Letters

1.  Go outside; be outstanding.

     I don't even know how we did it. What exactly was it that made both of us know from the second we met that we would share such a degree of friendship? None of this would ever have happened under any other circumstances, but somewhere, somehow, we managed to strike a bond- one of unprejudiced, unwavering, undying trust. It is this trust that means the world to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for being there for me when I needed it most.

     Distance has always been an interesting concept for us, one that really doesn't matter. I think it's because we both know that no matter how far apart we are and despite our differences, there's something about each other that will always spark the understanding. So wherever in the world you are, whatever life you're striving for, I hope you have found success beyond the standards of society; that you have made yourself a niche where you are truly comfortable without having succumbed to "normalcy". I hope that, despite the image of that tough exterior you paint on yourself, you let people know you far deeper, where your heart truly lies.

      P.S. As cliché as this may sound, I hope you find the girl of your dreams; you deserve her, and believe me when I say this: she deserves you.

2. I hope you feel satisfied.
    You are brilliant. You are intense, driven, and goal-oriented. But I hope that every once in a while, you step back to look at the life you've created for yourself. And I hope it brings a smile to your face. I love that smile. I hope that in these quiet, reflective moments, you come to realize what a masterpiece this is. Be proud of yourself- of the mountains you've climbed and the distance you've come. You've changed so much, yet not at all. You told me once that after such a long time, you felt alive. I think that's incredible and exhilarating, to know that you can push yourself to  your breaking point, but come back stronger than ever. It's the type of strength that everyone dreams to have , but for most, it remains that way - a dream. But you bring it to reality - not only for yourself, but for me as well. Thank you for making me believe in myself when it seemed like the last thing I could do. Thanks for the tough love; for telling me to keep fighting, and giving me the courage to do so. I honestly don't know where I'd be without it. You have fought so hard to get to where you are today. I hope you find your work rewarding, because I know, in the end, that's what means the most to you.
    P.S. Start doing things for no other reason than passion. Not everything you do has to serve a direct purpose.


3. Never stop chasing your dreams.
     Hell -or somewhere awfully close to it- is a place to which we've both been... But more importantly, it's a place from which we've both returned. If I haven't told you this already, I'll tell you now: I am so proud of you for being where you are now. Yes, you're dramatic, but I believe that you believe in yourself. However reckless, your confidence is what makes you who you are. I love how you balance being careful and carefree. We both know how much people judge you for your flaws, but I admire your ability to stand firmly for what you believe in and not let the opinions of others sway your mind. (Why should they? Your opinions don't need to rely on those of others.)
     You remind me of the Jazz Age: You are full of bright smiles and big dreams, and I really do hope you chase after them. You're one of the few people I know who truly believe in romance and know how to follow their heart. Let go of your insecurities; be proud of yourself, and keep challenging yourself. You've made it so far, you've accomplished so much, and I am so, so happy for you.
     P.S. You two are the best.


4. You're a jerk; the best one I've met.
    You really are a jerk. But your intelligence, sense of humour, and hilariously strange personality are unparalleled. I think what makes you so awesome is the fact that you've managed to step confidently out of whatever stereotype society had cut out for you. You turned out to be nearly the exact opposite of what I thought you would be. So the wisdom of clichés is right sometimes; never judge a book by its cover. I'm glad I didn't judge you based on what I heard about you. I would have been missing out on an awesome friend and some fantastic memories.
   I trust that you're having a fantastic time challenging yourself right now. I hope you get a lot out of it, because I know you're bound for greatness. I'm proud of you for really putting yourself out there lately and expanding your comfort zone. You seem a lot happier where you are, and that's awesome. I didn't think you'd settle in better than the rest of us combined, but then again, you never fail to surprise me. Keep pushing those limits. You rock.


5. Find strength in every day.
    You're probably one of the strongest individuals I've ever known, so writing that opening line really shocked me. You're independent and brave, yet you know when decisions are rash. Your advice is wise and soothing, no matter what the situation. One of the best things about you is that you remind me that beauty lies so much deeper than the skin. Your heart is probably one of the most generous ones I know. Even in the hardest of times, you never hesitate to help others, and this selflessness is what I admire most about you. Thank you for opening up to me. It takes a lot to lay your weaknesses in front of someone and ask them for help, knowing your heart is fully exposed. I'm touched that I have your trust; I value it greatly. And never forget this: I'm here for you.
      P.S. Play up your talents; you have so many of them.


6. You're fearless, as always.
     It's been way too long. I never thought I'd see you again (not that we see much of each other now). But I'm glad you're here. It's awesome that of all places to be, you chose to come here. I know how much you loved where you were; you told me yourself, so long ago you probably don't even remember. Maybe a little change is good. I hope the city's treating you well, and that it turns out to be all that you want it to be. Honestly, I never thought the big city scene suited you that well anyway.
      Nonetheless, thanks for sticking around. The company you keep is one of the best, or to me at least. You remind me what it is to imagine and to dream, but at the same time you keep me grounded. How do you do that? I don't think I'll ever figure it out. But that's fine by me. The bottom line is, I love talking to you and I appreciate that you're always there for me. Thanks for keeping it real.
      P.S. Open yourself up to people! Seriously, your personality is fantastic and it's about time you let people see that.


7. I owe you all my gratitude.
    Hey. It's been a while since we last talked. It'll probably be a while until we talk again, if we ever do. But if I can say one last thing to you, it's this: I don't regret you. I never did, and I never will. I'm sorry if I hurt you. We were perfect the way we were, but I'm glad it didn't work out. I didn't expect it to. But it certainly was not time gone to waste. I learned a lot in those short months, all because of you. You were the definition of that summer and of a transition zone, and I'm glad we were there to see each other through it. You helped me end one chapter of my life with happiness and fond memories, and I found myself looking forward to the next. In this subsequent chapter, you gave me the self-confidence to pursue my goals. You taught me to take risks, open up, and enjoy life by the day. In the end, you taught me to let go, and to forgive. For all this I cannot thank you enough.
    I hope you've had a fresh start, and I trust that you're a lot happier now than you were back then. You're a great person, and I know you'll find someone who appreciates you to the fullest.


8. You define the word awesome.
     I've never laughed as hard with anyone as I do with you. We were best friends from day one, and I'm so happy we've managed to keep it this way, even after all these years. Some things just never die. Our friendship needs no context or situation; it just happens, and that's the best way it can happen. I love our spontaneity. No one understands the awesomeness of randomness as much as we do. I can't explain it to anyone, but I don't even have to explain anything with you. I love the way we go with the flow and have the greatest adventures along the way. We make mistakes, but we laugh it off and they become memories. Things with you are just so much fun. Let's promise to visit each other often and never lose our childhood selves.


9. It's an interesting change for me.
    I'm really glad we got to renew our friendship. And I'm glad we're better friends than we were back then. I never thought we'd ever be like this; we were always just so polite and distant, like all we had to do was fulfill the duty of smiling sweetly to one another and that was the extent of our friendship. I'm glad that's changed.
    You probably have no idea, but I am so jealous of you sometimes. I don't think I've ever felt so jealous of anyone before; it shocked me. I don't think I would- or could, for that matter- ever be the type of person you are, but there's something about your proximity to perfection that... irks me. Please don't take it as a bad thing; it's merely a piece of honesty about something that piques my interest.
Despite what I felt was a rocky start, things turned out to be a lot better than I thought they would. In the end, it's comforting to have someone to talk to, who's been in the exact same situations and who's doing the exact same things. I like having you around. Talking to you is so easy, and I hope you feel the same way.

10. I hope you're still grinning like you did back then.
      You reminded me what true friendship felt like, after the definition had been lost on me over the course of many years. You opened up a door for me that I didn't even know existed. But it was incredible, and I loved it. What you and the others (but especially you) showed me in that one year, I didn't even know I needed so badly. That year was amazing. I'm not sure if I'd have wanted to stay if given the choice though. I'm glad things turned out the way it did. I'd love to go back though. Maybe I'll see you again.
     Thanks for catching up with me. We've covered such a huge time gap in so little time, but I've realized that this is probably one of the most amazing things in life, losing touch with someone but getting to know them again years later. It's inspiring to see that you've been through all the same ups and downs as everyone else, yet you've picked yourself up and you're shining brighter than ever. Keep smiling. Your smile is so encouraging and so infectious. Whatever it is you're doing, keep doing it. You're friendly and popular, yet down to earth and so much fun. I know you'll do so many great things in life and live each day to the fullest. You seem happy, and quite simply, that makes me happy.

Moonshine

Moonshine
A beautiful reflection on the lake
The distance between us will always be
From the earth to its faithful satellite
Untouchable ray of light

You offer me your hand
But I dance a lonely duet
You illuminate my heart
As you shine through my chest

Your delicate touch brushes my cheek
Fresh tears spring to my eyes
Wishing you were mine

My tears, they break apart your surface
But like the downpour of a hurricane
You embrace the rain
And as they touch your lips
They disappear

How I wish I could hold you
Gently cradle you in my hands
And keep you safe from your monsters
As you kept me safe from mine

We could dance forever
Get lost in this dream
And be a girl, insecure and flawed
Made perfect by the glow of nightfall
Moonshine

Shackles

Lock me up and walk around
The world turns so slowly
My eyes look and my mouth makes sounds
But somehow, it's not me

We think we live just how we want
And we do it all so freely
But society's pulled its ropes so taut
Its heavy shackles trap me

Are we guarded by the world
By these prison bars
Or do we guard ourselves?

Are we guarded by the world
By these prison bars
Or do we guard ourselves?

My heart longs to be freed
From these shackles and these chains
Please tell me you have the key
Unlock me from my pain
Loosen the shackles to my soul
Loosen the shackles to my soul

I dodge bullets every day
Dodging judgments
Bounce off me, ricochet
I don't care what they said

I'm so tired of feeling gray
So empty, monotone
Don't wanna act a certain way
I want a life that I can own

Are we guarded by the world
By these prison bars
Or do we guard ourselves?

Are we guarded by the world
By these prison bars
Or do we guard ourselves?

My heart longs to be freed
From these shackles and these chains
Please tell me you have the key
Unlock me from my pain
Loosen the shackles to my soul
Loosen the shackles to my soul

It's been seconds since we met
And you hardly even knew me
But as soon as the words fell from your lips
These walls crumbled around me

We spoke with our hearts
Let our dreams fill our minds
We found the deepest trust
We could ever hope to find

I was guarded by the world
By these prison bars
And I let them guard me

I was guarded by the world
By these prison bars
And I let them guard me

But now my heart is finally free
From these shackles and these chains
You truly had the key
You unlocked me from my pain
You loosened the shackles to my soul
You loosened the shackles to my soul

Grade Twelve Chemistry: A Collection of Quotations by Mr. K. Zuber (Feat. Felipe V-H.)

"Science isn't a noun; it's more of a verb. Well, I know it's a noun..."

"I don't talk to people. If you talk on the phone for more than five minutes, it's a visit."

(In reference to late tickets) "Everyone perceives them as evil. They're not evil!"

"We've overridden evolution so much that even the weakest of us survive. We should really let nature do its own business."

"I feel for you, I just don't care."

"Perspective."

"If mosquitoes fart, would you care?"

"It's like tying to chop down a tree with a spoon... keep trying :)"

"Stealing is generosity... the worst kind... 'negative generosity'"

(In reference to the popular perfume 'diffusing' around a room analogy) "That's not an example of diffusion. That's an example of hogwash."

"I can die a little happier now that I know sugar doesn't melt."

"Once you fill that doughnut, it becomes magically stable."

"Challenge accepted."

"Is it neon? NOOOOO it's not neon."

"What's the probability of you yawning at night and swallowing a firefly? It's possible!"

"Yeah, I was gonna give back those tests today... screw you."

"That's just stupidly ridiculous"

"If I just sat here, you would just sit there. Equilibriate~"

"Respect the Little People!"

"[Justin Bieber] has a car. I have a car too, but I don't suck."

"If you're in distilled water and someone drops a TV in it, you wouldn't die. Unless you sweat. Then you'd die."

Felipe quote (inspired by Mr. Zuber): "One does not simply pee in a river."

No Man's Land

I walk,
Slowly,
Upon a delicate line,
Drawn halfheartedly
Along a grey ashen landscape.

I have long since given up
On trying to avoid the bodies.
I am always asked
Why I do not simply step off the line
And hide my innocent eyes from the horror at my feet.
I always answer,
"Which way would I step?"
There's a red flag to my left
And a blue one to my right
And I can go to neither.

Some days
I convince myself
That I would rather be walking
Alone
Down my line
Than pledging allegiance to one side
And taking up arms in its defense.
For I know what happens
To the soldiers who fight
In battles like these.
They are but memories now;
Small casualties in such a large war.
Soldiers sacrificed like pawns,
Each with the hope of being part of a greater victory,
But as they fall they become insignificant
Little spots of pain that each coloured flag will try to forget.

I will never forget.
I will never forget the bodies,
The blood that stands for
Betrayal... conspiracy... infidelity... history.
Not sure where it starts;
Cannot yet see the end.

This is the place
Where revenge
Drifts across my tongue,
Its promised sweetness
Somehow made sharp and bitter and stale,
Perhaps by the gunpowder that fills the air
As I walk along the line
Drawn across No Man's Land.

Borrowed Words: Another Love Song

The flashback starts, I'm standing there

My daddy broke his own heart;
My momma swore that she would never let herself forget.

I remember thinking...
Don't you think I was too young to be played by your dark, twisted games?

That was the day that I promised,
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist

I told myself,
"Keep your feet on the ground,
When your head's in the clouds"

Because I'm tired of castles in the air

Save me,
From all the trouble and the pain...
I need a second chance

I always got by on my own

I swore I was fine

[Kept] a straight face

... Until I met you

Shifting eyes and vacancy
Vanished when I saw your face

You put your arms around me
And I believed
That it's easier for you to let me go

But you [learned] my secrets and you [figured] out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes

And in that instant,
I [knew] you [were] worth it
You're worth it

You put your arms around me

Now your name, forever the name on my lips

And I'm on my way to believing

So bring on the rain
And listen to the thunder

It's a Twisted World

What kind of world is this?
You don't get to put this one on me.
YOU got yourself into this mess.
Didn't you learn a thing as a child?
Shouldn't you know by now that lying will get you in trouble?
Clearly you didn't remember that one.
YOU were the one who thought lying would be an easy way out.
If you're going to lie, at least cover your tracks.
But I guess you learned the hard way.
Now you don't get to put on a puppy face
And act all miserable
And expect sympathy from me.
I won't let you.
Because you did the wrong thing
And I won't let you make me feel bad
For telling the truth.

The Photograph

That photograph looks better
Lying alone on the floor,
Trapped inside its chipped wooden frame,
And topped with a sprinkling of glass.
There, it is a better representation of
Who we are.
Everything about that photograph is wrong.
Who are those smiling people?
They are certainly not like that now.
They are strangers to me,
And strangers to each other.
And that unblemished white background?
It shouldn't be white at all.
It should be stained with midnight tears,
And cut up with sharp words,
And then clouded by the silence that hangs in the air,
The aftermath of a huge mistake.

I would much rather have taken a pair of scissors
And cut those people apart from each other
And scattered them in the wind
So that it may take them far away from this place
But I can't.
So I just let the frame fall from my hands
Onto the fake laminate
And hope that, by shattering the glass,
I can give those people a chance
To breathe
As they suffocate beneath
Their smiling masks.

Two-Faced Pride

"We stop looking for monsters under the bed when we realize they're inside of us."

                                                                                                                                     -Jordyn Berner

Pride is like oxygen,
Something I can never let go of.
I push it though my veins
And let it nourish me.
Like oxygen,
It feeds me; it keeps me alive.
I convince myself
That I am greater than I am,
That I am stronger than I am,
That I am controlling and powerful.
But in reality,
It sucks the life from me.
Unlike the oxygen that ages me,
Pride makes me childish.
It makes me stubborn,
It makes me arrogant,
It makes me unfeeling.
It shuts me away
From the humanity I long to be part of
And from the love I long to feel.
It is my means of survival,
And yet it is killing me.

Eighteen

Eighteen seconds.
Eighteen minutes.
Eighteen hours.
Eighteen days.
Eighteen weeks.
Eighteen months.
Eighteen years.

Yes, look how far I've come.

They say eighteen is special. Eighteen is big. Eighteen is congratulation-worthy. They make it out to be some huge celebration with friends and laughter and joy. Or maybe, it was me who did that. More likely than not, this image was permanently placed in my head by a younger version of me who happened to get bored one Saturday evening and let her mind wander into the future. That is dangerous. It is dangerous because it feeds the mind expectations. And in the majority of cases, the only thing that comes out of expectations is disappointment. Yes, there was a time when I dreamed of being eighteen, when I sat in awe of freedom and maturity and reputation. It's not to say that I do not value those qualities now; I do. Just not from childish eyes anymore. Eighteen is nothing more than a number now, one up from seventeen and just short of nineteen. And as it is wedged uncomfortably between its two neighbors, I am the same. I am confined to the narrow crevice between the last of my childhood and the vast darkness of adulthood. So the reality is, eighteen isn't all that great. In fact, it is mostly confusion and angst, overwhelming choices and difficult decisions. Eighteen isn't fantasy. It's reality.

Sarcophagus

Here is a girl.
Or rather, a sculpture of a girl,
Carefully chiseled by experience itself
And sanded down to precision over the course of many years
From a distance she looks human.
Her clothes, her hair, her bag on her shoulder
Blend her into the mass around her known as society.
But she is not a human.
She is nothing but a statue- unmovable, unwavering, stoic.
Her eyes are but mirrors, reflecting.
They reflect the faces and the emotions of those who pass by her.
They agree and they sympathize,
And sometimes they make people forget that by themselves,
They are emotionless.
They are only mirrors, after all.
And like all mirrors, they go blank when the image leaves.
Mirrors are deceiving sometimes, but they never lie.
Only the rest of her does.
Beneath her armoured skin lives chaos.
It spits and burns like bile,
Trapped inside its stone dungeon.
It churns around her insides like a venomous snake
And she fights it.
She lashes back at it, suppresses it.
Sometimes she manages to squeeze it so tightly,
It oozes out a substance that, only in the vaguest of senses,
Resembles happiness.
And only because it has nothing left to give.
This is the viscous substance that slides unwillingly out of her skin,
Into the outside world.
It too, is deceptive.
It is poison, but it makes her seem ever so slightly mirthful.
Thankfully, it is all the world needs to be convinced that she is an ordinary human being.
Ordinary. Human. Two things she will never be.

Let's Play Pretend

We think we are so amazing. We boast ourselves up to being knowledgeable, competent, successful. We convince ourselves that we exist to serve a purpose; that somehow, we are part of something larger, something grand and magnificent that we as individuals could never be. We are so good at deceiving ourselves, for we have managed to shroud reality in so many thousands of layers of pride that we forget that the tiny speck of reality is even there. But it is. And it utters the loathsome words every single person on this planet hates to hear. We are nothing. We are so insignificant, it is nearly laughable. We will never be the greatest. We will never measure up to the grand costumes we dream ourselves into. But what does it matter? It's all just a game of make-believe anyway. So here's a mask; let's play pretend.

Untitled

Lights up

She spIns, round and round, her body a whirlwind of colourful fabric. In her mind an awestruck audience gazes at her gloWing form onstage. She smiles a brilliant smile and perfects another pIrouette. Then she sees him. He stands there, lurking in the shadows, haLf-hidden behind a bLood red curtain, watching her. His arms are crossed tightly agaiNst his chest and although his face rEflects the warm glow of the stage lights, his eyes are cold. "Chin up!" His voice booms across the theater. She stumbles and nearly falls, but catches herself just in time. She angles her face up towards the blinding lights. Even with her eyes closed she could see his disapproVal. "Keep your back straight! Lift your arms highEr! No! Don't lock your knees!" The commands fly at her, fast as shRapnel and just as sharp. She winces upon every word, feeling them like the swift taps of his metre stick whipping her body into position. "Faster!" She grits her teeth and spins faster. "Faster!" The world becomes a blur before her eyes. "FASTER!" Her limBs threaten to fall off, but she continues to wind hersElf tighter and tighter. Her crowd of admirers have lonG since disappeared, undoubtedly hOrrified by the uncontrollable hurricane that was once a girl, but they dOn't matter anymore. A thousand images flooD her mind, countless picturEs of her younger self biting back tears as he forced her to perfect stretches and splits, leaps and turNs, mercilessly mOlding her into a creatUre of grace and beauty. Hysteria invades her body. She screams. "Are you proud of me now!? Are you happy?" She explodes across the staGe in a series of indescribably fast movements, sHrieking. "Look at me! Are you watching? Are you proud of me yet!? Are you proud of me...."

A girl collapses on an empty stage. Her makeup is streaked with tears. Her hair, having long since escaped its once-neat bun, falls in ragged locks over her shoulders. Her clothing is ripped nearly to shreds. Her desperate cries echo from the stage, haunting the theater, but there is no one there to hear her.


Blackout

McGill

I think I've grown accustomed to the idea of missing you. Not losing you- just missing you.

Of Wooden Swords and Paper Crowns

He sits now by the riverbank,
His heart like the rock he skipped; it sank
Its dreams it took along with his
Down past the rippling surfaces

"How long ago?" he wonders aloud.
Though the stream makes no replying sound
"Since I was crowned a noble king
In this mystical kingdom ever shining?

"How long ago with my steed did I ride
Across this grassy countryside
To meet with my beloved maiden fair
And to help pick dandelions for her hair?

"We'd take turns in afternoons
Riding my horse fashioned from a broom
How could we forget our noble stallion
Whom we decorated with paper medallions?

"We'd fight dragons, win, and then we'd gloat
Parading across planks over the river moat
We'd draw pictures of our battle scenes for hours
Then show them off in our tree house towers

"And even after the battles died
We made bottle cap medals, worn with pride
Secured them tight with safety pins
On the old jacket of mine I felt bravest in

"My father's worn out hunting coat
Was the armor that I treasured most
It was scuffed and torn, but that to me
Was the very image of bravery

"Through battles fought with wooden swords
And the many kingdoms we explored
We always came home to adoration
As we humbly accepted our coronation

"Those were the days of true chivalry
When our lives fit together so perfectly
So sad that the world that meant so much to me
Is nothing now but a sweet memory"

And yet, as the sun sets over the field
A part of his mind cannot help but yield
The fleeting image of two silhouettes
Playing in a world they will never forget

My Forever

We're lying here, my head on your chest
My heart beats steady to the sound of your breath
We're staring up at your ceiling, when suddenly
It becomes a white canvas stretched over me

My paintbrush flies, uncontrollable
My imagination so emotional
And so I paint them, scene by scene
Like photos on a projector screen

We're on a grassy hill in mid July
The moon rivals the clouds for a brilliant night sky
But as we start to dance to the grassy sway
The crickets' lullabies fade away

The stoke of midnight through a canopy of leaves
Brings a wave of goosebumps beneath our sleeves
While we look for our futures in an open fire
Telling stories of our hearts' desires

I can feel the wind streak through my hair
As we plummet through the icy air
And leave behind great clouds of snow
Waving the mountains goodbye, we'll go

We're at the top of the world, a breathtaking sight
Even for those afraid of heights
Children's laughter fill the fair
Balloons and popcorn everywhere

Silence now, we're along the shore
Our names in the sand in a heart once more
The waves will make our castles fall
But we can never resist the water's call

We find ourselves on an ocean liner
The shimmering lights could not be finer
They match the sparkles in the west
As the stars pull a blanket over the sunset

And as we're lying here, my head on your chest
My heartbeat still paces with the sound of your breath
Not nearly as perfect alone as we are together
This could be our forever

*In My Heart

You can see the ambition in his eyes
That say he'll never be satisfied
With this little town, too quiet and still
All dreamy eyes and elbows on windowsills

But I've always had a dreamer's heart
With which I could never have thought to part
Yet here it is, upon my sleeve
Just like him, all packed to leave

And as the train rolls out of sight
Our lips, they whisper their last goodbyes
And as the tingle fades from his last kiss
Remind myself I want for him only happiness

With my elbows on my windowsill
I wait for the day I know that he'll
Come back to me, a promise kept
We said goodbye but * he never left

Me, Myself, and the Monsters In My Head

I'm back.
I didn't think I'd ever be
Back to the start
Yet here I am, once again
Fighting monsters in my sleep

I'm tossing and turning
Trying desperately
To cling onto the last glitter of night
Before my nightmare
Envelops me and drowns me
In its murky waters
Even though I know how to swim

What happened to my dream,
My beautiful piece of paradise
I held a glimpse in my hand
A moment ago
Now it's a broken shard of glass
That leaves scratches in my palms

If I listen closely I can hear
The whisper of sand
Fall through tiny cracks
Like the ones between my fingers
Stealing away the seconds
That make up the hour
That fall far too quickly into
The bottom half of the hourglass,
Into a memory.

So here I am.
Standing atop a mountain
Made of finely grounded happiness
Armed with only a sword
Hand-crafted from fragments of nightmares
To face the monsters in my own mind.

Motivation

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
You'll fight a little longer
You'll find a way to conquer
Even though you're laced with chains


Hold your head a little higher
Nobody likes a crier
Never extinguish that fire
That's burning in your veins


March forward strong and straight
No matter how they twist your state
Only you will dictate
How it is that you will reign

Hold tightly to your power
Stand firmly on your tower
Brave through your darkest hours
Don't let go of the reins

Resist to being pulled under
Don't be afraid to sunder
Be the lightning and the thunder
That comes in with the rain

Let the waves crash and roar
Though they sabotage your shores
They are just another war
For you to win on your terrain

Always summon the strength to fight
Give yourself up to your plight
But through the darkness, don't lose sight
Of yourself in the bloodshed and pain


Because what doesn't kill you makes you stronger
And you'll fight so much longer
You will never fail to conquer
And your dragons will be slain

The Pawn

I am not the king, so noble in his throne
Nor the regal queen by his hand
I am not the tower whose gaze can roam
So far and steady as he stands
I am not the knight with all his pride
Not even his graceful steed
I am not the bishop by His Majesty's side
With loyalty in his every heed

I do not hold any power great
Nor am I blessed with able speech
My steps by far cannot equate
To whose agility I beseech

Yet with my comrades, here I stand
In a single block of eight-squared land
For king and kingdom I will fight
'Til enemy lines are behind my sight
Square by square, I'll find rank eight
And upon that line I'll seal my fate
This hope I have will never stray
That I, too, might be great someday.

Falling Fireworks

The world in front of my eyes explodes
In a firework show.
My emotions burst into colourful flames;
I am fascinated.
Then, the chemical sparks cool,
Melting into the night sky,
Singing as tiny pockets of warm air
Carry them abroad,
Leaving thin trails to swirl behind them
Then the fall, silently, gracefully,
Parallel to apple blossom petals
In fading summer evenings,
The flowing notes of a familiar sultry voice
Accompanied by piano keys
Like the falling of slow-motion rain
Filling my open heart
Breathtaking
Beautiful
Falling
Fireworks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_hmctcJ09E

Childhood Summers: a sonnet

I wish the clock would wind back half a year

Back to the sultry evenings of midsummer

When we dozed off to sleep with crickets near

And choirs of birds did rouse us from our slumber

Oh, we would call out to the summer breeze

“Sweep us away to see the mighty shores!”

And there we’d stand, our hearts quite well at ease

With smiles, eyes closed, to hear the ocean roars

Six months ago, we were but innocents

Our hearts and hands so softly intertwined

But time moves on without a passing glance

So hastily we left childhood behind

To feel again the warmth of your caress

Would surely be my greatest happiness

Change

Could I turn all the ice
Into glittering snow?
Could I brush the dirt off my knees
And make new plants grow?

Could I somehow turn the hurricane
To a pretty summer breeze?
Could I forget about the sting
And just watch the bees?

Could I listen to the rain
And forget about the storm?
Could I ever light a fire
Just to keep warm?

Could I drink from a glass
And not think of poison?
Could I just kiss with the lips
That my tears always moisten?

I'm tired of the shadows,
Tired of the dark
Let me journey to the light
I'm ready to embark

Set Fire to Fire

You.

You were never one for flowing words, but the love that dances within you does so with more grace and sincerity than the greatest poet could ever express. Like a fire, it knows no limits.

I.

I have always been drawn to darkness. I have always embraced its poisonous seduction and let the bitter smoke from its fires swirl around my fingertips. To me, fire has always been akin to power, passion, danger, rage, and destruction, because that is how my fires have always burned. I saw a pulse within those fires, a pulse I longed to blend with my own; a steady, glinting pulse that fed my fascination for their mystery.

You.

You, too, had that same alluring mystery, touched by the same anxious pulse. You drew me in and captivated me with it. I was spellbound by the passion that coursed deep inside your veins, accented by a hint of danger. You pulled me closer and closer, but as you neared my heart, I began to notice something. Your pulse had changed itself. Or maybe, it had changed mine. The sharpness of the power and rage that was so characteristic to the fires I knew was smudged away, replaced by an airiness I never thought I possessed. For the first time in ages, I felt warmth, and light. Somehow, to the darkness that once surrounded me, you brought a spark and let it bloom. And how it glowed! A new fascination washed over me, as I became engulfed in the light. All the beauty I had known in the dark multiplied itself by a thousand and all of a sudden I could see so much more around me, as the cloak of eternal midnight I had unknowingly wrapped around myself had disappeared. You showed me a world I never knew I could be a part of. It filled my eyes, and it filled my heart.

I.

I realize now that you are the sun to my cold, lonely moon. And reflected in your own light, I see your smile, a thousand times brighter than any sun. In your eyes I see the flame that now shares a duet with mine, dancing happily in your heart. That dance... I would never have known that one single dance could change my life so much; would never have known that you would be the one to come along and set fire to fire and create something beautifully new. I didn’t know this. But I suppose you did.