i am so proud of everything you are.
of all the capacities that you hold
and the potential in your bones
and all the colors that are practically
spilling out of you
like paint onto canvas
you paint the whole world into art
with every great big and little thing you do
and i am just so
scared for you.
terrified that the world
will not want to be your art
that it will take your colors
and it will choke the life out of them
because dear god
how sad the world would be
if all the great big and little things
you knitted into it
were unraveled.
how deeply the universe
would mourn the loss of you.
i wouldn't be able to stand it.
a world without you
and your capacities and potential
and all your bright colors
is not a world i could ever breathe in.
it would choke me out too.
so forgive me when i hover
when sometimes i try to tell you
how to craft your own work
how to weave your tapestry
and paint your picture
i just want to keep you here
a little longer
—bunso
*bunso is kind of like a term of endearment in Tagalog. technically means younger sibling, but is generally used for anyone younger than you. similar to dongsaeng in Korean or kun in Japanese.
YOU ARE READING
thorns and other maladies
Poetryanother collection of poems. *TW: mentions of sexual assault, drug use, self harm and other sensitive topics*
