Flames

I have so many feelings and I have felt a lot of shame about it. I have felt like my feelings were too much, too big, too emotional, too irrational, too hysterical, too African, too western, too sinful, just wrong essentially. This poem is primarily about relationship anarchy but it speaks to other "unconventional" feelings.

I have been shamed, dismissed and ignored when I have tried to share my feelings. This cruel minimisation of my feelings led to me sharing my feelings with myself via poetry and ultimately my art.

My feelings are like an open flame

Hot, expansive and cannot be tamed

Again maybe not

I like the rhyme sha

Either way theres a lot of feelings

And the steps its taken to actually feel them

If it appears out of hand

Why is that a shame ?

I'm not taking any blame

I have feelings.

A lot of them.

Feelings I refuse to contain

Feelings for you

Feelings for her

Feelings for zhem

Feelings for Den

And more and more feelings again

Feelings poured out in pen

Feelings for my friends

Feelings I don't want to end

I need to feel and acknowledge those feelings

I have hid and I'm still hiding

But I would like to not have to pretend

Listen, all these feelings fill me up to no end

Romantic feelings

Platonic feelings

Sometimes a beautiful blend

Feelings for Corn

Feelings about being born

Its feelings that help me write this poem

Saving and storing all my romantic feelings

Pouring it into one person ?

It's a no can do

I refuse to

If I had the choice I wouldn't choose to

I have a choice

I refuse to

Don't insist I choose you

My feelings are a fire, a big flame

You know what's next

Yeah yeah

Exactly that, for now I'm feeling the same

My feelings won't be tamed.