Shattered Perspectives is a series of visuals and poetry. There will be a total of four parts to this series: self, us, beyond, and now. Poetry has always played an important role in my life. For a while, it was the only form of self-expression I had. Discovering who I really am was driven by my poetry. Poetry was, and still is my voice. The beautiful thing about poetry is that you can be completely honest. To be as honest as possible with yourself and your audience. This installment focuses on Us.

Almost six months have gone by and everyday I marvel at how amazing of a relationship and boyfriend I have. I am constantly grateful to have someone by my side who is strong, soft-hearted, funny, unyielding in times of difficulty, and who always reminds me how much he loves and cares for me. Everyday the distance makes me realize that although our relationship is not perfect, nothing can stand in the way of Us.

In this next series of poems, I focus on the fears, joys, and dynamics of my relationship. I get to the root of what makes Us work. As you read in Self, I am naturally pessimistic. But as revealed in Us, hope is what drives me forward in times of uncertainty.

Us:

My hands ache to feel

the warmth of your skin.

He's touched my soul

in ways I never thought were possible.

My mom constantly reminds me that

what we have is rare.

Not everyone finds someone who

is their source of light.

Our ability to love and be loved

unconditionally is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

The brightness of your existence

casts out

the darkest of shadows.

Memories of

intertwined fingers,

locked mouths,

and whispered I love you's.

I haven't loved anyone like this before.

Don't you see I'm just as terrified as you are?

I see a future.

But sometimes you're too scared to

let me love you.

I'm lost in a sea of "what ifs..."

I wish I could close the distance between us.

Hold you.

Breathe.

We will be okay.

I tell myself that constantly.

What kills me the most

isn't the distance or the time difference,

it's when I'm left alone to my own thoughts

And the absence of you aches.

I feel most at home

in the warmth and safety of your arms.

You love my happiness and sadness.

I know that we're just kids.

But I look at you and see

an endless future filled with

weathered smiles, late night conversations, and love.

I want everything to

start and end

with Us together.

I hope you enjoyed my little set of poems exploring Us. I know that my boyfriend and I haven't been dating very long. But we're at the point in our relationship where there's a mutual understanding that we have to put in the effort for Us to work. And above all, we have to communicate.

I love my boyfriend. He's my rock, he drives me to become the best possible version of myself. I understand, though, that if we ever break up, what we had was real. What we have is rare. And sometimes you can't be with the person you truly have a connection with. All I know is that we really, truly understand each other. And we both really, truly love each other.

Next time, we will explore: Beyond