poem: alana hayes

Words to Live By

1.Forgive yourself

not for not being what you think you should be,
nothing there needs to be forgiven,
but for being such a goddamn bully to yourself.

2.Accept yourself

because why the fuck shouldn’t you?
maybe you don’t think you’re a dream,
but that’s exactly what someone else sees when they look at you,
a dream,
a good one.

3.Give yourself some space to be human

you are human after all.
Let yourself be one.
be messy, be flawed...

4. Cry if you need to

as much as you want,
as LOUD as you want,
for as looooooooong as you want

5. Stay in bed all day if you have to

sleep off the shock of this new awakening, but then-

6. Get up and Get over it, and be You.

be you alone, be you in a crowd,
and if you don’t know what being you is,
because I sure as hell don’t,
then be something that you think closely resembles you,
be something that makes you happy,
something that causes infectious smiling,
because once you start you can’t not give it to other people.
be something that leaves you rolling on the floor,
holding your stomach,
throat full of laughter-

7. When you feel empty

when you start feeling less like a star and more like a black hole,
remember you are not empty. You are full-
of Pillsbury dough,
and there’s nothing wrong with being so soft.

8. Always keep butter with you

because once that dough is done baking
you are going to be full of adorable, little crescent rolls,
and who doesn’t love those? and-

9. Why shouldn’t you love yourself that way?

warm enough to melt butter,
but not hot enough to cause anymore pain.

10. When you have nothing to say

and you’re worried there’s nothing left rattling around in you,
I promise you this,
that Pillsbury dough will always be on the rise,
and you will never be a place light just disappears into.

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about the writer: alana hayes

you can learn more about alana hayes here.