The sun sets and my heart floods
Colors of reds purples and blues
It breaks for the broken
And celebrates for the joyous
As I unwind from the deluge of the day

Little squeals of delight
echo from bedrooms down the hall
Pitter patter of feet
Carry loud laughter of little boys
into the living room where I sit

Laughter;
It’s a cashmere sweater cradling a broken heart
And for a moment it turns shoulder rocks into feathers
It’s a glimpse of light lessening the dark

It can be heard amongst happiness
And even grief.
Memories and regrets
Reminding us of the duality of the human experience

Without laughter, I could not endure this shattered world
So It is laughter for which I am grateful.

Another day of being alive,
searching for the meaning of life,
trapped inside the cage of my mind,
a lost soul breaking free.

Darkness is a friend of mine,
where lost souls go to hide,
so much beauty to be found inside,
open your eyes to see.

Delighted by the somber skies,
melancholy far and wide,
moon peeking over clouds at night,
stars begin to twinkle and shine.

Oh what joy, darkness brings.

Inspiration revealed in the light,
as mother earth comes to life,
cotton candy painted skies,
reflecting off the waterfront.

Brown eyes turn to pools of honey,
golden and bright in the sun,
breathing in the cool fall air,
on a dewy Saturday morning.

Music plays to soothe the soul,
a song for every occasion,
growing through both light and darkness,
for that I am grateful.

h.b.gray

I know on paper I am your least favorable candidate to love your son, let alone marry him
Yet I can promise you, no one will ever love your son the way I did
I am white, with just a Bachelor’s degree working in the same medical practice as him
Yet I have studied every eyelash, laugh line, and beauty mark your son has
The way his energetic eyes are laser focused when he is listening to help heal someone else
The way his whole face brightens when he greets his patients
How his laugh fills up every room he is in and how it feels like a big hug to me
I know exactly where he is most ticklish and where to hold him when he needs support
I am not a part of your culture, I don’t speak your language and I am not religious
Yet, I worshiped and adored the ground your son walked on and not because an ancient holy text told me to but because I saw the way he worked miracles everyday
Even and especially on his worst days
How he cared for people so deeply and fully and taught me to do the same

I have so many unanswered questions for you
When was the first time he made you proud?
When was the first time he made you really angry?
Does his mischievous side, while driving you crazy, also help keep life exciting like it always did for me?
Who does he get his big, lively, beautiful, wondrous brown eyes from?
And does it warm your soul to see the way they widen when he speaks about something he’s passionate about?
And that he only ever gets angry on behalf of others and those less fortunate than him?
Did the first time you saw him cry make your whole body stiffen and realize just how much you really love him?
And that you would do anything to protect him from any kind of hurt? Even if it meant hurting yourself?
Did the first time you heard his laugh melt your heart like butter?
And make you wonder how you went your whole life and just now finding the most perfect sound?
Did it make you a lighter person because nothing feels as good as laughing with him?
Does it make you proud that he never lost that childish sense of humor?
How does it feel to know you created my favorite sound?
How does it feel to know you made my favorite everything in human form?

I don’t speak your language, celebrate the same religious holidays, or have the same lived experiences as you due the difference in our skin tones
Yet, I share so much of your son values that we swore we were soulmates

Our strong sense of family- how much we are both loved by family and how important it is to return that love
To remain idealistic and hopeful despite the difficulties of the world
Our ability to laugh nonstop at the same inside joke for 10 minutes that we cannot even look at each other without another bout of laughter powering through
Having felt the darkest depths of human emotion possible making us strive to be better humans everyday and to service others
To be a good person even and especially when no one is looking
That the person you think you have nothing to learn from, actually may have the most valuable wisdom
Being hopelessly indecisive yet still being sure we were in healthcare as a life calling for a reason- and we were meant to meet to each other
That nothing felt as good as when we first lay eyes on each other and saw the other person’s whole face light up
The naughty risk of eating chips and salsa in white bedding
Yearning for the simplest dream of having each other to come home to and take the day off with, to make a home within each other
How could such a simple dream be so forbidden?

We were both so fucking cruelly lucky and unlucky at the same time to have befriended each other and then fall deeply in love
At first a slow burn from colleague, to friendship, to companionship to falling deeply in love
Like a head on collision
We saw it coming but neither of us knew how to stop it or wanted to
I’ll never love someone as wholly and unconditionally as I love him- yes, in present tense

My world shattered when I laid in the same bed as him, the same bed we had just made love in and he said “you’re just not part of my world”

I instinctively grabbed his hand and we just laid there in silence
Looking at the same ceiling, laying in the same sheets
Hearing the same buzz of the city outside and feeling the same coolness from the window being propped open
We were both covered in goosebumps, our palm sweat was seeping into each other’s skin
My heart was pounding because I knew what he said was the truth
And he knew how painful it was for me to hear and he could never take it back
Because it was true
I was not a part of his world

It didn’t matter that every countertop, night stand, and mirror was littered with sticky notes of affectionate reminders of how much I adored him
Or that his fridge was full of healthy snacks and ice cream I had bought him
Or that he always had my favorite shirt of his, with all the beaches of Brazil, cleaned and the first shirt in his pajama drawer for me to run in and change into as soon as we were home for the night
Or that the steamer he uses everyday for his scrubs I got him
Or his favorite letter I ever wrote him which was one from Trader Joe’s and had the quote “You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf” lay in his nightstand underneath his “The Holy Geeta”
Or all the hopes and dreams and laughs and tears and more laughs and more hugging and embracing that we had
Nothing would change that I was not a part of his world

To you, I may have never been enough
Not educated enough
Not religious enough
Not cultured enough
Not well traveled enough
But I can promise you one thing, I loved your son with every fiber of my being
And I painstakingly always will
Even as he was telling me how it could never be me I was praying and illustrating the woman who it would be
Because as heart broken as I am the only thing more unimaginable is him never being fully happy and still being alone

He’s the cause of my biggest heartbreak, but he’s also one of the best things that ever happened to me
I am a fundamentally changed and better woman because I knew and loved him
I still pray for him everyday
I pray he finds his happiness and peace

More than anything else, I want to thank you
Thank you for choosing to bring him into this world, so if nothing else, even the chance of loving him was made possible because of you
I’ll never know you; but you made my favorite person
And that’s an even sadder love story
That despite this heartache I carry everyday, I’ll never be able to explain to you how grateful I am for him
How lucky I felt to know and love him

And even more than creating my favorite person
Being heartbroken by him has made me even more enamored with my own father
Who never told me who, what or why I had to pick a certain path
Who refused to see me cry, not because he felt I was too weak but because he refused to see his little hopeful, loving, unafraid girl be beaten down by this world
Who even as he saw me break apart to love your son, still had empathy for him because he, as a father, could not imagine telling his own children to walk away from someone who truly loved them just because they’re from a different culture
Thank you for reminding me how lucky I am to have a father who makes me feel exquisitely seen

To All Of My Strong People,
My name is La’Tiffany Rasmine and I am originally from the Nashville area, but reside in south Jersey. I’ve been writing since the age of six, but just began performing and sharing my art with the world, this year. It’s what God wants me to do. It’s what He wants “US” to do…to share our gifts with the world. I pray you feel this piece.

Time
It’s what I’m grateful for
Along with so much more
For me, time’s holding so much in store
So how couldn’t I be grateful for (it)?
Without time, I wouldn’t have known all of my talents
Time is many second chances when you keep getting off balanced
Bc the clock keeps ticking
And right there with you while you face the challenges
So grateful for Time
It answers the who’s and the why’s
Disguises who will stay and who will say goodbye
It wants us to succeed, It gives us so many tries
Which is every reason why
Time was the best thing to come about
Bc it’s here pushing you until it simply runs out
And then what ?
What do you do when that comes about?
That’s why Time is here – in your face, in your ears
Time, it screams
Time, it shouts
Begging us to share all our gifts with the world
To help our inner little boy
To help our inner (little) girl
Time will give him a hug
And safely give her her pearls
Time gives you what you deserve
Time is spacy, Time is curves
Time can get on our nerves
Bc we’d rather control it instead of be patient on what it will give us in return
Time is forgiveness
Time is laughter
Time is sadness
But Time is there to get it right again with gladness
Thankful for Time bc it’s tough and can’t be taken for granted
Time will eventually grow all of your seeds, if watered and planted…

A toast to the ones
Who attempted to crush my
Heart of diamonds.

A toast to the one
Who left me hanging without
A single answer.

A toast to the one
Who made me cry for sharing
A giggle or two.

A toast to the one
Who told me to know my place
And left me to drown.

A toast to the one
Who put their reputation
Before a best friend.

A toast to the one
Who loved me up to a point
And not forever.

A toast to the ones
Who’ve made me the toughest gem
Here on Planet Earth.

There is no simple answer to what there is to be grateful for
This question does not have just one answer, it means so much more
There is so much to be grateful for in life, more than I can explain
First and foremost, I am grateful for the life experiences that cause pain
These pains show us what happiness truly is
It shows us that perspective can reveal the true meaning behind pure bliss
Life and the Universe are what I am grateful for
The Universe is the reason why I have my mother and father, whom of which is a part of my core
The love and support of my mother are what helped me to develop my sense of self
The pains and sorrows of my father are the reasons why I am so pushed to help
The ability to have free will and to be able to think for myself
The reason we have these things is from the Universe and it is responsible for life itself
I am grateful for nature and the ability to breathe
And the ideas and thoughts that I am able to conceive
I could go on and on about what there is to be grateful for
But this short list explained is just the beginning of what is to be really explored

I’m grateful for my life even when I can’t quite feel my purpose. I somehow just know that is a gift. The colors of the sky and the beauty of nature each morning when I wake.
I’m grateful for my Grandmother and her loving arms and guidance. For her health and her unconditional love. Her arms and her hugs. Her wisdom and her patience.
I’m grateful for my grown children, each day my heart swells even more with pride.
I’m grateful for the hugs, the hikes,and the laughter as well as the memories that we have all shared. I’m grateful for the man that stands by my side who stepped up when the others stepped away. He stayed. He stayed.
I’m grateful for my pets, for the soft and gentle kisses and nudges of support when I am often too overwhelmed and emotional to see the bright side. They pull me back and ground me. It’s unconditional love at the finest.
I’m grateful for my GOD next without him, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m grateful for second chances and the lessons that I have learned along the way.
I’m grateful for the birds and the wild animals as they sing their beautiful songs.
I’m grateful for the Drs that fix me when I can’t go on.
I’m grateful for the strangers that become friends and the presence of angels in my time of need.
I’m grateful for family. Distant and close by. I’m grateful for my beautiful cousin. She is my hero. She saved my heart and gave me peace when I was absolutely dying inside.
I’m grateful for my kind heart, and for my strength. For being determined to survive.
I’m grateful for the dreamers. The encouragers and those that gently push.
I’m grateful for my counselor as she helps me take my control back and gives me the confidence to keep pushing on.
I’m grateful for the unsealed family who write the tender and vulnerable stories from their hearts.
I’m grateful for their transparent and beautiful hearts.
🤍

To me life is an ocean you have to keep on swimming to find yours
and love is not only a fortune,it definitely means more

someone keep on pouring oxygen,purpose in our cups
every morning there is a lot of knocking at every door

i am grateful,for my family ,my friends the good and the bad and all
to me all of them are stepping stones in life to move on

i am grateful, i will be grateful until i crash and burn
gratitude from yesterday,for today,and for tomorrow..

Grateful for the lucha, the battle belonging to
the dreamers,
the underdogs,
And those looking for something better.

My parents,
One reclaiming his roots
The other for love and a better life for their children.
Not giving up
Welcomed or not,
Established a home
with compassion and love.

Grateful for my upbringing,
Raised Catholic but
given the support and freedom to explore.
Because life is but so much more.

To discover myself and become
The best person I can be.
One that would make my parents proud
Just as I am of them.

For the long-forgotten stories
Rising among the ashes.
My family’s struggles, their roots, their everlasting existence.

Humble, loving, and kind,
Stubborn, independent
And one of a kind.
Work ethic reflecting those famous, ringing words
Si se puede,
All is possible.

But our first lesson,
The importance of familia,
An unbreakable bond.
Stronger and better together,
My family is what I’m grateful for.

Time has allowed me to receive perspective like an opportunity. I learned to be selfless which helped me to be reflective.
I remember the battles, back when I was unsure about what mattered. Hard lessons battered my soul until a diamond emerged. Now as an adult I can speak on what I’m grateful for.

Full of melanin so perseverance is my friend.
The puppeteer pulling strings helping me to live. Imagine the odds I had to beat just to get here. Minimal control, I’m grateful for the soul. Naturally magnetic, i’m appreciative in regards to my aesthetics. Life is a present and the present is a gift.

Manifesting dreams is my elective to pick. Existing on this plain with grace exceeds feeling great. Fully capable of giving praise everyday. Compared to the world i am a decimal ok? I have no control within the flow of the world. Grateful for my awareness, senses were awaken now she’s articulating.

I’m speaking on frequencies I hope the readers can hear me. Crisp and pristine i am grateful for poetry. Speaking on myself for when it comes to my health I am grateful.
I have too much to say in relation to this word. Recently realizing I have a lot to be grateful for.

To the tears that fell and the lessons they held.
To the pain that healed and the fate it sealed.

To the doors that closed and the bridges that burned.
To the debts still owed and the money hard earned.

To the cloudy days that still shined bright.
To the light that glowed on the darkest of nights.

To past mistakes and current consequences.
To future opportunities and being present.

For every season of growth bears fruit, every season strengthened and lengthened my roots.

For every cycle that carried some weight; it never wavered, only favored my faith and for that I am grateful.

I do not reach despair, I find determination. I do not feel failure without wanting to try again.
I do not give up when grieving and I do not end without space to begin.

I see the rainbow amidst the storm, I feel relief in knowing every storm runs out of rain.
I am able to embrace the unknown and I am a companion to change.
For that I am grateful.

Speaking to every fighter
I’m so grateful that GOD took a chance on ME
Thankful that I am his rider
His unconditional love is beyond measures
His unconditional love is so comforting
Tangible and intangible
I just love the way GOD loves me
Don’t you see
If giving up was easy
Everyone would have took a backseat
Including me
I’m grateful for GOD’s presence
Most importantly never leaving me
Looking at my reflection
I’m grateful the mirror is always in front of ME
In the presence of darkness
GOD’S love always trembles the unseen
What are the fighters singing
Worthy Worthy Worthy
It’s a grateful human being

It feels like an early morning in a drizzly forest
where Nature wakes up with grace and the birds are singing to celebrate the possibilities of the new day.
It warms my heart every time I think about the trust we share and the unconditional love you offer.
I met you on my life’s darkest road
And you helped me through it to find a better and stronger version of myself.
I am eternally grateful for your precious presence,
My sweet dog.

I am grateful for the tear stained letter full of encouragement and convince that ending my life in 2019 would have been better, landed on the ears of a mighty God.

I am grateful that the strength I gave others, ie; church mothers, displaced lovers, friends and even animals of the forest, finally showed up for me.

It held my four leaf clover. I got lucky. I guess my life really wasn’t over.

Strength, I am grateful for you, you’re one clever lover.

It wasn’t my time. I keep saying over and over.

THIS time though, it IS.

Time to accelerate life and honor every one of those wishes.
The ones that were blown from candles perched atop a thick slice of chocolate cake.
Nestled on a paper plate because who wanted to do dishes?

It’s time to collect from the wells where I tossed many a shiny penny, sometimes dimes too because everybody knows those wishes count as double and I really need them to come true.

It’s time to give myself the grace that I have granted so many.

Grateful for an anchor of a soul that rests deep within a 9 year old.
At 9 years old, He saved the souls of plenty.

Next of kin, grateful for unwavering love from a Mother whose heart is worn with worry. But she is a warrior, a protector.
A galaxy of love wrapped prayers is what I am grateful for.

Grateful for loss.
It hurts so bad at first. But the loss can be a gain with unseen wings, I now am finally starting to feel like myself again.

Grateful for the grit.
Without it, there’s so much I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish.
Not even half of it.

Grateful that I am choosing to love myself more, and the self love I poured in is opening all sorts of new doors.

In the hallways of life, I am grateful.

For the heartfelt wrongs and the astonishing rights, for the affirmations I recite before bed each night, the nourishing food that illuminates my soul like a light,the emotions I wear on my sleeve so those around me can see the real me…
I am grateful.

For everything on this planet will be alright.

We can suffer a loss and fall.
We can pick ourselves up and stand tall.
We can let others make us feel small.
We can let their words have no effect on us at all.
We can choose to do nothing.
We can choose to be something.
We can live life unclean.
We can even pursue our dreams.
We can do things alone.
We can be part of a team.
We can walk beside hate.
We can run, full of love.
We can live our lives restrained.
We can fly free, like a dove.
We can drown in sadness.
We can sing and rejoice.
What am I most grateful for?
The power that lies inside of every choice.

What kind of water is this?
It’s been 8 months, but it seems like only yesterday I was hysterically begging my body for forgiveness.

I’m sorry!
I’m sorry!
I’m sorry!

Waves crashed into my cheeks, too loud to hear me accept my own apology.

Already too exposed to hide
I had no choice but to face this flood of grief and sorrow.
Unsure if I could make it to the eye of the storm, my mind had to decide.

Sink or swim?
Sink or swim?
Sink or swim?

Thankfully a whispering wind offered the current of Neutral Jin.

Float.
Ride.
Sail nothing.

At least there is no pressure to decide.
A buoyant body waiting to wash up onto the warm sands of compassion.
The day I no longer see my own vessel as a weapon formed against me.

Hopefully that day comes.

Today,
Like clockwork, the water met my eyes for the somethousanth time, but to my surprise…

Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!

I heard it clearly, from me to me:
I know we have no energy
to swim,
But thank you for enough resilience not to sink
And enough acceptance to transform self hate into a sunrise.
Im not sure what kind of water this is,
But I’m grateful we’re afloat.