was young
she could climb the countertops
to reach the cookie jar
from the highest cabinet.

when she was young
she could run for hours outside
without ever breaking a sweat.

when she was young
she could create vivid characters
play make-believe to her heart's content
without every worrying about the world.

when she was young
she could hardly wait for new years eve
the only day she could stay up past
her ten o'clock bedtime.

when she was young
boys had cooties and germs
and were perfect targets
for chasing on the playground.

when she was young
she could almost do a three-sixty
while swinging on the swings
right after downing cartons of milk.

when she was young
she would spend the summer evenings
catching fireflies to light her dreams
at night before going to sleep.

when she was young
she could remember going to bed at night
content and happy, waiting for the new day
and all the adventures it would bring.

but now, she is older
she has grown more mature
and has left childhood behind
to be remembered only in memories.

the responsibilities of life has come
far too quickly
but all too exciting.
a new chapter may have opened
a new door may have unlocked
but all that she learned from childhood
although faded in the distant
she would carry on forever.

i can remember;

i can remember
you were once so little
an infant i held in my arms
albeit clumsily as a seven year old is.

then i saw you again
you were not much older than i was
when i first met you.
under very hard circumstances our second encounter
so again, you probably could not
remember me.

now you have grown up
so much older you have become
slowly becoming the man you are to be
and i know you more than likely
cannot remember me.

sadly but honestly
we will probably never meet again
unless another incident draws us back together
and there will be one or two more times
that i can see being a possibility
though those thoughts are hard to think about.

we may be tied by blood
but we will live like strangers
however unfortunate that may be.

lost time;

i will lazily watch the days pass on by
one after another
blissfully unaware at how fast they go
simply counting my current blessings.

but will i be too absorbed
to notice the changes around me
and within myself.
will i be too preoccupied
to realize all the dreams i once had
perhaps now out of reach.

in my old age with my aching fingers
will i still be staring out of the window
watching the clouds roll by
wondering what had happened
to lost time?

new day;

it's a new day
the sun is shining
and the sky is blue
not a cloud in sight.
hope is re-ignited
dreams are revived
and it's a clean slate
before us.

first code;

i remember stepping into the room
and stepping right back out
the frenzy commotion a bit overwhelming
as a medical staff battles
death cloaked in a cardiac arrest.

i can see his face still
lying on his hospital bed
his eyes still open
but focused on nothing
as they intubated him.

medication after medication
prepackaged and already prepared
to push as quickly as possible
and compressing the heart to circulate.

time seemed to stand still
and i held my breath
screaming in my head
chanting my own nonsensical prayer.

and then i was thrust into their world
relieving compressions for another
a completely different sensation from a mannequin.

my arms did not fall off
nor did my concentration break.
everything seemed methodical
but my brain a train wreck.

he couldn't make it
and i can see so clearly his head and face
turning blue, becoming cyanotic
permanently.

i cried
i cried for all that i could not do
i cried for the life that was stolen
i cried for everything.

this is why i am here, is it not
this is why i am in school, is it not.

but it seems so surreal
goodbyes are never easy
though pain will subside with time
but seeing death stays with you
for eternity.

i will never forget.
i cannot forget.

simple times;

she trips down the flowered fields
laughing gaily, hair tossing in the wind
relishing the present with no worries to burden her.

a breath of fresh air fill her lungs
all the beauty in the world
being balled up onto one exchange of gases
mixed in somewhere with the oxygen.

it is a wonderful moment to pause
to replay the memories over and over again
of simple times spent outside the box
and seeing all that life can offer.

pretty little flower;

pretty little flower
swaying on the grassy hill
in the spotlight of life
but all alone.

the yellow petals flutter in the wind
as if beckoning you to come
waiting the little bee to pollinate
and perhaps spread its word.

it is a beauty hidden away
unknown, nonexistent
awaiting discovery
so that it may finally prove to the world
its worth.

a winding road;

a winding road
along the countryside
with fields that stretch
as far as the eye can see.

a pathway to a destination
where to, no one knows
but a place that the heart
can most definitely follow.

the worn mosaic walkway
paints a picture of dreams
illuminating the hopes
of those who walked before.

every person will take this path
no one will be left behind.
it is a journey we must all take
before we can begin to live.

lifeless vessel;

lying there
under the support of many
trying to bring him back
from where he went.

a high of emotions
but ever so focused
and concentrating with every willpower.

but in the end
futile
and difficult to cope
to see the end
and a lifeless vessel.

a broken promise;

a promise
that ran so deep and so true
destroyed, shattered
broken and dying
left alone on the cold ground.

the pain and grief of betrayal
stings like no other
piercing the heart and arresting the soul
until a single breath could no longer be drawn.

cruelty is in high abundance
present behind every corner
and all you can do is stand your ground
gather up the courage to fight
even if you fail
over and over again.

open door;

the door is opened
ajar, but still the breeze can pass
through the cracks
like a fresh morning.

all the dreams
all the hopes
and all the fears
lie right behind that door
and it is waiting
for everyone who has ever loved
who has ever cried
who has ever lived.

so many are afraid of what is lying before them
the lives of their past
the paths they have trod
will it come back to haunt them tenfold?

no one is all knowing
we cannot predict the future
but we can rely on our hearts
to lead us through that door
and discover what we have been missing.

one step at a time;

i am just taking it
one step at a time
so that if i trip over the cracks
i can have enough time
to break my fall.

fast-paced and busy
is hard for my brain to wrap around
i need it slow and easy
so that i can follow and comprehend.

so little by little
i will inch forward
even if it takes me an eternity
i will reach my goal
soon enough.

the iceberg has tipped;

the iceberg has tipped
and it is sinking
down, down, down
never-ending.

how had it come so close
when did it arrive?
all the pressure on the point
must have been the final drive.

it's hard to keep up
slipping from my hands
like water through a sieve
unable to contain anything.

maybe next time
there will be a sign of warning
so i will not succumb to a titanic sink
and maybe, maybe
i can keep my head above water.

because i was right;

a rolling spasm in my chest
waving out a guilty speck

no, no
i am not guilty
i am not in the wrong
i know it

attitudes and presentations
first impressions
and angry words

it's creeping up, up, up
from my chest
sloughing up my esophagus

squash it down because i am not wrong
i did nothing wrong
but you've made me like this
twisting a one-eighty
with the gun pointed at me

so you think you've won
maybe you have
so you think you're high and mighty
but you are not
you are not better than me

because i was right
honest and true

dishonest practice;

so angry, trying to fight it
to hold the tears at bay
and failing miserably.

cheated and lied to
in the wrong, i think not
but people will still
have their way.

unjust, unfair
a stressor unnecessary
frustrated beyond words
and exhausted.

take it, take it all
take all your dishonest practice wants
don't tell me to not talk to you like that
i'll talk how i want
when you are the one that drive me
to the edge.

skinny little girl;

skinny little girl
in her skinny little dress
black of course, little black dress
double zeros on the tag.

a look in the mirror shows the fatigue
on her face, dark circles under her eyes
the stress of keeping up with the norms
and the fads that determine beauty.

sunken eyes stare back at her
the little ribs poking from her sides
underwear barely clinging on her bony hips
and an empty bra stuffed with socks
like she once did with mommy's things
as a child so many years ago.

the brittle hair on her head
once the fame and glory of her world
now dull and lifeless
like the eyes that count the calories
and the hours she ran, ran, ran
ran the pounds down until
nothing was left.

all she wanted was to be beautiful
to be like the super models on the runway
catwalking their designer clothes
so proud, so powerful
so deadly an illusion can be.

she was a radiant girl full of health
the girl of every boy's dream
but oblivious she was
to their desperate attempts to woo her.
her mind was always elsewhere
always preoccupied with food, exercise, and image.

she wilted away from the world
and as the pounds melted
her obsession grew
seemingly sucking up the falling weight.

and she was determined, oh so determined
to fortify her dreams of becoming the ideal
the distorted reality becoming the center of her universe.

she pinched the nonexistent flab
the muffin top she saw so clearly in her head
and she began to formulate a plan
to start another day's worth
of shedding her skin.

she wants;

she wants you to tell her she is beautiful
not hot, sexy or a babe

she wants you to tell her she is passionate
not wild, a party child or an attention-seeker

she wants you to tell her she is a lover
not a quick fix or a skank in bed

she wants for nothing more than to share everything
without you seeing her as a one-night stand

wake up world, the sun is rising;

wake up world, the sun is rising
the breaking of a new dawn is coming
the day is beginning

wash away the dreams
chase away the nightmares
open your eyes to a clean slate
to sketch the rest of your day

every day is a new one
an empty canvas just waiting to be painted
by the artist who lives it
beginning at the break of dawn.

parasitic leech;

it's like a snake
slithering in my soul
invading my deepest secrets
it hunts and preys
on the darkest of memories
hoping to bring out
the worst in me.

most definitely not a friend
truly a foe at heart
picking at the broken slivers
finding the buttons to push
to drive me to the edge.

get out, get out
it is not wanted
i try so desperately to banish it
from the depths from which it came.

but it refuses to leave
a parasitic leech
with a hunger so deep
all i can do i try to keep it concealed
before it ruins everything.

box of treasures;

a box of treasures hidden under the bed
tucked away and long forgotten
keeping its solitude until the time was right

to take a look inside
is to take a walk down memory lane
a photo or two, here and there
small mementos to you from them

some things in that treasure box
hard to remember where the came from
and even harder
why they are there

the many years from childhood to adulthood
and everything in between
led to the present
shaping you into who you are today

all the secrets deep inside
you carry them to your dying day
the box of treasures you hold dear
to follow you into the afterlife.

beachy escape;

the beach
i need it, i crave it
a solitude escape
from the reality
that gives nothing
but headaches.

a mini-vacation
a hot-spot i seek
to replenish
my bruised soul
bared down to the ground.

a little 'away time'
for me, myself, and i
a trio of one
to reconnect with one another.

i need this, i want this
to relax, to play, to bask in the sun
and forget about everything
to focus on me.

maybe it's just me;

a lot happens spontaneously
in the span of ten years.

amazing, this revelation
of what once was
and now is.

am i missing something here
i feel lost, my compass of life gone
somewhere in the depths of the sea.

am i slow, perhaps, biologically
for i am still single, and not a mother
though many i know
are on that path
with several under their belts
literally.

our childhood days are no longer present
we've left it all behind in the past
and shut the door, lock and key

either things really have changed
or maybe it's just me.

a thousand nights;

a thousand nights spent lying under the stars
just you and i, alone, together
synonymously in tune.

the matching beating of our hearts
a sinus rhythm
tick-tock, tick-tock
ba-dum, ba-dum
the pounding of drums
in our ears.

a deep breath and a long sigh
the only sounds amongst our screaming thoughts
audible by only us, alone
and no one else.

the stars twinkle high above us
as if winking at our jubilant charade
although no expression graces our faces
except for a tiny smile.

the stillness around us, except for nature
is a beautiful awakening
as we are the only ones in our world
making memories in quiet companionship.

the best friend's silence;

i'll keep my silence
i won't say a word
i'll the best friend
and watch from the sidelines
as i have for a hundred years.

i don't mind it at all
not at all, as you will never know.
i'll be your supporting rock
the anchor that binds you
so close and yet so far.

and when your heart is torn
the pieces shattered all around
i will lift you from the ground
pull you up, dust your knees
plant a kiss on your forehead
and tell you everything will be okay.

and in return i'll ask for nothing more
than for your love and respect
your understanding of my turmoil
of seeing you in another's embrace
time and time again.
and i pray for the day
that you will maybe see me
as something more
than a shoulder for your head to lay.

temptation;

i told myself i wasn't
nope, wasn't going to do that
no, no, no
i will not succumb.

oh, there i went
i did it, what i said i wouldn't
i let myself fall
into temptation.

how to get out of it now?
maybe, it will be okay
in the end, maybe it will work itself out?

have i dug a hole that i cannot climb from
have i lost the meaning to all of this
have i lost sight
has it disappeared?

no, it will be okay
i have to believe
that things will set its course
in the right direction.

after all, it always does
doesn't it?

rates of time;

time is linear, that we know
but how do alternate realities compare
to our own passing clocks?
are their minutes our hours?
or their days our years?

if rates between worlds, realities
differ greatly
wouldn't we live longer in one
and die quicker in another?
perhaps we would have no understanding
of the inner workings of time
and therefore not see nor feel the difference
of the rates of time
until we pass through another place.

maybe like the pevensie children of c.s. lewis' creation
we grow, flourish, and age in one world
while coming back into the other
just as we were at the beginning.

falling;

falling, falling, falling
downward and spiraling
a million feet left to go
from this hot-air balloon drop.

the rush of colors from all around
as we hold on desperately
hurtling forward
lost with no direction.

we'll wait for the end of the ride
the end of the ride, the end.

we'll bow and curtsy to each other
you in your spiffy solid black tuxedo
and me in my girlish aubergine party dress.
our laughter becomes our serenade
the skipping beats of our hearts
becoming the music to which we dance
watched by smiling stars
that shine from above.

and we'll wait for the end of the ride
the end of the ride, the end.

however farther we have left to go
a million feet, a million seconds
a million years
we will have each other, beautiful company
twirling our dances
until the end, the end of the ride
the end of time.

end of the line;

i'm running down the ocean deep
the twinkling stars high above
my guides to the end of the rainbow
and the horizon that awaits me.

exhilarating yet just as frightening
the beating of my own heart
drowning out my racing thoughts
pumping on adrenaline
to reach the end of the line.

and the biggest question lies here
what will i find when i reach the pinnacle
what tunnel will open for me
and will i like what i see?

rejuvenate;

Hot, stuffy, suffocating
I can hardly breath
Becoming quite short of breath
And seemingly close to death.
Pull me out of here
And dip me into the sea
Let me nourish my wasted body
Help me rejuvenate my soul.

hard to concentrate;

Sometimes it is hard to concentrate
Losing myself in my reverie
As the lecture goes in one ear
And out the other
Collecting dust along the way.
A really bad habit it becomes
Especially as spring begins to near.
The sunshine and warm breeze
Calls out to me, begging me
To come out and play.

little things;

the little things in life
sometimes make everything alright
bringing light into the day
and hope to the future.

sometimes it's just a breath of fresh air
a breeze carried from afar
that reminds us to keep looking forward
to the greener grass
that denotes a far better horizon.

tears begin to flow;

after holding back
the dam breaks
and the tears begin to flow.

regrets;

regrets
maybes, what ifs
i should have
maybe

those moments of the past
that had us at hello
but we brushed them away
only to finally realize
the beauty in them

maybe we are weak
and so, did not pursue
such life-changing journeys

are we afraid
of consequences that may bestow
upon our already chaotic lives

maybe, what ifs, i should have
everything i never could do
and future opportunities absent

i remember;

i remember
the years gone by
the memories that have faded
rushing back like a flooded dam.

the sounds, the sights, the sensations
feeling them reverberate though my body
a war of neuronic signals
forcing me be a witness.

such wonderful, beautiful times
such precious memories
nothing more but dust in the past
that will soon be forgotten
all over again.

pandora's box;

it's an open door
waiting for you, and only you,
continuously, for a hundred years.

standing ever so strong
prevailing the darkest of storms
holding its ground
for as long as needed.

it will not push you
but let you decide
when you think the time is right
to delve inside
and face your pandora's box.

karma;

what goes around, comes around
you will get your taste of karma
and see reality in the mirror.

do you like it
is this who you wanted to be
are you proud?

at least now, you do not have to hide
we all know who you are behind the mask.

continue forward;

if we persevere, maybe we can get through
maybe the satellites above will emit
the signals that will lead us home
wherever it may be.

sometimes it seems hopeless
no finish line to the long road ahead
miles and miles stretched out before you
a deserted destiny.

but how far can you go?
how long will you withstand the pressure
and do you think you are cut out for it.

sometimes it is not whether you have the money
or the means, the transportation, the luxuries.
sometimes it is all simply internal:
do you have the willpower
do you have the determination
do you have the dream
to continue forward?

pull me down;

pull me down
level me with the ground
as i am floating helplessly above
in between passing clouds.

up or down is irrelevant
i am twirling a three-sixty
in and out i will float.

cut me down from the balloon
the imaginary osmotic pull
like nutrients going from tissue to capillaries
i am being pulled further and further away.

bring me down
keep me here
don't let go.

sister;

sister
someone i long
who i will never have
no matter how desperately
i dream.

academia;

academia, you mock me so
put my mind through a tornado
leaving me to pick up the debris
that you strewed so haphazardly.

a failure you make me appear to be
distorting the only vision i can see
having me question my ability
and destroying confidence brutally.

falling, falling, falling
you left me dangling off a cliff
leaving me to scream and wish
for a different tune to sing.

i'll thank you for deserting me
in my desperate time of need.
i didn't need you anyhow
and this path i will walk alone now.

it's steadily getting worse;

it's steadily getting worse
like a water dam ready to burst
and drown the surrounding towns
dimming the flickering
lights of my life.

disappointment fills my chest
peaking with a lump
in the hollow of my neck
as i feel the strain of being ashamed.

it's my fault, i know
but for all the wrong reasons
as the connections between neurons
no longer flow
as they should.

maybe i am not cut out for this
maybe it is out of my league
maybe i need to embark on a new path
and foster a new destination.

failed promises;

Failed promises
And shattered dreams
Trying so desperately
To pick up the broken pieces.

i am not one to;

i am not one to paint my face
to hide the scars and the imperfections
that grace my person.
i am not one to hide behind in shame
to put up a different front
or to conduct a new personality.
i am not one to turn a head
nor a blind eye to the issues that matter
no matter how trivial or insignificant they may be.
i am not one to turn my back
on the world that fostered my being.
i am not one to lose sight
on everything that ever mattered.

young, uninhibited and free;

i remember when i was eighteen
young, uninhibited and free
without a care in the world
relishing in the beauty of life.

a long time since then
and a long way to have come
in the span of only five years.

much calmer, rational
less spontaneous
growing a calm head on the shoulders
and taking things slow.

is this what it feel like to grow up
to see things in a different light
to be standing on the other spectrum
becoming the responsible adult?

it's a new sensation
somewhat surreal
but empowering at the same time
entering a new stage in life
and having to say goodbye to another.

a million things;

a million things i want to say
a thousand words i need to hear
a hundred heartbeats i'll endure
until i can controvert the fear.

a million times i have sighed
a thousand memories i have cried
a hundred nights i have stayed awake
because of you, my world was shaken.

it just keeps on coming;

it just keeps on coming
there is not an end to the stream
that is starting to drown me
in my little dwelling.

like the rain that splatters on the window panes
so does the ink from my pen
onto this stack of scrap
papers from what i need to focus upon.

and they still keep on flowing
marching a parade
into my world.

no time for rest or sleep;

the words becoming a blur
a black sea forming slowly
until it spreads across the page
and my line of vision.

heavy lids threatening to retreat
abandoning me in my battle
to regain a hold of consciousness
and fight to finish the race.

it's become so hard to focus
as my mind weakens and wanders
most definitely not focusing
on the important issue at hand.

come back to me, come back
we have to complete our task
there is no time for rest or sleep
until we climb out of this mountain deep
of educational pursuits.

plant the seed;

they'll plant the seed
and help it grow
nurturing it to become
the beautiful flower it could be.

the taste of adventure
the allure of discovery
waiting just beyond the horizon
just barely out of reach
where dreams can become reality.

she'll rise up and spread her wings
as the morning sun dawns
and she will take flight
into the open skies
knowing her future has just begun.

defy;

she said to them:
let your hair down
release your inhibitions
rise a rebellion
and defy discriminations.

always taking the back road
keeping out of sight
having not a voice
owning nothing in our own right.

behind the walls we had stood
clouded in darkness as we should
according to society's norms
we must unwillingly conform.

but slowly and surely
we shall have our limelight
and we will join forces and reject
every conniving right.

stand together and stand straight
as a whole, our spirit they cannot break
triumphant we can become
as long as we unite as one.

lost, gone, stolen;

it's lost, gone, stolen
bring it back
i need it
i covet it.

where is it
i've turned the world
upside down
in the search.

perhaps i'll never see it
forever gone
lost, lost, lost
and so alone.

but i thought wrong;

yeah, and so i thought
but i thought wrong
so much that it hurts
and is quite unbelievable.

but still, all will be well
it will continue on
i will learn to let go
and live without.

mannequin;

just a mannequin
controlled by strings
held by the hands
of another.

she'll do his bidding
mechanically but willingly
just to be in his graces.

but she is only being used
without gaining an ounce
of love, appreciation, adoration
from him.

she will become broken
an empty pile of wooden sticks
once her use has dissipated.
and he will continue on
forgetting his mannequin lover.

little girl;

what happened to that little girl
who dominated the front
holding down the fort
her knees buried in the dirt.

she has started to change
to grow up
leaving behind childhood fancies
and embarking upon a new path
one meant for the experienced.

make-up, guys, drama
this is what her world revolves around
the axis on which it spins
sometimes wildly out of control.

the innocence that once was
is no more.
it has disappeared gradually
as all milestones of life tend to do.

into the back drop
boxed away in the attic
it doesn't fully disappear though, no.
it will still be waiting for her
when she decides to take a trip
down memory lane
and relish in nostalgia.

and perhaps then
the little girl who locked herself away
deep inside the heart
will start to come out play
if even for just a moment.

it is then that little girl
will live once again.

even if for just a moment.

wondering what is waiting for me;

again
here i am alone
in this dark quiet room
with my thoughts.

the creaking of the floor boards
under my bare-feet
as i pad across the hallway
searching for something
what, i do not know.

i take a walk outside
to tilt my head upward
staring at the starless sky
wondering what is waiting for me.

what does the future hold for me
wherein lies my destiny
do i have a purpose
or am i simply just here?

she is the only one there again;

she is the only one there again
alone on the open road
with only the twinkling stars so very far away
to keep her company at the death of day.

there is not a sound where she is
no evening breeze to caress her hair
no moon to light upon her face so fair
but a lonely darkness dotted with specks
of burning stars.

a thunder crashes from all directions
but where, she does not know.
maybe it came from high above
or perhaps it is her beating heart
pounding in her chest
as it has for many ages.

and then she began to walk
on that open road of darkness
following a path that only her mind can see
hoping to find her heart's desire
whatever it may be.

say goodbye;

we'll say goodbye to what we once knew
as everything begins to change
the friends we were once close with
now becoming strangers
as they drift further away from us.

like the sea that changes with the tide
our own lives are nonlinear
open to many branches of possibilities.

which one will we choose?

we walk along the fine middle line
teetering on a tightrope demonstration
trying to keep ourselves up
saving ourselves from plummeting to the ground.
and if we do fall from our pedestal
maybe we will fall into grace's arms
where we can pick up the pieces
say goodbye to the past
and start over again.

the smell of freshly cut grass;

the smell of freshly cut grass
is one of my favorites
the aromatic fragrance
inflating my lungs
and uplifting my spirits.

a walk around an open park
with children and dogs running amok
on a lush carpet of green grass
is a wonderful sight to behold.

sitting in meditation
with only my thoughts
and the sounds of nature
as my only companions
sets an idyllic stage.

it is during these times in which i feel alive
in which i feel rejuvenated
and love the glory that is called life.

changing seasons;

i can feel it
the change of the seasons.
there is something in the air
that brings back memories
from years ago.

there is something about it all
that is nostalgic and bittersweet
of the times that are fading from memory
so slowly, slowly
until they are nothing more than wisps
of color and emotion.

there is something about the way
the air fill me lungs
the sounds of passing cars
and smell of freshly cut grass
in the spring of summer.

children come out to play
from within the safe haven of their homes
into the beautiful sunshine
and glorious clear skies.

life emerges from winter's death
from the cold grip of snow
melting away until another year.

paint it black and white;

paint it black and white
because there is no grey
there is no in-between
there is only here and now.

your thoughts and feelings
are officially void
you are not your own person
you have no voice.

you say this is unfair
but this is the axis
on which the world revolves
continuously
as it has been doing
for a millennium.

you can scream and shout
you can rebel and demand revolution
but change will not come quickly
especially to those who turn a blind eye
content in the prison they have created.

yes or no, right or wrong
circumstances are nonexistent
maybes and what ifs
do not have a place in our society.

save yourself the humiliation and the stress
do not give yourself a headache.
follow the mainstream, fall into place
and live as we have been living
since the moment we entered the world.

balancing act;

it's a balancing act, they say
but i seem to be failing
quite spectacularly

it's hard to stay on the middle line
teetering at the edge
at risk for falling to the wrong side

does this tightrope event ever end?
is there level ground anywhere near?

change;

is she dreaming too high
too ambitiously, to greatly
for her conservative society?

cringing with fear
they grimace at the thought
of advancement
from their traditional ways.

"it's time for change" she would cry
"it's time for our triumph" she would beat
into their thicken skulls
dusty from generations of placidity.

but can she win, can she rise above
and better the world around her?

or will the reluctance of her community
become her own enemy
and create a cage, an iron-hand prison
from which she can never escape?

to the top;

slowly getting there
up, up, up the mountain she goes
clad in nothing but
her knickers and her soul.

she's baring everything she's got
every virtue and every pride inside
to the world she will show
who she really is
truly is.

and who will be there to greet her
when she finally reaches the pinnacle
where all her hopes and dreams lie
covered in a snowy storm.

will it be a god
who will bless her
and grant her eternal salvation.

or will it simply be the sun
high above in the sky
beating down on her its radiance.
like the radiance that blooms
from the fiery determination
in her eyes

your entertainment;

i'm jumping through hoop rings
doing those circus things
tricks and unicycles
for your entertainment

do you like to see me jump around
like i'm under the imperio
bidding your every command
just to please you

enough is enough sometimes
you know?

sometimes i am tired
of being your shining star
maybe i just want to take the backseat
to this thing called life

just sometimes
only sometimes

[imperio = being controlled against one's will
harry potter reference]

he ripped out her heart;

he ripped out her heart
stomped and mangled it
until it was nothing
but a broken, empty shell

he left her lying there
on the cold, damp ground
dry as a bone
as she could cry no more tears

abandonment is what she felt
and betrayal is what he inflicted
on a girl who gave her all
to him

but unlike him
she would heal
she would forget the horrid memories
and bury the past forever

he would go on with the knowledge
of beating down a person at their worst
toying with his prey before going for the kill

in time
they would go their separate ways
until the meet again
before the ultimate judge

take a breath;

take a breath, take a breath
and stop, halt time
even if it is in your own
little world.

smell the flowers
smell the world
and all its wonders.

see what you have been missing?
missing your entire life?

just stop everything
put down your busy life
your ringing off-of-the hook
blackberry with its thousands of emails.
put down the endless thoughts and chatter
that run relentlessly in your mind
of everything that you need to do
in the small amount of time
that you don't even have.

stop, stop, stop
you need a break
really, you do.
when would ever enjoy
what the world around you
gives you each and every day?
retirement is a long way off
for such beautiful memories
so why not stop, stop, stop
and make them now?

hello two a.m.;

hello two a.m.
how are you doing
this fine early morning?

really? amazing.

myself? just dandy
thanks for asking.

love you
goodnight.

snow, snow, snow

snow, snow, snow
coating the world white
a winter wonderland
at my fingertips.

flurries coming down
slowly, steadily
upon the ground they rest
waiting to melt and die.

paper crane;

paper crane
will you spread your paper wings
and take flight into the paper sky
towards the paper sun
burning brilliantly.

paper crane
listen to what the world has to say
listen with your paper ears
and process with your paper brain.

paper crane
spread your paper wings
and soar into paper dreams.

yucky sickness;

yucky sickness.
runny nose, stuffy nose
two opposites existing at the same time
like disseminated intravascular coagulation.

so hard to breathe
with hammers pounding relentlessly
in my already aching head.

a thousand milligrams of acetaminophen
and four hundred milligrams of ibuprofen
doing pretty much naught
for my symptoms.

it'll be over soon
and until then
all i can do is suffer.

let's drive into the sunset;

let's drive into the sunset
on the thinning horizon
where the sky meets the land
to gently kiss.

a thousand miles an hour we'll go
feet on the accelerator
the break pedal nonexistent
on our never-ending ride.

when will we stop?
we will know
when we see the exit sign.

keep on plowing forward
keep on going
don't stop, don't stop.
keep your eyes on the road
and we'll make it through
to the other side
where it is always greener.

it's slow going, they said;

it's slow going, they said
trudging alone
upon a dirt-worn path
on a destination
to somewhere.

all we can do now
is keep our head above water
and look to the future
with an open mind.

masquerade;

let's go to a masquerade
and put on a face
a mask with which
to fool the world.

they will never know
they will never know.

a game of charades
we'll dance the night away
dancing between identities
for the perfect match.

and they will never know
never know.

the twinkle in their eyes
of mischief abounding
hearts pounding
of the exhilarating race.

let's go, let's hide
and leave the secrets
of our minds, of our lives
all behind.

hold my hand;

hold my hand, please
don't let go, don't let go
keep me safe, rescue me
warm me up, it's so cold.

when the sun goes down
the monsters come out and play
in the darkness of their world
falling, falling
into my own.

so terribly frightened
quaking in fear
please don't let go
of holding my hand.

keep me safe, rescue me
warm me up, it's so cold
don't let go, don't let go
keep me safe
warm me up
hold my hand
don't let go.

i am lying here;

i am lying here
beaten down, on my knees
recuperating my losses
as the voices cry out silently.

barely reaching out
blood stained hands
of who's
i cannot recall.

the battle is all but over
the fires raging out
the smoke rising
extinguishing all
the screams and shouts.

time to let it go
and fall fast asleep
letting the darkness overcome
like the sea, endless deep.

tug-o-war;

just a taste, she said
to know what i will be missing
to know what i will never have
or ever see again.

no, he said
it is wrong
you are out of your mind
and completely delusional.

don't be cruel, she cried
don't deny me what is rightfully mine
even though you promise everything
to another.

away, go away, he demanded
you are not worthy of my time
of anyone's time
and most definitely not worthy
of my love and devotion.

i will never wrong you again! she pleaded
just give me one more chance
and i will change who i am
to be what you want me to be
and what you most desire!

no! never! and begone! he demanded
i don't want a subservient lover
i want a friend, a mutual companion
someone to share my secrets with
not to be used in blackmail!

i'm sorry, i'm sorry, she resigned
i never meant to hurt you
i never meant to wrong you.
you cannot forgive a simple mistake?

mistake, you call this a mistake? he asked
you are completely lost
you play with fire without protection
and you dig yourself a hole
no, go away, go away
go far away.

she sulked away into dark shadows
and he moved forward into bright daylight.

marriage, babies, and more

marriage, babies, and more.
boy, am i late
and completely light years
from these commodities
unlike many of my peers.

to some, this is food and shelter, a need
for me, these are very scary considerations
and definitely not a need nor want
now, or ever.

"you have to get married one day" so says she.
but why?
i am relatively content right now.
and besides
i get bored too often, too frequently
for such a thing to last
"till death do us part".

maybe time will change my mind
and my heart
and my biological demands.
maybe i will welcome them with open arms
or hide away in fear.

we will see
what the future may bring.

it is early morning again;

it is early morning again
or late afternoon
depending on your circadian cycle.
and again i sit here
unable to sleep
though probably due to my own faults.

i spend these times
languidly lying around
thinking, hoping, wondering
about so many things
which my brain can hardly
comprehend.

the things i need to do
the things i should have done
and the things i probably will never do

what contemplating thoughts
will my brain concoct
tonight?

rescue me;

i've become lax in my duties
trudging behind
grudgingly and without passion.
what has brought me to this place
this existence
that i absolutely abhor.

"pull me out
and help me"
i scream
i shout.
but will no one listen?
will i have to rely on nothing
but the two hands before me?

but sometimes
we all need help
to get to that pinnacle
where all the success lies.
so where are you
when are you going
to rescue me?

winning marathon;

i want to run, run, run
with my feet pounding on the asphalt
the perspiration dripping down
dancing with adrenaline
like there's no tomorrow.

all the problems
and all the sorrows
will slip off my back
forming miniature puddles
everywhere i go.

a release that i can relish
and beat out my frustrations
to the tune of my sprinting feet.

i can run, run, run
away from my demons
the dark particles of my soul
that should never give into temptation.

the race is on
ever always in motion
and ever always trying to come
first place.

it's my life
it's my choice
it's my winning marathon.

another ripple in the sea;

another ripple in the sea
to set the course again
another path to lay
hand me the driving key.

the breath you breathe
once in a lifetime
to alter the entire course
of history.

a butterfly effect
to distort the future
that was never meant to be
lost endlessly.

in another place, another time
maybe in the present it may arise
the endless connections
a myriad of possibilities.

draw yourself out
out of the fantasy
keep you feet planted
in our reality.

i can't wait to grow up;

"i can't wait to grow up"
we all once said
as little children
oblivious the world.

we all wanted to grow up
so very fast.

but now that we have reached
adulthood
what do have to say for it?

college, bills, responsibility
a different perspective on the world
that was once so different
from before.

childhood was precious
and precarious
but we were all too willing
to let it pass
to slip through our fingers
like a sieve.

no more are the days filled
with playing outside
enjoying the warm sunshine
with friends and lemonade.

summers are no longer carefree
always looking forward
to what pretend games will bring.

slaving away at work
earning money
is what it has become.

innocence has been lost
as we are thrust
into real world.

how many times have we now wished
to have heeded our elder's warnings
to enjoy being a kid, to enjoy life
and see things through the eyes of a child.

how many times have we now wished
to turn back time
and return to that wonderful world
that becomes lost to us as we grow.

but time is linear
and all we can do
is enjoy the memories
and move on forward.

i am a little disappointed;

i am a little disappointed
in you, you, and you.

not you, though
you're okay.

but for the rest of you
tsk tsk tsk
and a sigh.

i wonder sometimes
if being nice
is a weakness.
because honestly
it seems to backfire on me
constantly.

what is it that i have done wrong?
is there something i need
to change?
change is good
for the most part.

is that what you all want?

breaking point;

i just want to break down and cry
sometimes
just to let it out
and release myself.

i am strong and weak
all at the same time
and it puts me at the edge
of my seat
waiting for the ride
to stop.

reality versus fantasy
hard to see between the lines
to differentiate the worlds
when they are so connected
in my mind.

crazy, maybe that is what i am
the old lady with twenty cats
living a life that never existed
except only in her mind.

will there be a breaking point
when i forget myself
and lose sight of everything?

losing grip;

psychiatric clinical rotations
helping people who cannot help themselves
providing care
providing hope
providing everything.

but is it they who need saving
or is it me
do i need to be a part of their
assembly
because i feel like i am drowning
i cannot break free.

losing grip, losing, losing
can i stand, can i win
completely.

one-eighty;

one-eighty
upside down
flipped and twisted
suffocating underneath.

misled and confused
broken and bruised
where is the light
where is it?

me, you, theirs
his and hers.
really who's fault
is it?

beautiful place;

what are you waiting for
let's go, go, go
find some adventures
and get lost
in a beautiful place.

nursing diagnosis;

blah blah blah
related to
blah blah blah
as manifested by
blah blah blah.

nursing diagnosis
thou art my enemy.

seventeen years;

seventeen years
almost twenty
where are you
how is your life
not that i honestly care.

as for myself
i'm doing good, thanks
without your help
perfectly.

said the moon;

dry your eyes, said the moon
there's no time to cry.

chin up, said the moon
you've gotta face your fears.

wake up, said the moon
it's time to live again.

life in pen or pencil;

i need a skilled architect
to draw up a blueprint
and redesign my future.

we say we write our lives in pencil
so that we can rewrite and erase
the wrongs and mistakes
that we have done.

but is that true?
because i cannot see it.

that one mistake we make
inked in pen
is hard to remedy
and return to what once was
again.

i am in need of a skilled architect
to help guide my way
and keep me from making
the same mistakes again.

will this not ever end;

will this not ever end, she asks
twiddling her thumbs
and biting her lips
just to pass the time.

she craves for that beautiful sunshine
to beat down on her body
if only just to find out
that she's alive and healthy.

but again and again she'll ask
will this not ever end
to an empty audience
that does not have the answer.

screaming inside;

i'll put a brave front out to the world
so they will never assume
they will never find out
that i am screaming so desperately
inside.

there's only happiness and optimism
around every corner of my eyes
never knowing what's going on
or if i am screaming so desperately
inside.

they ask "how have you been?"
i respond "great, very great."
and we'll keep up our small talk
even though i am screaming
so desperately
inside.

another day will pass
another week will soar
and everyday i keep staring ahead
not giving anyone a chance
to see that i am screaming
so desperately
inside.

hello, hello they said;

hello, hello she said
have you come to stay?
will you be here always
a friend of mine with whom to play?

hello, hello he said
of course i will be here to play
no adventures can you embark
without me to guide the way.

little girls and little boys
climbing across the universe
to magical lands and unknown sights
with royalty they will converse.

and at night when fast asleep
their dreams will continue to soar
learning all that they can grasp
always with a want to know more.

and then i went poof;

i picked up a cat
her fur it did
flutter, flutter, flutter
gently on my shirt.
and then i went poof.

oh my goodness;

oh my goodness
can i hardly dare to believe
that an entire month has almost passed
before i even had the chance to breathe.

tick tock tick tock
time is always ever moving
what has happened each and every day
i do not know, there is no telling.

one year, two years, three years
how fast will they go by?
slowly so i can cherish the time
or gone within the blink of an eye?

i will bottle up my love;

i will bottle up my love
and cast it out into the sea
hoping that it will reach you
the message written from me.

across the many miles
maybe it will reach you
tomorrow, next week, next year
so the future can start anew.

what will be your response
when you see what is sent
will you smile fondly
or cast away and repent?

and after all is said and done
what is it that will remain?
will we cherish all that once was
or hide it forever in shame?

not enough time;

sometimes i just want to curl up
and die
or sleep for eternity
which is essentially the same concept.

i am tired of many things
everything
and i just want it to stop
permanently.

is it too much to ask
for a halt in time
to give me enough hours
to complete what i need to complete.

i wish harry potter and his world were real;
i could use a time-turner right about now.
there it goes
that feeling again
of disconnection.

what gives.

the stress;

the stress
is back again.
a never-ending
vicious cycle.
can't i have a time-out
to catch my breath?

so young and beautiful;

so young and beautiful
with the world at her feet
and many things to see.
the future was bright
with many undiscovered paths
that she was sure to light up
brilliantly.

so young and beautiful
but in an instant
her future became a blank slate
void of everything
that would never be.

so young and beautiful
with a life cut too short
a flame that went out
before her time.

so young and beautiful
a lesson to be learned
that each day should be treasured
lest it becomes the last.

i'm counting the days;

i'm counting the days
watching them pass
at unbelievable speed.
amazing how it all goes
leaving but a speck
in the dust.

sweet little life;

sweet little life
so much before you
a past which you have never known
with only the present
to guide you.

some day you will know the stories
the family history
although not pretty
is still yours to claim.

sweet little life
keep your head above water
fixate your gaze on the horizon
where your dreams will take flight.

but for now
sleep in blissful darkness
until your eyes open to the world.

sleep for now
for everything has only just begun.

one two ready go;

one two ready go
it starts all over again
starting today
and many days more.

almost there;

almost there
can you see it?
right beyond the horizon
it is there
waiting.
let's push forward
and reach that light.

stop;

STOP!
catch your breath
and relive the moment.

STOP!
take a look around you
and see the beauty
always overlooked.

STOP!
don't question the consequences
but be spontaneous for once
and live out your dreams.

giggles;

hee hee hee
a bottle of giggles
bursting at the brim
with plans to ricochet the cork
on unsuspecting walls and windows.

laughter, smiles, and happiness;

oh the times
of laughter, smiles, and happiness
simply a wonderful stop in time
along the road of many years.

will i remember this night
tomorrow
next week
or twenty years from now?

i truly hope that i will treasure these memories
for many years to come.

falling, drowning, disappearing;

i'm falling, drowning, disappearing
whatever you wish to call it
but the bottom line is
i am losing grip
and losing my sanity.

there's something wrong
isn't there?
there's something missing
somewhere.

can i hold on?
can i manage?
or will i continue along
down the empty black hole
that is never ending?

halt time;

hold your breath and count to ten
take a second to reflect
on your day, your past
and your future.

beauty is found at every corner
even in the most desolate of places.
the key is to believe
and see not with your eyes
but with your heart.

so take a moment to halt time
to ignore the hectic chaos around you
and take that moment for yourself.

little old lady;

she sits there in her rocking chair
dipping back and forth
in a constant rhythm.

staring out into the sun
her mind is nowhere near
her eyes in a vacant stare
as she reminisces.

so many events in her life
that imprinted deeply in her heart
remembering the happy days
as well as every regret
every chance she never took.

she remembers the lovers of her youth
the passion for life she once had
vibrant and young
not this frail little old lady
she had become.

the years had been kind to her
for the most part
always having the bad fruit
every once in awhile.

now she sits and stares
with deep crows feet around her eyes
the evidence of past joy.

she walks on down memory lane
a path she loved to trail
for many hours on end.

no, i am not crazy;

no, i am not crazy
don't call me that.
i have problems that are completely
out of my control.
nature decided to take upon itself
to set out a different course
that would ultimately
create an invisible barrier
between myself and society.
i am maybe a little different
but why do you focus on the things i cannot do
rather than the things i can.
are you really that shallow
or am i really not in your league?

i give advice and tips to people;

i give advice and tips to people
telling them what they should
or shouldn't do.
but i seem to have a hard time
of understanding that it can benefit me as well.
maybe i can talk the talk
but not walk the walk.
sometimes i wonder if i can really stand on my own
if the two feet beneath my teetering body
can support my person.
can i prevail or will i forever be lost?

pressed on time;

pressed on time
suffocating under the elephant
that is crushing my chest.

it is hard to breath through this
to continue on
to see the light
at the end of the tunnel.

a very long tunnel.

i can count the days
until the last minute
the last second
that i am no longer free
and once again a prisoner.

it is a discouraging
yet eradicating thought.
but at this moment
it seems it will never end.

yesterday;

yesterday has come and gone
like it always has
a definite understanding
accepted without question.

but those memories retained
in those multiple yesterdays
have you held on to them
or have they gone with dying embers
of a fire long gone.

i ask you to believe
to wish up on a star again
and remember the magic
that was intimately integrated
in our very souls.

a never-ending cycle;

a never-ending cycle it seems
over and over again
a circular symphony.

is it too much to ask
to be granted release
time to relax
to drift away in endless peace?

the journey is far from over
it will never disappear
a constant companion
a life-long lover
and reluctantly held dear.

gone again;

gone again have you?
i would have expected
nothing less.

the way your brain works
is remarkable
so unfathomable.

you are simply a work of art.

escape;

there are those who drink their sorrows away
drink away the complications of life
for a more pleasant reality
in blissful darkness.

i am one who reads the night away
long hours put in
reading any material
i can get my hands on.

for me, it puts me in another world
a vast landscape of possibilities
only discovered between covers of a book.

and the process is repeated again, tonight.

perspectives;

let's put it into perspective:
you, me, him, her, it, they
what does it matter, honestly?
if we strive for the same
why can't we see eye-to-eye
why do we only bring to the front
our differences?

we are no different from one another
genetically, we have varying features
blue eyes, blonde hair, brown hair, green eyes.
but biologically, we posses the same exact foundation
two lungs, two kidneys, one liver
one heart.

and obviously different minds.

no matter what you believe:
evolutionary, we all derive from a common ancestor
religiously, we are all brothers and sisters under His name.
and if you believe in neither, we are all human.

so, i ask again
why all the sneers, the jeers, and the hate
can we not open up with a clean slate?
as the saying goes
"united we stand, divided we fall"
shall we allow for everything we have worked
to crumble in our foolish ideations?

thank you for going away;

thank you for going away.
i really appreciate it
because your presence is never wanted.
please grace me with peace
and don't return
for a very long time.
love, me.

there's an ache in my chest;

there's an ache in my chest
right here, next to my heart.
i feel so out of it sometimes
falling into a place
i think i can never pull myself out.
doesn't happen all the time, no
but when it strikes
a thousand needles penetrate me
causing me absolute misery.
maybe there is something wrong with me
twisted and misshapen
beyond recognition
and i can't even stop it
or even beg for help.

here again;

why are you here again?
never punctual but still the same.
not supposed to be here
yet.
please, go away
it is not your time.

goodbye;

goodbye
you've gone again
out of sight and out of mind
you will always
remain.

family;

family
what is the meaning of this word?
kinship by blood alone
or something more?

holiday gatherings of cheer
absent in many
a solitary existence.
a support system to rely on
a connective circle of love
is this what family is?

some members of which we never meet
for being on the other side of the globe
but by blood, we are a family.

happy, smiling;

happy, smiling
living the perfect life
at the prime of her youth.
but inside she was screaming
weeping for the ears that never heard
and the hearts that never cared.
was it something she missed
what ran amok since her birth
when did everything
go so wrong?

a fool;

you don't really get it do you?
you never really did.
i guess that comes as no surprise
no matter how many times
i tell you.
either you turn a blind eye
you are just a fool.
take your pick
because it doesn't matter to me
anymore.

free from a curse;

let me pit a grave
to bury all the troubles
into the sand
with my stained hands.
let them be washed away
in time, into the sea
where they will disperse
and i will be free from a curse.

doll;

why don't you ever listen to me?
you stare but never hear
as if the space between your ears
is hollow.

blah blah blah blah
is that all you can comprehend
when my lips part
and words tumble
meaningless as you?

i never needed a doll
i have plenty.
i needed you
but you are faulty
and a disappointment
without a clue.

shine down on me again;

shine down on me again
because i am needing your guidance
in this turbulent time
of my life.
bumpy roads before me
stick and stones that break me
and words that are burned in my heart.
over and over again
it never seems to end
a constant circle
absent of cutting corners.
free me once again
once more i need you
once more i plead you
to hear my stentorian whispers.

driving to the future;

driving down the highway again
passing cars left and right
watching a blur of color roll by me.

trees are aligned on the side of the road
trees, trees, and more trees
and the city far behind me.

out on the open road
going a thousand miles per hour
zipping past the exit ramps
of different pathways to life.

where is my perfect exit
the destiny made just for me?
i will keep on driving forward
into the horizon of the setting sun
always on the look out
for my future.

is death;

is death the cause for heartache and sorrow
or a cause for celebration
at knowing our loved ones are now at peace
in a place void of hardship.

is death an unfair advantage
or is it a godsend blessing
of poor souls who are ravaged
by unsuccessful chemotherapy.

is death the end of life
or the beginning of another adventure
that we have yet to experience.

smile, cheese, and click;

smile, cheese, and click.
capturing memories
one snapshot at a time
to be remembered
fifty years from now.

candid shots of gazing into the horizon
that only exists in the mind
listening the crashing waves of the ocean
and the call of seagulls
in the middle of a land-locked state.

old photos of times forgotten
straight, emotionless facades
that stare back at us.
what were they thinking?
what were they doing?
what mystery surrounds them
that we can only dream about?

let us flip through albums
of dated and new pictures
recollecting the exhilaration
that we felt at the time.
photos of family vacations
filled with joy and excitement.
or scenery shots from a road trip
relishing in the prospects
of uncharted destinations.

so
smile, cheese, and click
let us make the memories together
that will last us a lifetime
and generations to come.

2010;

my, my, my
good bye 2009
and hello 2010!

ten years we have been in this millennium
this century
and it seemed to have gone by so fast.
five years ago, i graduated from high school
half a decade.
ten years ago i left behind an old chapter
of my childhood life.
and one of the best years of my life, 2007
took place in your last ten years.

so what will the future bring?
what will the next ten years look like?
i am excited and nervous
for what new horizons you will open up for me
and what new adventures are awaiting
to be embarked, explored, and conquered.

and it is only the beginning.

you are a miracle;

you are a miracle
a tiny living being
birthed from nothing
but a single cell.

welcome to the world.

wave hello
and face the wonders
with a brave front.

times may be tough for you
but remember, you are strong.
you were born to live through the hardships
and overcome the obstacles
so that you can appreciate
the things that matter most.

home, love, and family
never take these for granted
and live to the fullest
because life is a precious gift
that you can live through only once.

goodbye 2009;

goodbye two thousand and nine
it was great to have you around
but it is now time to let you go.
less than twenty-four hours
you have to live
before you die forever.
i hope the memories you created
will hold dear to your heart
and never be forgotten.
remember the days
that we took for granted
and let them live on
in our souls
even after we depart this earth.
so, two thousand and nine
i salute you
and wish you the best of luck
on the journey into the books of history
and into the past.

afterwards;

She laid on her white bed, in her white room, with white walls. She tried to focus her eyes, but found it very difficult to do so. All she could see was not reality, but the world she could only ever dream about. She rolled over onto her side, staring at the clock at her bedside. Four in the afternoon. Ugh. Time did move by so very slow. How much longer?

As always her mind betrayed her, sending her into another world, the place that she held dear to her heart. How many years has it been? Five? Ten? She began to lose count after the first couple. Maybe it was seven. No, it was thirteen. Thirteen long years since that beautiful time. And she longed so dearly to return.

She could still smell the sweet grass, the ocean surrounding the place blue and clear as diamonds. She could still feel the steam on her face as she scrubbed the bathhouse, a novice, but hardworking. And she could still remember, oh how could she ever forget, his beautiful face, the warmth of his palms in her own. The heartbreaking separation necessary for the both of them.

Has he forgotten her? The promise they made to one day meet again? It felt like it, after all of these years. She couldn't remember why she had to leave in the first place. All she knew was that it was essential to her survival. And look where it got her - in a mental institute, courtesy of her parents because they believed she had finally lost it. Years of lounging in her room, staring out into the sky for hours, endless hours. She became withdrawn after that trip down the tunnel. They thought her changed for the better, but it instead became steadily worse, taking a 180-degree turn.

She closed her eyes for what seemed the millionth time, hoping to see a glance of him. She saw nothing but darkness behind her closed eyelids. She sighed for the millionth time. So instead, she lulled herself to sleep, for it was only in her dreams was she truly happy. Because she would be in the world she truly belonged. With him.

[inspiration: spirited away and love]

another long and sleepless night;

another long and sleepless night
that has graced me once again
uninvitingly invading the patterns of my brain
my circadian rhythms and cycles.
i am tired of these lonesome nights
and i wish instead to enter
the world of dreams
where my fantasies can play out.
sleep gods, where are you?
why are you ignoring my pleas
of much needed sleep?
i miss the rise of the morning sun
because i am knocked out
finally catching my sleep
at four in the morning.
i seem to waste half of my day
because i wake in the afternoon
or at least late morning.
i am tired of playing this game
i forfeit, i am far too old to compete
so can we please go to bed?

ugh, not again;

ugh, not again
i can feel it
another headache
waging war on my person
again.
painful aches pulsate relentlessly.
acetaminophen, ibuprofen
somebody, something
free me fro my agony.
i cannot bear it much longer
please
bring me to my sweet release
and let me sleep in peace.

i can hear the sweet lullabies;

i can hear the sweet lullabies
you whisper in my ears
so very softly.
i can feel your arms wrapped around me
your fingers dancing a symphony
spider-like on my palms.
i can see your closed eyes
at peace with the world
as i gently kiss your lips.
and i can still remember
when we were young and in love
so many years ago
a fire that never died.