Poetry is like breathing

*Thought this up while I was people watching at a coffee shop. A couple laughing at a table and a man sitting alone, reading his book, looking up at times, not too far away...* I have seen that smile before You used to laugh like that with me We used to talk about the future And dream of how happy we would be You used to move your hair like that Pushed back behind your ear Whenever you were nervous Or when you were sincere I used to be the one right there The one sitting next to you The one who thought you'd never leave The one who lost you And now I hear that laugh again I see that smile wide But I see that someone took my place And I hope you're treated right But if I had the courage To walk over and say hi I would tell you you look happy And I was glad to see you smile *The same people, however, this is the from the woman's point of view knowing the man from her past is near her...* I see you in the corner Though you do not think I do I se...

She was like water Flowing through your hands so quickly Once here, you thought she would stay forever But fate decided on a different path He was like oil Always standing out, never one with the crowd You thought he would stay forever But, again, fate intervened They were all stars Little lights in the sky One by one leaving Earth in search of something more Earth could no longer satisfy them Each night when we look up We see them smiling Knowing that they are never actually gone And each time, you feel their souls once again -Katie Civitelli, 2019

Happy Just a word to many But once it is gone It is so much more Happy is the sunlight on your face The wind in your hair The hug of your favorite person The sensation of being so full that you cannot possibly contain anymore And once it is gone There is nothing but empty The memory remains but the feeling fades And you yearn to have it back -Katie Civitelli, 2019

You were fire When there was nothing but darkness You warmed my heart You made me whole again I felt almost human In a world that had betrayed me A world that had taken a young heart And turned it to dust And then I saw this burning light A light that was so close And yet so far away Calling me toward it It was you You saved me -Katie Civitelli, 2019

I see the light shine through your eyes The hope you spread around I see you do not listen to pain And you have not known doubt Oh young one, you are so important The world shies away from you It hits you with its fist of trauma And lies just to hurt you It makes you think it is powerful And that you do not stand a chance It tells you that your dreams are wrong And you will not make it It lays a path and says to go Even though you know it is wrong But the world grabs you by your collar And shoves you along But young one, oh so brave You never let it win You deviate from that paved path And look deep within And then you stand up strong And make the world cower low You say, "You have no power here" And if you must, you go it alone We all possess this inside So be strong in what you believe The world will not put out your light So let them all see -Katie Civitelli, 2019