“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
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“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
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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