Poetry That Breathes

Rose petals

For Barrett Woodruff, my best friend.

Pain

That's what i keep hearing about 

As if pain is all there is in this world

this cold, messed up, dark, heartbreakingly tragic world

They talk like pain is this hopelessly beautiful thing

Like the thorns on a rose drawing blood

crimson and sweet

The way it sounds when a heart shatters on the floor

music

But that's not the point of this life

Because nothing beautiful lasts
but that's okay

Don't you see the rain beating down on the asphalt of your home town?

And the smell the air captures after the storm has passed....

When you can still feel the whisper of the rain....

It's these moments that need to be taken note of

Like do you remember your first kiss?
When all you did was hit foreheads and you kissed under his nose

The beauty of being human is in laughter not pain

Pain is ugly and messy 

leaving behind casualties called friends and family

Beautiful lives,

You're going to lose someone. 

you're going to scream in the passenger seat at 1am

You're going to love someone so much it hurts. 

You're going to remember their favorite food and eat it when you're sad.

The thing about being human is we are the only living thing so focused on the past. 

That's okay. 

Everything you're feeling is okay

Because after a while you can smile even though they are gone. 

Nothing beautiful lasts. 

But that's okay.

I'll just keep on plucking rose petals

and throwing them into the flames.