Save Face

Abuelita 

life was much easier

when I could stop by 

see your face 

cry in your arms

and tell you anything 

no matter what

but you've been gone 

for some time now 

so the only face

I can see is my own

abuelo used to say

pressure can burst pipes

or make diamonds

he's been gone a lot 

longer than you have

nevertheless

I promised not to

let either of you down

maybe that's why 

I struggle so much

am I trying too hard 

or not hard enough 

both feel the same 

if I give up now though 

what would become of

not just your legacy 

but my own

© 2025

L.O.V.E. Notes: Smear Campaign

When things don't go 

the way you imagined 

or hoped they would

disappointment 

it's not a good feeling 

you've tried everything

blending in 

standing out

nothing seems to work 

do you even know 

who you are

at this moment in time

do you even know

where you go from here

your own reflection

has questions

not because of 

what you've done

but because of 

what you've become

unrecognizable 

© 2025

L.O.V.E. Notes: We Meet Again

She ran to me

eyes so wide

as if she knew me

her curly hair

it's always curly

just how I dreamt it

always so pretty

when she got to me

I wasn't who she

thought I was 

so she stopped

but she did smile

with a tearful eye

I smiled back 

and reflected upon

what could've been

<3

© 2024

L.O.V.E. Notes: Volumes

I

The irony isn't lost on me

words mean very little 

yet I'm writing in hopes that

someone will listen to you

and keep their sorrys

in favor of changed behavior

because they've made it

nearly impossible to be trusted

with words alone

especially when the actions

fail to support what was said

II

I've always been told

actions speak louder than words

which means that 

giving someone a pass

because you love them

is also an action

one they've taken advantage of

too many times to count

even if you didn't see it as

giving someone a pass

but instead trusting them

maybe you didn't trust yourself

when that person revealed 

their true intentions to you

maybe you didn't want to

III

It's easy to forget that we

decide if words matter

and if actions make an impact

whether it's the act of speaking

or the act of doing

I guess the saying is true after all 

actions speak louder than words

the irony isn't lost on me

so ask yourself this

which action speaks volumes

and which one will you listen to

<3

© 2023

Spectacle

I know you're exhausted 

and more times than not

you feel defeated 

emotionally drained

there was a time when

you would suffer in silence

unmotivated to do anything

but you've kept busy

as best as one can

it's hard to forget the pain

even harder to forget

those who helped cause it

you gave so much of yourself

as you always do

only for those to prove

that they didn't deserve you

now they're watching

hoping to see you break down

returning to that person

who once suffered in silence

unmotivated to do anything

they've come to see the show

but I know what you're made of

so let them keep watching

and get ready for the 

performance of a lifetime

they'll still never deserve you

but they do need to see this

© 2023

L.O.V.E. Notes: The Little Things

I remember your spaghetti

you knew it was my favorite

we would sit at the table

and have dinner together

I didn't know it at the time

but you were allergic to tomatoes

so why would you keep eating

and risking your health 

because you didn't want me

having dinner alone

you knew it was favorite

but truth be told grandmother

you were my favorite

<3

© 2023

Recuerda

Cuando se olvidan de ti
qué vas a hacer

lo único que puedes hacer

recuerda quien eres

y quien quieres ser

tal vez descubras que

eres más fuerte sola

o con alguien que te aprecia

porque esas personas

que se olvidaron de ti

nunca te apreciaron

ahora que lo pienso 

quizás nunca te conocieron 

© 2023