Recently, in my poetry class, I was able to watch a live interview with Kaveh Akbar on his new poetry collection. And he left us with an exercise that allowed me to take some of his words and transform them from a motif of a dangerous addiction to that of one that isn't always so dangerous.

Being in like with someone is probably one of the great things that we as humans are capable of doing. Other than being in love, creating a better world and pursuing passions, we don't often give ourselves credit for the small moments in life. And while they may not always work out the way that we want them to, those things shape us for the better.

So this is a poem for anyone who has felt like something good ended badly. And you're just a little scarred from it. Or maybe even scared of it happening again. I think we all are.

There was a time when

I thought you too eloquent for prayer,

I imagined you perfect.

The tall reflection of God

Under the lights of the church

I ached to be so beautiful.

I was ready to sprint

Off the edge of the world.

Forever holding onto those nights

The music lingers still.

You said life had rules

So I waited for disaster

When I approached the edge of you

We fell the wrong way

Take off the musically-colored glasses

We are broken and shattered

Just like we were before

I stopped praying the only prayer I knew

Now both of us are ruined