Glow in the Dark

Darkness surrounds the brightest souls.

It’s impossible to see without the light

that shines within. Even when my eyes

are shut, I can still see the light you have

passed on. Colorful images are painted on

the inside of my eyelids. You shine. You glow

in the dark. You light up the night. In a sea

of darkness, you provide comfort and bliss.

Like a flaming candle, you can handle

what’s not shown – the true unknown.

Like a blazing sun, you are not done

until you shed light and provide warmth.

In a world of pain and sorrow, you show

others that happiness is obtainable.

Your light is relatable. You glow in the dark

when others can’t see. You’re a beacon

of light guiding those who are seeking.

the light of day

The darkest nights make
for the brightest days.
The hardest times bring
out the sunniest rays.
The deepest of pain
will get washed out
by the upcoming rain.
Sometimes, nightmares
teach us more than
dreams. When life gets
tough, do not quit. Sit,
wait, and listen. Watch
as the sun glistens.
Get through the dark
of the night to see
the light of day. Seek
refuge. Adapt. Evolve.
There’s no problem
you cannot solve.

in the way

As life goes on, things can get in the way.
There are roadblocks, people, problems
that slow us down. We can even get in our own
way. It is hard to say how it happens. It just
does. Sometimes, we can get stuck in the mud.
Sometimes, we choose hate over love. Stuff
can pile up, and life can become a pain.
Once we regain strength, all we have to do
is maintain. To fight through is to gain insight.
The odds may be against us, but we must
trust the process. We must do our best
when things get in the way. These strong
feelings of doubt will not stay. We must
not run away. We must solve the case
before our optimism becomes misplaced.
When life gets in the way, don’t give up
or give in. You will get over it. Look at
your life as a knife that will cut through
a dark night. Find light and hold on tight.

What Goes Around

Out of the darkness crawled
a monster once feared.
He was casted out, shunned,
and painted as a freak.
The monster never understood
why people hated him.
Before they got a chance
to get to know him, they threw
him away. The monster didn’t
know where to go and,
clearly, he could not stay.
He just wanted to play
with peers his age, but
others avoided him like
the plague. One dreadful
night, the monster was
taken out of sight, far
away from any light.
Many years have passed
without much movement
from the monster until
one day, he heard people
talking outside of his cave.
With the strength he gave,
out of the darkness crawled
a monster now reborn.
The monster visited those
who threw him out
and demanded an apology.
With shock and remorse,
of course, they said sorry
before taking off in a hurry.
The monster took over
the village, not before
a great pillage. He became
the thing they called him:
a monster. He did not feel
bad due to the days he
was sad. The monster
once thrown away found
a new place to play.

The Boogeyman

Once a night, the Boogeyman visits 
kids who stay up, kids who are bad, 
and kids who don’t believe. Under 
the bed and inside your head,  
the Boogeyman creeps around. 
The Boogeyman lurks without 
a sound. He hangs around. He 
waits for the perfect moment 
to become visible. He attacks 
in the dead of the night when 
the parents cut off the light. 
During the day, the Boogeyman 
takes the shape of a politician, 
a teacher, a secretary, a mom, 
a dad, a pastor, a police officer, 
or a homeless man under 
the bridge. The Boogeyman 
returns to his true form after 
he conforms. Beware of his 
gaze. Don’t make eye contact 
as it serves as an unwritten 
contract. Have no fear. Don’t 
be scared. All you need to be 
is aware. Sleep tight tonight. 
If something doesn’t feel right, 
get up and turn on the light.