the mermaid's voice returns in this one

do you

ever

find

yourself

nostalgic

for

the life

you never

got to

have?

this is for the ones with

starfall hearts and blown glass eyes

this is for the ones with

broken hands and unbroken ties

this is for the ones with

wild hair and ghosts in their lungs

this is for the ones with

unsung mothers and wars on their tongues

this is for the ones with

bruised peach skin and fear-flayed nails

this is for the ones with

hummingbird hearts and thighs that tell tales

of nights they found love and nights to forget

of days passed in silence, words not to regret

- i am yours.

by sophia elaine hanson

you are sad now.

you are not sad forever.

there are no paved roads

to healing.

you must build one

brick by brick.

there will be backtracks

before breakthroughs but—

you must collapse

into yourself

before rebuilding.

you must unearth

every wound

before learning

the power of salt.

you will build

that yellow brick road—

in your own time and

on your own terms.

- the grit of healing.

by ky robinson

this is me

pressing

my finger

to the sand,

delicately

drawing

your name

there,

& then

stepping back

so i can

watch

you

as you’re

finally

carried away.

- goodbye.

becoming

your

own

savior

sometimes

means

knowing

when

you

need to

ask for

help.

- therapy session no. 1.

cages

are

still cages

even

when they’re

designed

to

look

just like

castles.

- illusionist.

can’t

a prince

a princess

a  n  y  o  n  e

just

come along

& gaze

upon me

with such

adoration

it’s

as if i’m

the gem

of the deep,

not the rubble

of pompeii?

- when will it be my turn?

do you

ever

find

yourself

nostalgic

for

the life

you never

got to

have?

- (because i do.)

mostly, i just want to know what it’s like to feel something between elation & despair, besides nothing at all.

something in the back of my mind will always be trying to remind me of those moments when i learned that sex & violence are not the same thing.
- unsleeping beauty.