This piece was directly inspired after reading “not here to impress” by photographer and poet Jay. Please give him a looksee :)) 

~Heart Strokes~ 

“I wear my heart on my sleeve”

…someone once said

And millions have echoed

Me though…

I wear my heart right here

Wounds at the tips of my fingers 

Nails painted 

In a flesh toned manicure

Of grief and loss and love and dreams

The sleeve is too far up it seems

Easily camouflaged 

Like my shoes on the street 

Ripping the shirt into pieces of its birth 

With hands to open a throat of words 

…I breathe and sit and swallow it down 

My heart is what makes my fingertips pound

Click click clack

From my vintage typewriter to this new age device 

I keep my heart in my hands 

Bleeding…as I write