Still Standing

You put me on a pedestal

Out of your selfish need

Not expecting the upheaval

Of rebellious minds I’ll feed

Unbound by your rulebook

I refuse to perform rote

Your tried and tested methods

Thieve my right to emote

Don’t hand me the power

Unless you relinquish it whole

I don’t want your half-truths

Play-acting is not my goal

You strip me of my license

Again, a path I’ll find

Rising above the dissonance

I will speak out my mind

Not good enough

There are some times in life when you feel hopelessly inadequate. What makes it worse is that it appears to others like you are fishing for compliments, seeking attention. Maybe you are. But it really sucks when you aren't.

Alone

There is no witness

To testify my longing for you

Only my pillow

Which swallows

The whispered expletives of your name

Woven into my short breaths

As I shiver

With my hands between my legs.

Flute

Look at us

Two broken pipes of wood

Each trying to falsely assure

The Other

Of the music inside

That was never there

Shadow

I revel in the shadows

watching you be

as you would if I wasn't.

Your embarrassment

when you're caught dancing

You thought no one was looking.

I thrill myself

 in those sheepish smiles

Not a pleasure sadist, no.

But joy

that surges from the knowledge

of new found kinship

My heart swells with childish pride

at the discovery

That in the countless moments

I cannot witness

You are perhaps

Just as silly as I.