Cracked-Crown

You're drowning — Pushed beneath the water's surface, By the crippling knowledge that you're All alone. Stranded by the tides of time. Everyone moves on, And you never fit into their future. Siren calls will not bring them back, Only push them further away. You kick, And you scream, Thrashing against the currents — But foolish boy, You never learned how to swim. You are alone, And you are drowning. Cast adrift with aching lungs, Suffocating on your misery. Alone, Drowning — Nobody is coming back to save you.

Surrounded by perennial grass, In a world that's fractured, caving in. Find a landmark Amidst the sea of evergreen — ( Did someone cut that? ) Your compass will guide you As you push through fields of bamboo leaves. Searching, desperate — A war with no real victor. ( It's so cold. ) Focus not on what you cannot change, Nor this endless winter's wind. There are secrets here Far beyond what you have seen. ( Help me. )

October. On the list of months that remind me of you, I've always resented this one the most. Halloween is meant to be... Too much candy, apple cider, vampire costumes. But for years now, it's been haunted by your ghost. Your favorite treats, quietly ignored. The crunch of an apple, nauseating, No matter how much caramel I cover it in. And my acrylic fangs, Despite how much I've always adored them, Seem to only remind me of a wolf's teeth in my throat. You can have my December. The evergreen trees and silver bulbs, And the paper snowflakes from our childhood, too. Let our anniversary ruin that. You can have my New Year's Eve. Take away the countdowns, the bullshit resolutions, And take the memory of liquor in my mouth away, too. Alcohol isn't fun anymore. You can have my April. There's really no charm in 4/20, Knowing that the date's tainted by your birth. And the older I get? The less the years seem to matter, And the more my birthday pales in comparison to your poison. You

You’re having a bad day. That is okay. Breathe through it. You know how cortisol clouds your judgement. It’s only a moment. You’re having a bad week. That isn’t a secret to keep. Reach out, seek support. A sturdy shoulder or gentle words. They’ll help you back onto your feet. You’re having a bad month. That doesn’t mean that it’s time to give up. Deep breathes, darling. Come now, count to ten. This isn’t how your story ends. You’ve had a bad summer. You’re overwhelmed, it’s really no wonder. But you’ve nearly survived September, October’s on the way. If nothing else, take it day by day. You’re having a bad year. That doesn’t mean the next doesn’t need you here. An ocean of sadness Doesn’t mean that you’ll drown. When this is all over, you’ll be so proud. You’ve had a rough life. That doesn’t make it a bad one. One foot in front of the other, Keep your head held high. This will make you stronger, given time. You’re having a bad day. That’s all this really is. Breathe

Close your eyes And count to ten. Deep breathes, Stop picking at your skin. Away from sharp objects, Throw away the fragments. This isn’t a road You can go down again. Close your eyes And count to ten. Deep breathes, Stop scratching at your wrist. Like a voodoo doll With a discarded pin. You can’t hurt yourself Without hurting them.

In my limited experience? Beneath the weight of disaster is Always when the world’s compassion Is at its most visible. Don’t focus on the chaos that surrounds These tattered times we live in. Don’t waste your heart on spilt blood, Where there are innocents left to defend. The politics can wait this out, In a climate already fueled by hatred - We are not heroes by remaining angry, In a world where our concerns should be safety. So take a breath, count to ten. This battle isn’t over yet. Be lonely for a little while, And we’ll all be here when we get together again. This fight we’re in cannot be won, By assigning blame and being cruel from tension. There is hope in every situation, And these moments are not our final destination. I refuse to believe that our world is over, Because of one unexpected disaster. So take care of yourselves, However you must… But don’t tell me that the sun won’t rise tomorrow.