Count to Three
There are people watching
So be careful with what
you're hiding.
Put your nose in a book,
sneak out late,
And climb to the roof.
Crawl inside my veins,
Cause fireworks on a night in December.
When it comes time for summer
I won’t hide my scars,
I’ll reveal what’s behind these walls.
I’ll hold your hand on the beach,
You’ll see the fireflies awaken in our sleep.
Don’t take all the sheets,
Because I promise I’m coming to bed.
Just give it a week,
I’ll find my way out of
These dark and lonely streets.
You give me your air
On days I can’t breathe,
Hold on a little longer
And I promise we will be free.
I won’t make a scene,
I’ll just count to three:
1- There’s someone I want you to meet
I’ll close my eyes,
Dreaming of the sun’s reflection on the sea.
2- Her name is Emilie
Embracing, demanding something sweet.
3- She’s my gir…
Shhh, there’s people watching.
Now I Remember
I forgot what it felt like
When the darkness chases after you
And you want to run
But you’re stuck in sinking mud.
Because for so long,
I’ve tasted the sweetness of the berry tree,
The everlasting comfort of the sunshine
And the cozy fire during nighttime.
It felt like a dream that was perfect
Beyond belief.
It allowed me to breathe after
A lifetime of feeling the fire burn my feet
Or the poisonous vines that cut too deep.
I forgot the desire of wanting
What you cannot keep,
Or finding a home
Inside the arms that give you relief.
It was once a safe place that
Turned into my darkest dream,
The one you keep out back
Hidden away, hoping it’s not meant to be.
I forgot for so long, but now I remember
It’s ghost town in the streets,
It’s a lonely walk home with no heartbeat
And it’s the emptiness in my chest
That makes me wish
I didn’t have to live with the darkness again.
Pretty Disguise
I see your tired eyes, the way you view
The world in black and white.
Insidious cries seep from your bedroom walls,
Until you’re piercing your skin
And wishing for a new life to begin.
Everywhere and Everything seems to be abruptly,
Ending. But these long nights aren’t so endless;
You’ll reach 18 and smell the morning dew,
And everything momma told you would be true.
You’ll grow fresh fruit from those old vines,
And you’ll watch the love you give
Ease the anger coursing in your fingertips.
You thought monsters were hiding underneath
Your bed, but darling, you had the wrong perspective.
You’ll gain new ones, too
And life won’t be as daunting, I know that’s what
They taught you. I was there, watching you
Put on a pretty disguise to mask the reflection
You like to barricade inside.
But we healed, and you wouldn’t believe
How differently the sun rises when
You're standing on this hill.
Momma taught us that life can be cruel,
But she forgot to add that it’s lovely too.
We tidied our sheets and made our bed,
And somehow we learned to live with ourselves again.
You love to spoil the ending, so here it goes;
It doesn’t end, and you’ll keep going
Until eventually you learn, the monsters under our bed,
Were disguised fireflies waiting to soar in the wind.
Autumn Boothe is a Senior at Virginia Wesleyan University. She is an English major with a concentration in creative and professional writing. She enjoys writing real and raw poems that encapsulate emotions. Her favorite book series is The Hunger Games, and she could talk for hours about the series. She also plays softball for VWU, and this is her first time submitting her work to a literary journal!