not a poet

I can never be a poet,
poetry is ink stained fingertips,
metaphors
and delicate girls that exist for a stanza

I do not want to be gentle,
I want to exist forever and I want you to know me

poetry says,
you are the victim,
always
express yourself but-
only your pain
only your plight
cultivate the garden
and find yourself growing with it

I say I am your leader
your destroyer and your conductor
you are only beautiful if you are perfect
I will tear down these forests,
crush these flowers
they are meaningless, hopeless
helpless



poetry says you have the heart of a lion,
but never show it
a fire in your chest and you've always been a swimmer

I say hearts are weak,
say I've always been cold,
always been harsh



poetry says
you'll survive
this isn't the end

and i say 
living alone
is no way to live



poetry says
just breathe

i say
i don't see the appeal