BDANR

This was a fun, sweet story, Parker. I liked it. Unfortunately, word problems are not my strength...

Our existence is cosmic Our being is hypnotic Born from stars and beasts and trees We shine a radiant glow Life’s beautiful creations Miracles of circumstance Like the lighthouses at night We guide our own history Toiling the land, hands in dirt Seekers of growth, giving birth We swim oceans, climb mountains Carrying the world on shoulders Some are destined to destroy Making discord in thei

"Charity" was a treasure to read. While not meant to be a message, it definitely showed me the importance of looking out for your fellow human being. I also liked your poem "Waking," especially its ending and how it speaks to the resilience of human beings. Thank you for these :).

Melancholic, but pretty. I loved how you ended, imagining your son pursuing those dreams. Thank you for your poem.

Heartbreaking, yet I love the theme of self-preservation and loving someone, even when letting them go. Thank you for this, moggy.

This was nice and pleasant to read. Thank you for sharing :).

Devan had to admit something the second he woke up that morning: He was clearly in way over his head. Jesse and himself searched for apartments for the last three days without luck. Despite the combined contributions of Filiberto and himself, even if Jesse were to get a job, he wouldn’t be able to pay rent for at least another month. In addition, Filiberto wasn’t too keen on Jesse staying awhile longer in his place. If things didn’t work out, Devan would need to have Jesse live with him. He

Depression is a beast. It takes a lot of strength to smile through. Take care of yourself, timmy.

You'd know much better than I would, Jimmy... I'm not sure what the solution would look like. I can't say I was able to correct my own assumptions until I moved to a city where there's more homeless than anywhere else I've ever been. It took just having conversations in order to correct my mindset for the better, but most wouldn't do even that as you've mentioned. Thank you for your honesty and your feedback <3, Bryant

What a heartfelt affirmation! Thank you so much, Parker. It felt good to create something like this. I love what I do and I have a lot of passion for who I serve.

Would you call a homeless man a bum if you knew his name? Tell him he’s lazy, deserving of this difficult fate? You’d never know the work he does to turn it around Fighting against a system that always puts him down Would you call a woman a tramp if you knew her name? Having sex for money so she’d have a bed for sleep Would you hold it against her? Would you hear her pleas? Used constantly by men who don’t care if she lives Would you call a m

I love the wording you used in this one. Every word you use is intentional and adds a layer of complexity and depth to your poetry, which is why I enjoy reading them! Very good, asamvav :).

Good to see another addition to your poetry collection. I'll read soon!

Shout out to @Comicality for posting Kool and the Gang and @jamessavik for posting the very funny Chris Farley! RIP. Like @Sam Wyer and @MacGreg I'm very much a newbie myself and have only been here for two months, though it definitely feels longer! I feel a little bit like I'm crashing the party... But I want to thank the staff for creating and monitoring this gem. You all have created something truly extraordinary, though you didn't need me to tell you that :). I LOVE to write and I LOVE to read poetry. Been writing since I was in elementary school. But I stopped writing like I used to because I had no one to share it with. To be able to join a community where I can be encouraged, challenged, related to, and given guidance to be the writer that I want to be (with other gay writers at that!) has been an unexpected blessing, and a very much needed space during this particular time in my life. I'm very thankful for the connections I've made here, having a place to share our lives and our stories. Happy 15th Anniversary GA! I'm happy to be here, and I hope to be here for years to come :).

It sounds very creepy too. Kind of unsettling. Forests sure can be very mysterious. Nice poem.

The answer to your question just might be coming in the next few chapters! Filiberto is definitely being very selfless considering what Jesse and his relationship started off as. And Devan, always being Jesse's safety net, is starting to demand more from him, which is exactly what Jesse needs. Hopefully, the two of them can put him on the right track. But yes! Jesse coming through for Stefan in this moment of the story really shows his humanity. I've been having some days off and have been able to get quite a bit of writing done lately. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work soon . I can't promise that I'll be able to finish a chapter by the end of the week, but possibly the next :D?

Devan is handling that situation very well! Showing a lot of strength as you mentioned. Stefan is definitely in a bad situation. Hopefully, this episode will convince him that it's time to leave.

Yes, Jesse might need to be taken down a notch!

Sorry!! Yeah, Jesse's got a long way to go xD! Thanks for enjoying my pace :)!

Stefan thought he was going crazy. Jumping at sudden movements, mind racing, nowhere was safe. Chris had triggered Stefan greatly, coming at him in a way he had never done so before. Questions kept flooding his mind. What would’ve Chris done to him yesterday after refusing to sleep with him? Did he do something to set Chris off? Should he have called for help? What would’ve happened if he did call for help? Stefan was uncertain if he made the right decisions that day, in addition, concerned abou

First off, I wanted to thank you for your openness in sharing the connection you made with my story. While I did write this piece so anyone and everyone could read it, the audience that I most wanted to reach out to were other survivors. I'm very happy to hear my story has moved you in some way :). I also wanted to mention that I appreciate you bringing up Jordan's role in all this. I cannot express enough how necessary it was to include a character like Jordan in this story at the time that I wrote it. His presence is significant and makes you appreciate the individuals in your life who weather the storm if I can use my story's title. Thank you again for reading and commenting, - Bryant

Thank you for sharing your life with us through poetry. It sounds as though it's been a struggle. I really liked your style and use of repetition. Your voice will be greatly appreciated here :). Hope to read more of your work soon, - Bryant

Thank you for your words mogwhy. I'm so sorry to hear you've experienced this as well and that this piece brought something up in you, as you said, that you'd prefer "not to poke." It's still hard to hear the word sometimes, for what happened to us. You are so right, we are survivors and I wish our minds didn't trick us into believing that we should carry the blame for something that we're not responsible for. It's a reminder I have to tell myself every day: I did nothing wrong. Thank you so much for reading, even though it must've been difficult.

Thank you, JP :). I wish I had someone tell me back then that I didn't need to carry that shame. It would've saved me from a lot of hard times. It's tough to shake it currently due to my recent attack, but as you all have pointed out, courage comes from speaking up. Your words were needed, JP. Thanks again...

I'm really glad you mentioned Jesse! I attempted to try and balance his character out, especially in this chapter. He's a difficult character to empathize with, but I'm hoping my readers will find him somewhat redeemable at least before the story ends. I'll certainly try :P! And yes, Stefan has great support through this, and hopefully, that will make the difference between Stefan staying or going. I am sorry you've had that history with your mom. It's really hard to give someone you care about and rely on for protection forgiveness after that. My heart goes out to you, and thank you for your sharing your story. Thanks again for reading, Bryant