Aliens

I was 7 years old 

When the Tampa night air grew cold 

I looked up to see the UFO with lights 

hovering in the sky 

Aliens have always been real to me 

I wanted them to like me so I waved 

Then just as quickly as they appeared 

They disappeared from that place 

Traveling through space 

5 years went by and they came back for me 

but only in my dreams 

They abducted me in my sleep 

The inside of this alien spaceship 

was sterile, bright white, quiet

They put me on their cold, silver slab

and gathered around 

Sliced me open, operated 

They took my kidney 

then sewed me back together 

and released me 

They disappeared again into the night 

I woke up confused, but alive 

You can say that aliens aren't real 

Call me weird 

Call me crazy 

But I'll always believe 

Hurling Insults

They're hurling "insults" at me

Trying to hurt my feelings 

Trying to change what I believe 

Here they go again calling me names 

Twisting my words

To them I'm a woke liberal 

A socialist 

A communist 

A brainwashed sinner headed straight for hell

A feminist 

Un-American 

A criminal who belongs in jail 

They're hurling "insults" at me

But I won't change where I stand 

Everyone is equally deserving 

of life's necessities 

And life's necessities should be free 

I cannot and will not support capitalism 

People shouldn't have to live in poverty 

The "American dream" is a lie

Broken promise and false hope 

Immigrants don't belong in cages 

Open the borders 

Tear down the wall 

Remove the barb wire fencing 

and the bladed booeys 

They're all inhumane 

No one is truly free 

Until we're all free 

The death penalty and war are unethical 

Murder is murder regardless of who commits them and why

Beat all weapons into garden tools 

I refuse to be a xenophobe

I reject racist ideology 

and bigotry 

"Boys will be boys" is a cop out mentality 

Sexism and misogyny have no place in society 

Pronouns and titles matter

Love is love is love 

It doesn't matter if you're straight or gay

or somewhere in between 

You should be recognized and seen 

It doesn't matter if you're cis or trans

or nonbinary 

You deserve equality 

God loves everyone unconditionally 

and so should we 

Try to see the beauty in humanity 

They're hurling "insults" at me 

But I won't retaliate 

I refuse to extend hate 

I choose love and peace 

I choose to extend mercy and grace 

In my life, hurt will not reign 

Breathe

Sometimes I forget to breathe 

My lungs get tight 

They're heavy and sting

A fiery burn

I dunno why but 

Anxiety gets the best of me 

Now I'm dizzy 

the world around me spins

Sometimes I forget to breathe 

Spaced out 

Dissociating 

Out of body 

Sometimes I forget to breathe 

A normal bodily function that should come naturally 

But I can't even think 

I'm on the fritz 

I'm on the brink...