waking up hopeful

Feelings are not facts
you are not a cigarette
or your morning cup of coffee
they’re just a ritual you’ve adopted
in these days of chaos

Forget that it’s 5am
hope doesn’t have a time frame
and today is a new day
that will be better than the one before
just because you want it

Forget that you’re broke
and that this week you might need
to break into your savings
just so you can eat
something more substantial
than rice or ramen noodles

Forget that your boss is a bitch
because there are parts of your job you love  
this situation is only temporary
and if things get too heavy
there’s a light above the door
that says exit
and you’re entitled to take its advice

Remember to keep it real
you’re not an angel
you’re not god
the man sleeping two rooms over
you know he’s dying
taking the long suicide
 
He’s more than a teardrop
on your sleep deprived eyelashes
you can’t save him
but you can stop him from dragging you
into his discordant symphony
of lies and self-destruction
all you have to say is, no

And it’s okay not to be brave today
free will means letting people go
to use their own to whatever end

It’s okay to fall apart and grieve
for the people you love
when they can’t love themselves enough
to get up off the floor

These tears don’t make you weak
they make you human
especially on the days
where you feel like a cigarette
waiting to burn out
and slip into the gutter
with the people who forgot
they weren’t made of smoke

© Indie Adams 2014