I started writing poetry when I was in the ninth grade. I was inspired by a friend who had a certain way with words, and so I thought hey maybe I could do that, too. Little did I know that this very thought would change my life. When I first started writing, I was terrible. I had no sense of rhythm and had no direction. I slapped down words on a page that had no real meaning to me. As I grew older, I began to write more and more. Slowly my emotions began to take form on the page, and it didn't matter anymore if my poems were unbalanced or incoherent; they were slowly becoming something much bigger than myself.

About a year ago, I started sharing my poetry on my Instagram. The only eyes that had ever seen my poems before were my own, and I was scared about what others might say about my writing. But then I thought, how was I ever going to inspire others if they had no idea I wanted to inspire them? Through poetry, I have been able to express myself in ways I never found possible before. Through poetry, I have found an outlet. So, I'm hoping maybe you'll read these and think hey maybe I could do that, too. A short progression of my poetry in the last year:

12.1.15 [You saved me]

And the only reason I'm not addicted to nicotine,
Is because I can only be addicted to one thing at a time.
I guess in that sense,
You saved me.

-A.M.

2.22.16 [Why they name streets after people]

I could be surrounded by a million people
and still feel alone.
A house is a house,
but you were my home.

-A.M.

3.15.16 [I don't know, I think maybe]

You're my hope and my fear.
The dreams and the nightmares.

-A.M.

4.2.16 [On the topic of Love]

And I don't even know if I believe in love,
But if I did,
Hers would be my favorite.

-A.M.

4.29.16 [Tattoos]

I'm jealous of your tattoos,
For getting to be so close to you.

-A.M.

5.2.16 [Stay]

The world is far more beautiful that way.

-A.M.

6.1.16 [self-love]

The only good thing that came out of loving someone like you,
Was the worth I found
In loving someone like me.

-A.M.

7.18.16 [Pixie Dust]

I swallowed your words like pixie dust,
Wanting nothing more,
Than to shrink down to a size
That would make me whole again.

-A.M.

8.24.16 [happiness]

I want to radiate happiness in such a way...
Even my worst enemies can't help but smile.

-A.M.

9.9.16 [unknotting myself]

Sometimes,
I can't fall asleep at night,
Because my body is too busy
Unknotting myself
From all the ties it's made
With beings
Who do not want
To be laced together.

-A.M.