We finish dinner and clear the plates
But he is sure to stow the last dish under his untucked chair
I run the sink full of water and begin scrubbing away
Finally, I finish chiseling the cooked cheese off the pan
And only once I think I'm done my job, does he skitter into the kitchen
I hear him come in and shuffle so he's beside me
The small bowl thunks down on the counter in front of me
Snickering and laughing, he hurries away
I sigh and grumble to myself
"What a jerk"
He waits until I'm done the dishes to bring in the last one
He lets me hang up the towel and drain the sink
He lets me believe I can relax
But then he brings in another dish
And that is how I know he loves me.

He was her angel

Innocent and gentle, but strong

The sweet rhapsody of his voice

He touched her soul with music and language

Together one heart

Thousands of moments, happy and sad

He always remembered the simple things

When she was slipping,

He held her close

He was her angel

Her hero

The one she loved most

For reasons unexplained and often misunderstood

A dampening of the sleeves and shirt

Repeatedly mistaken as the weep of just the lonely

Sometimes unintended or unexpected

Caused by a memory, a victory, a loss

A release of one's overwhelming feelings

Liquidized salt tumbling in drops, dribbles and drips

Leaves crystallized rivers stinging on cheeks

There's this guy at school
He smells like Dr.Pepper
His pants sag a bit
But I think I love him anyway

His hair falls into his eyes
Lips are always pursed
I don't hear him talk too much
But I think I love him anyway

He always taps his left foot
I always tap my right
He listens to rap
But I think I love him anyway

He squints when he's tired
His hoodie is only half zipped
His grades could be better
But I think I love him anyway

It's not a magnetic kind of love
Yet I know I'd take a bullet
He's rough around the edges
But I know I love him anyway

              People ask me all the time, why I'm so quiet. I don't think most people my age understand what it's like to hear everything. When you actually close your mouth for more than two minutes, you can hear a lot. Watching people and seeing the way they interact with others is honestly really interesting to me. Believe me, at home I am a chatter box; my mom often tells me to shut up. But at school I just like to listen. I guess I'm kind of shy... I mean if someone approached me I'll carry on a conversation, but I think you can learn more about a person by how they speak to others than you can by what they tell you themselves. So, the next time someone asks me why I'm so quiet, I'll simply reply with, "I like being able to hear."