When I was a little girl, I lived in silent fear of losing my mother the way she lost hers. That fear became excessive when I reached the age of seven, the same age she was when her mother fell down the basement stairs and hit her head. I watched Mama lik...
I want to watch as their eyes light up when I walk into the room I want it that when they catch a glimpse of me the rest of the world falls away And I am the only one left in focus I want deep late-night conversations about our dreams I want lazy afternoo...
Sitting with the soft, white sand covering my toes, While the warm breeze tousles my fiery red hair Dozens of beachgoers mill all around me With their umbrellas and chairs and suntan oils. Still, it feels incredibly quiet As the seagulls fly around, The p...
You look at me and flash a grin And suddenly, I’m taken in Your mouth speaks not, but eyes say much You’re longing for my gentle touch The sound of laughter fills the air But all you do is stand and stare You cannot think of words to say But still, you ta...
Walking along an abandoned beach I feel the cool grains of white sand, They seem to melt beneath my feet. I watch the ice-cold, rippling water Slowly wash away the shore. Bits of shells roll back and forth As the tide rushes in and out again. From time to...
I could have weathered a million storms, Fallen for each of your numerous forms After everything we’ve been through I could have truly loved you I could have soaked up the rain And furiously kissed away your pain Whether the moon is white, red, or blue I...
The Princess Awakened by the midnight thunder A sense of sorrow washes over me No one sees what lies under I only wish to be free I saunter to the castle window My last cry, the final plea My pain is as boundless as the sea I commence my crescendo “Is the...
The orange-red horizon gains a purple hue As the sun is swallowed by the sea of deep blue The waves roll so gently they nearly look still As a gull overhead sounds a loud, mournful trill My soul feels empty, and my heart squeezes tight As the quiet aftern...
Isolating this instance Carving away the pain that surrounds it Trimming around the edges of desolation I carry this moment in my hands I permitted myself to feel; The warmth of your body The softness of your touch The steady beating of your heart There w...
Nails on a chalkboard The sound of his voice The extra day’s visit When given no choice The fog-laden air And lack of sunshine The cool winter breeze Causing my sister’s whine The quickly raised voices Insisting they’re right The misinformation That cause...
It is just a snowflake they tell me. But to me, he is everything. He is my start and my beginning, my alpha and omega, my exodus and my stage left standing ovation. No, I know it doesn’t make sense to you. If you’re like everyone else, you think I’m delus...
“I’m sorry, I wish I had better news.” The doctor wears the face all doctors wear when delivering news no patient ever wanted to hear. “Do you have any questions?” I nod, then smile politely, unable to find the right words. How am I supposed to react? Wha...
Lily Burke walked the beach every morning as long as it wasn’t raining cats and dogs. On the weekdays, she walked briskly to keep in shape. But on the weekends, she allowed herself to meander along the shoreline, looking for shells to add to her already o...