"We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry." — William Butler Yeats

There is power in writing, especially poetry.

Poetry is for everyone. There are no rules, unless you make them. There are no restrictions, unless you want them. There is no wrong, unless you decide so. Poetry is art and it is power.

To allow openness, honesty, and truth in your poems is the first step to healing, because there is healing in the words you choose to express those intangible thoughts, feelings, worries. Reading the beautiful words of another person can be inspiring and evoke great emotion, but creating your own words, is discovering that beauty within yourself.

Reflecting on ourselves through poetry—for example, how how we view our bodies (or how others may view them); the relationships we engage in and the intimacy they do or do not hold; or, the love (or lack thereof) we give to ourselves—can be groundbreaking. We can come to learn (and love) so much more about ourselves. We can be intimate.

The following poems are excerpts from "Intimate," a poetry collection by Roshaé Lowe.

"Beautiful Lover Boy"

Oh lover boy, oh lover boy where did you go?

You ran away from me so fast

Why didn’t you just tell me we would not grow?

We started off so well, so forgive me if I did not know

You made up your mind some time ago, you knew we would soon be a thing of the past

Oh lover boy, oh lover boy where did you go?

You fucked me raw, you fucked me rough, filled me up and fucked me slow

I’m sorry but from our moans I could not see the end, but now I’m forced to ask

Why didn’t you just tell me we would not grow?

Did I look too deep into shallow words? Should I not have let my feelings show?

“Casual” leaves your lips hits me hard cuz now I know we will not last

Oh lover boy, oh lover boy where did you go?

I see you less, is your interest low?

I guess we’re on different emotional paths

Why didn’t you just tell me we would not grow?

We weren’t supposed to have feelings? I’m sorry, but mine just flow

No words at all, you let your absence tell me our time has passed

Oh lover boy, oh lover boy where did you go?

Why didn’t you just tell me we would not grow?

"Underneath the Rainbow"

Self-doubt dragging me deep down

I drown in pools of tears

When these fears of mine take hold

And won’t let go

"Fade"

It’s always the same

We start with a passionate flame

But then you change

It’s strange how different one can become

After they cum

"Body"

Bare? In front of you?

Show you a body I hate?

All flaws visible?

"Residue"

They still stain my skin

Thin lines reminiscent of a different time

When I was so full of sadness and despair

It spilled out of me and cut

I still remember the sweet pain

The thrill that would fill me up

And when red would spill

I could feel alive again

The flow of my own blood would remind

I was capable of more than numb misery

But that was a different time, an old me

Yet the memories and their scars still haunt my body