Helen

16

human
this one is for all the lost souls
a little too familiar with the feeling of
anxiety, depression, confusion
utter and absolute chaos

this one is for all the spirits afloat
too blinded by the toxicity of
societal standards, expectations, norms
a fragile pandemonium

this one is for all of those who stare in the mirror
only to see a monster they do not recognize
disappointment, an irredeemable creature --
shattered, broken –
never to be pieced together
doomed to an eternal incompleteness

this one is for the loveless romances
the gut-wrenching twist of rejection
the suffocating breath before an endless waterfall of tears
the uncontrollably merciless headaches

this one is for the vindictive combinations of negative energy
the root of problems trapped in bottles --
cataclysmic,
the glass shards wounding the innocent

this one is for the mistreated,
the misunderstood, the misheard
those with an aura so sublime --
each molecule strung together with pulchritudinous passion
but drizzled in insecurity and unenlightenment

this one is for those buried under their own critique,
suffocating under the hounding breath of self-vilification,
drowning – caught in the whirlpool of vulnerability,
plagued by a flood of pure disapproval

this one is for all the lost souls
that should be familiar with the feeling of
acceptance, appreciation, admiration
utter and absolute felicity

this one is for all the spirits afloat
that should open their eyes and see --
endure the epiphanic revelation --
ignore and do not conform to society
paint a masterpiece with the blank canvas that is one’s life

this one is for all of those who stare in the mirror
who fail to see the beauty within themselves
the unfathomable exquisiteness --
natural, real --
always thriving, just hidden
destined to an eternal completeness

this one is for the loveless romances
that lead to another happily ever after –
genuine and true
the moment tears begin to represent happiness
the uncontrollably merciful smiles

this one is for the vindictive combinations of negative energy
that fade into the backdrop of the atmosphere
liberating one to live and thrive –
not just survive

this one is for the mistreated,
the ones that have hit rock bottom --
with that, there’s nowhere to go but up
free, flying, and soaring

this is for those buried under their own critique,
exasperated by their demons --
imprisoned in a landfill of self-harm
haunted by the ephemeral thought of disappointment,
but ready to grow flowers in even the darkest parts of their soul

this one is for you –
beautiful,
broken,
human.