“Brace for Turbulence” Lily Low Poetry

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“To all the artists I’ve loved before”

Sorry Lara Jean,

It’s musicians over boys my g

Music has always made me feel

Pure unadulterated joy as I jam out in the shower

Closing my eyes as I swayed to the lulls of a soft ballad

Swaying in the middle of my room, to the sounds of a groovy tune

Using my limited knowledge of hand gestures as I mimed the words to a rap song

Fist-pumping to the beat of a thousand drums (and a wicked bass)

Tears as I envelop myself in whispers of melancholy and forgotten dreams

Happiness, sadness, fear of the future, excitement

Owning who I am, processing grief, beginning a new chapter, or hopes of a happy ever after

Music has been a friend, a companion, an accompaniment

In times more than these

To all the artists I’ve loved before

The bands

The independent artists in their homeland

The Kings and Queens of Pop

Rock, Punk, Techno, Funk

A band of brothers like the Jo Bros

One Direction, a boyband formed on a talent show

Talented rappers like NF rapping a mile a minute

Rockstars like Queen with hits that get us out of our seats

K-Pop bands breaking language barriers like BTS

Indie bands with new beginnings like Lovejoy

Demi Lovato and Christina Aguilera, some of the iconic women that set the scene

Superstars like Taylor Swift changing the game

I really can go on all day

To all the artists I’ve loved before (and still do)

Thank you for highlighting the different seasons of my life

Continue making the art that you do

I’ll be cheering you on, my cart will be full

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

“social media scares me”

Social

Media

Scares

Me

Privacy

Stripped

Away – 

Potential of it

Sown

At least

Boundaries

In

Place

But

Is it enough to keep

People away?

Content creators set their boundaries

As they should be understood, yet a

Cacophony of voices

Arise, when a streamer is friends with people you don’t like

Controlling

Restricting

Correcting

Respect? Often lacking

But social media is also

Creative, wonderful, magical

Community, warmth, making a change

Will good override the fear

Or will fear chain me in place?

Focus 

On

The 

Good, they say

Sift

Through

The

Bad, and

Pick

Out

What’s

Constructive, they say

But their indirects

their @’s

their tabloids

their comments

How can we possibly shut out a world

that’s reliant on sensationalizing

our every movement, response, and tweet?

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“Health anxiety”

There’s always a layer of worry 

In everything I do now

And I wonder how people do it all over again:

Living

without being overtaken by their anxieties

Or maybe that’s just me

Still overwhelmed by a world that has screamed uncertainty more than ever

Still overwhelmed by every what if, what could, and a self-guilt that leaves an undeniable gloss over my thoughts

I don’t think it’s the level of being a hypochondriac,

Let’s not stick labels on just because there is a gap of knowledge

I don’t exactly have a moral of the story to whack on here

like how I usually try to do

I’m just kind of exhausted over my mind being pulled in different directions

Constantly running

Like a hamster on a wheel

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“To wander, in wonder”

Wandering, wondering;

I used to think, that these were bad things

I always yearned for purpose

Seeking it out in every nook and cranny

I searched for purpose

To never remain stagnant

run run run

Always running

I ran because

I was searching for hope

For a while it felt like

I was 

Just

In limbo

Not knowing where I’d land

Where is this going / where am I supposed to go?

What is it this time

That I am running from and towards?

Even as I wander and wonder

Meeting people, places, feelings, experiences

I will only truly be happy wandering

With the love I carry within me

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

This poetry compilation are pieces that were reworked during November 2023. These were first written during the time when the world took a turn (2020-2022). It was a time when we really relied on our devices more than ever: to know what was going on with our world, keep in touch with those we love through social media, consuming content creators’ projects from our homes, and everything felt like it was at a standstill. It was also during this time period where I poured my heart, confusion and all, into writing. As we’re approaching a new year, I wanted to share some of my past reflections before we take a step towards the future.

About the Poet

Lily Low writes online (opinion pieces, poetry, lyrical analysis) advocating for mental health awareness. With a background in Law, her passion for people and their emotional well-being deeply influences her written work. Her main goal is to make the world a little brighter through her passion for words. You can find her as @lilylowstar on Twitter and Instagram.

Contact

Instagram: @lilylowstar

Twitter: @lilylowstar

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“Where Do I Apply For The Tortured Poets Department” Sabaitide Poetry

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“re-ignition” Daniella Ignacio Poetry