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i scribble on a piece of paper
a keyboard smash, a random string of letters
what once birthed a poem
now blank, stares back, soulless
was it ever my voice? or was i a mere echo
of an origin that is now silent ~
i beg for it to speak again
as i slowly realise its deafening roar
has been present
all along.
the impudent ear fails to listen
only ever tempted by the sounds more entertaining:
those of the outside, the music, the dance, the chatter
silent is the loud heart wailing.
she goes to the beach with her shoes on -
yet longs to dip her feet in the water
the waves come crashing towards the shore, with open arms inviting her
but afraid, she steps away
only allowing the water to ever-so-slightly
kiss the tip of her shoe
a little more than the tip, and she scurries back panicked
though never turning away from the water,
she gazes still, pining with regret
oh she’s so tempted ~
as the wave ebbs, she inches towards the receding boundary
though unable to cross her own.

the wave, patient as ever, gives her another chance
and another,
lovingly,
incessantly,
it moves closer, extending its welcome
but she scurries back again
thinking about damp socks, or even worse
wet, sandy feet.
how was she supposed to get home with ease?  

distracting herself, she looks up at the night sky
though not the stars, she remembers instead their counterparts
the stars twinkling within those almond eyes -
smile brighter than the sunshine, aura peaceful like moonlight
laughter louder than crashing waves
but presence fleeting like butterflies.

what would happen if she acted too late?
unlike the waves, the smile would fade
those eyes would turn away, leaving her in the shade ~
driven with the fear of loss, she finally plunges, unafraid.

she’s in the moment, one with the sea
she can think about how to get home, only when she needs to be.
this new year, take the plunge.
it all goes dark
when the shroud of the night
covers the earth: darkness, no light
as all the others close their eyes
their minds shut down, the air goes quiet

but the blinding fluorescence in my room
outshines the window, I see no moon
it only reflects me, my room: chaos and doom
the voices scream louder as I try to give up too soon

nightly divinity calls to me - soft - siren - lullabies - to sleep
but the eyelids, trapped open, within them my eyes weep
with each passing breath, the screeching voices cut deep -

my cheeks grow wetter while the stars glow dimmer
those dead eyes close, right before the sun's first shimmer.
mystic all-nighter?
driven by a ghost
possessing my body
I lived with a mind
a stranger with no identity
a thatched soul, fake
- no authenticity
quivered in fear
of people in my vicinity
may they never discover
the imposter - my entity.
I try, I try
To detach, to distance
To disconnect my existence
To be unbothered by you

I try, I try
To look within, seek happiness
To stay unaffected, show resistance
To overcome your persistence

in hurting me.

But one after the other, your arrows strike
Avoiding the pain, I continue to fight
Even winning the war, I stay alive
But my skin doesn't let me forget all the scars in sight.
When we try so hard to be unaffected, but it hurts us deep down.
A closed room - tight, binding
Hard to breathe, the air was sickening
The sticky stench, atmosphere thickening
Struggling to escape, fear was quickening.
Ever just felt trapped?
Passed down from one generation
to the next
not knowledge
but values - limiting beliefs

constraining, they were not healed
raised in the system, they knew only to heed
what is worse, their children plead
victims of the system their parents preach.
Systemic racism, systemic sexism, systemic- it never ends. flawed systems need to changed, not perpetuated further.
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