I. She drew us as birds In her deck Book lovers Resting In grasses And Elysian lilies Under placid clouds With no fear of Heights I sprouted into The Tower And he stretched His neck gently— A rose in the sun II. Our clouds grew Dark, heavy And growled— Rain whipped my sides But I ...

Content Warning: This story contains Restricted content including intense violence, physical abuse, traumaThis story is written for an adult audience. Savior The end was drawing near for Carrie White. Pitch black enveloped her with enough intense strength to surround her. It suffocated Carrie, this advanced darkness. It began to fill the depths inside and embraced ...

The shimmer, the dazzle, and the lightshine so brightly at the tunnel’s endI stare eagerly at my sore feet‘The journey’s almost over,’ I think aloud A step ahead, then twoThe light’s getting closer but the path’s not shorteningMy arms stretch out in a bid to pull illumination closeAlbeit, hope’s still miles from me Life sometimes ...

My American soldier.Head held high,unafraid to fight.Unafraid to die. For thosehe loves in thisblessed country,and for their freedom. Because he believes inthe wordsfreedom, liberty,justice for all. “Why must you go?”I cry, everyteardropa scar on my heart. Every step hetakes, breaks myspirit further, mysoul crys in anguish. Is it selfish to needhim here, even ashis country ...

My mouth is a volcanoMy words destructiveto innocent bystanders. The poison in my wordsAiling and killingeverything around me. If anyone saved me?Before I lose control?It wouldn’t change. I’m a hopeless freak.An unnatural byproduct,cruel and pitiful. Despite my decay,my predestined doom,I must cling to hope. That hope is you,remind me who I am,pull me from my ...

Your harsh wordsinfiltrate a raw nerve. I howl You cringeand disconnect. I lick a scar on the nerve. Later I soothe that ghost of a nerve,That shred of a nothinginto wholesomeness. I invite you to connect.

darkness fills the airno light to be foundat the edge of despairmisery all around all it takes is a sparkof hope burning brightthough a part of you wonders if this is a larkis this the path of right like a candle in the windflickering steadyholding out, prepare to defendforward ready one little dotone bright spot

The flower was crumbling moment by moment. My wrinkles got deeper year after year, And yet, my husband saw nothing but beauty. My child missed the target again and again, Despair crawled up her face. All I saw was her determination to succeed. God showed me a torn, corrupted world full of anguish and despair. ...

Snow runoff flows downHill from my driveway to theCow pasture. I standIn the middle and watch winterWash away around my shoes.

The Beige Woman, a color poem, is Adriana Philips' personal tale of living as a mixed-race woman. Can you love yourself in your own skin?