This is a small collection of poems written by me. I didn’t feel like writing a story yet. Yeah, I know, I’m lazy. The first one is from second grade. But don’t say it’s good, because there was a format already, and I just filled in the blanks with things personal to me. My personal favorite is the one I wrote last year, at a time in my life when I was beginning to realize how awful I was being to certain people, especially one in particular. (Hint: Both the first and last name are people from the Bible). I was also beginning to realize that I didn’t deserve friends, yet they stuck with me anyway, no matter how hard of a time I gave them. My second personal favorite is “He is There”, which was written by prompting from Isaac Aaron and a few others, who wanted to see how quickly I could come up with a poem about a random subject. (Ok, if I’m wrong, correct me. My memory is that of an ailing 80-year-old granny. It’s not the best.) Anyway, please read them, enjoy them, tear them apart, whatever you want to do. Thanks!

I Am From...

I am from books

        from pencils and paper.

I am from the wet, dewy grass                                      

        and sweet smelling lilies.    

I am from the cherry tree        

        from the oak tree,

        whose long-gone limbs I remember

        as if they were my own.

I am from beaches and freckles,

        from Cindy and Don. 

I am from talkers and tattletales and loudmouths.

I am from Shh! and Stop talking! and Great Big Moose.                                                                                                 

I am from Florida.     

I am from Kentucky and Florence,

        black- eyed peas and potato soup.

I am from the death of my great-grandfather to a heart attack.

I am from the black album in my parents’ office

        filled with photos of my past and filled with memories of love and who I am and

        where I am from.

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Love is a Choice

Love isn't roses or

Fancy chocolates,

Not kisses and hugs

Not even "I love you".

Love isn't a feeling,

It is a

C

    H

        O

            I

              C

                    E.

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Tribute to my Reedsy Fam.

Somedays I feel this burning

Rage that I know I shouldn’t have,

But I can’t control it soon

Enough before someone feels the stabs.

Somedays I feel overwhelming pain

Because of what I feel inside,

I’m overwhelmed with burning tears

Because I know something isn’t right.

I know it’s only human,

It’s just how we were made,

But I still feel like I mess up a lot,

I feel I’m like a mistake.

How can I call myself a friend

When I can’t seem to do right?

How can I say I know the Golden Rule,

When all I do is fight?

Before I end this long poem,

I want everyone to know

That I forgive everyone who has

Made me go coco-loco.

In more formal terms, I just want to say

That I am sorry for anything

I said that seemed hurtful,

Or just plain mean.

Please don’t take anything mean

That I have said said to heart,

In fact, it would be best if

We just hit ‘RESTART’

But we could also just let

The past be past,

And look forward to the future

That we can make a blast.

I guess maybe I’m being dramatic,

But all of this is true,

And I don’t deserve the love

That I get from all of you.

But since I want to be positive,

I’ll end with something nice,

I want you to know that no matter what,

I’ll always love you guys.

Thank you Isaac for making

Me laugh until I cry,

Thank you everybody else,

For telling me I’m worthwhile.

Thank you LW, WW, and Abbie for

Helping me to keep my love for the Lord,

Thank you Jay for not talking about

Human meatballs and all that gore.

Thank you Lily for giving me

A beautiful relationship with

The guy I’ve loved for two years straight,

Even if it’s just pretend.

Thank you Maya for killing people

With kindness and not hate,

Thank you Saph for going crazy

With me, even though I go crazy everyday.

Thank you everyone that I didn’t mention,

I don’t want you to feel left out,

But I’m kind of getting low on space,

And I’m starting to forget what this poem was about.

So let me end this poem with

Something I hope you don’t forget:

I love you all like family, and honestly,

I’m really glad we met.

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He is There

He holds me in His arms,

Never letting go,

Not even when I lose hope,

Not even when I’m at an all-time low.

He carries me in the sad times,

And comforts me when I’m scared,

When I cry out His name,

He is always there.

He gives me hope when there is none,

And lifts me when I stumble,

When I start to get too prideful,

He’s there to keep me humble.

He’s merciful and gracious,

He forgives my every sin,

And when I start to stray,

He's always there to call me back,

And He is there to stay.

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Who Am I?

I am the sound of dogs barking

I am the smell of grilled cheese and little girls laughing

I am the sound of dry leaves crunching on the trail

I am the warm sunshine that shines all day

I am the the smell of new paint

I am the sound of the paintbrush sweeping across the canvas

I am the feel of grainy sand and gentle, salty waves

I am the taste of chocolate that melts in your mouth

I am the sticky juice from sweet oranges that taste like summer and sunshine

I am the sunset as it paints the sky colors from red to purple, orange to pink

I am who I am, and that's how God made me.