A poem about empathy, earth, and the power of life — I am not a gentle breeze, Nor a bird’s song — Not the stuff of your dreams. I am not a star. I don’t shine brightly, Nor do I aspire to. I prefer the darkness, To remain unseen, unfound; Veiled within my own understanding, Lost behind my bloodshot eyes. I…

A poem about empathy — letting go and the joy of movement — Two feet, Tap, tap, In unbroken shoes. Pulsating veins Climb through Hidden ankles. You move Like the reeds Of the Bayou, Gentle yet proud, Not easily overlooked. A pulsating breeze Flows between Unlocked knees, An acrobat Off the mat, Flying towards The heavens. A tremor of passion On your upturned lips Crawls…

A story about growing pains and unrequited love — I remember the first time I picked you up in my car. Well, my mom’s car. It was a white, dirt-coated Honda with a great stereo system. It was humid, 80 degrees. But that wasn’t why I was sweating. I was nervous. I didn’t know what music you would like. …

This is where I belong — I know it. — I arrange my books Well-worn, On dust-ridden shelves. Sunlight streams Through obscured windows, Hazy, distant light. Two cactus, Teetering between life, Gasp for water and air. The smell of coffee And wet grass, Lingers from morning rain. Paws lay quietly, With puppy eyes, As muzzle grays with age. Floors stained…

Hi, I’m Chelsea. Nice to meet you. — Hi! I’m Chelsea. It’s nice to meet you. Now, let’s talk about where it all began! My Roots I grew up on St. Croix, a small Caribbean island. It’s a U.S. territory along with St. Thomas, St. John, and Puerto Rico (and technically Water Island, though it’s uninhabited). So, I’m…

I love being held in her embrace. — It started as a flutter, An unnatural arrhythmia, The thumping of my heart, Irrevocably replaced By the pleasant crash Of the morning tide. We were synced as one, Two bodies intertwined Underneath the watchful eye Of the moon, Her soft light guiding us Towards the pieces of ourselves Lost within the sands of time…

Somedays, I just don’t feel like writing. — I’m not feeling inspired today, But if I don’t start writing, I’ll float away. Every moment is tick, tick, ticking, Better scratch the itch and get on kicking. For to slow down will mow down My path to success. It’s a competition, a race, And I MUST be best. If…

Why is it so taboo? — Growing up, it seemed as though, if you breathed wrong, you could get pregnant. I remember sex-ed class as a 7th grader; all of us girls sat awkwardly at our desks as the boys filtered out to another room. …

Time is our only boundary. — Time ebbs and flows, Each new day bringing A hidden piece of ourselves That is often lost In the chaos of our minds Or the endless movement Of our bodies. We don’t think about who we are Until a moment of crisis, Where the veil shatters, The mask slides, And we see ourselves, Ugly and…