Life is nothing
But doors that close
And bridges to cross.

There is no path
Only a series of options--
Infinite doors and windows and bridges;
Each a choice with consequences.

One step forward
No steps back.

A lover and a fighter,
With a heart of tarnished gold.
You've been hurt and
Hardened to the ways of the world.
Like a tree in a storm,
You bend, but never break.
You always bounce back--
Stronger than ever,
And ready to try again.
Proud of your accomplishments--
And your mistakes--
You've struggled and learned,
Becoming the person I always knew you could be.

You're a hard-core *****,
Aiming to be (as we all are) rich.
You're brazen and bold,
With a heart of tarnished gold.

Subdued, yet still a wild thing.
Struggling, but learning.
You're growing quicker than I realize;
Your mature-immaturity still comes as a surprise.

You lead a charmed life,
Yet it's challenged with strife.
It's hard to accept that things
Can't be as perf as diamond rings.

But one day it'll click
Like a heavy sack of bricks.
And you'll understand that Life
Is merely a show,
Filled with people and places that come and go.

There's a disconnect,
Between you, me, us.
When I reflect
On our relationships, all I see is dust.
We are not broken.

Distant, self-absorbed
We travel the world
In little orbs,
Caught up and whirled.
We are not broken.

You, me, us.
Our past is in the rearview.
All we can do is entrust
Ourselves with emotions long overdue.
It's time.

A waterfall of emotions,
Crashing,
Churning,
Breaking.

A bleak, desolate cavern
Hides behind the majestic facade.

A rainbow sparkles in the spume.

Stubborn, bold.
Your heart's a tarnished gold.

Brazen, brash.
Life passes you in a flash.

You zip past, thinking only of you,
And it's hard because I exist too.

I love you but it's difficult
Because the end result
Is you over me
And you just can't see
That it hurts.

Smooth on the outside,
Rough on the inside,
Your ******* facade disguises your inner turmoil.
Behind a smirk and a laugh you hide the pain,
And I watch as your emotions boil,
Your demons begging to be slain.

It's difficult to watch and be helpless,
And for only watching, I ask your forgiveness.

You've struggled long and hard,
Playing the hand with whatever card
Would keep you alive longest.
You though, you never quit playing,
Though the game has changed for the best,
You're still staying.

I'm proud of you for looking past the bars
Towards the sky and seeing the stars.