No need to be caught up
when you can catch up.
No need to feel angry
when you are happy.
No need to stress out
when nothing is happening.
No need to reveal a frown
when the world’s upside down.
No need to drop heavy tears
when you think of past years.
No need to stare at the clock
when time is taking a walk.
No need to blast the past
when the future comes fast.
No need to be hard on yourself
when you can ask for help.
No need to quit the fight
when the finish is in sight.
Who is to blame in this game
of life? Who controls endings?
Beginnings? Who has a say
in how these things play out?
Who are the team captains?
Do they know what’s happening?
In life, there are players, coaches,
referees, judges, spectators,
commentators, analysts, rivalries,
and concessions. Is there anyone
to blame when we lose this game?
I say no because I know that
life can’t be tamed or controlled.
There is no way to predict
the outcome. There is no way
to get our hands on a script.
In this life, it is easy to play
the blame game by leaving
out our own names. Some
choose not to engage. Most
decide to play. Don’t give
blame, and take responsibility,
Remember that this game
turns out to be our reality.
It’s been raining for 26 years straight.
I haven’t gotten tan since my life began.
Soaking wet, I had to learn to stay afloat.
I even built myself a boat. In my life,
I have seen friends, family, and strangers
encounter dangers only few understand.
I have seen some sink to the very bottom.
I never liked swimming, but it’s what I had
to do to keep living. I learned not to be
afraid to swim around before I sink down.
Some days, I’ll dive down to see buried
memories and under-water trees. The rain
never goes away as nature does its thing.
I am drenched, cold, and tired as I paddle
in place, creating ripples in time and space.
The water will rise higher, so I practice
holding my breath. I inhale first. I hope
for the best and prepare for the worst:
no air. I am under water, over my head,
but I am still alive, just extremely wet.
No way of getting home,
I float endlessly throughout
the vast galaxy. I see nothing
but stars and planets. Human
life seems to be so far away.
I can’t be the only one inside
this place. There should be
another face, but that’s not
the case. My spacesuit and I
hover over sea and land.
I’ve seen the dark side
of the moon far too soon.
It’s a beautiful view above.
It’s not something that I love,
but it’s not something I hate.
It is me: stuck in space
with many moons to face.
Shoutout to my day ones! They keep me grounded.
My day ones have been there; they have been
around. They were there to keep me safe – to help
me, even if it was late. My day ones showed me
a light that was kept from my sight. Day in,
day out, life became more important. Life
suddenly was a flame that could now be tamed.
In the midst of chaos, we would not focus on
the loss. We had fun with no attention paid
to the cost. My day ones are real ones. I know
I can count on them. They know I am there
for them, and I always have been. Day one:
our lives began. Then, we noticed the fast
hands of time. Now, we wish we can hit
rewind. Time’s flown, and my friends and I,
well, we are grown. Regardless, my day
ones may have aged, but our love for each-
other has come and has remained the same.
IN YOUR DREAMS POETRY 