Artists may damage

parts of themselves over time

because the beauty

they create for the world

can only be made by minds

brilliant and fragile

hopeless and romantic

they view life through a scope

all their own

from which tragedy

and miracles happen

blood pumps from beating hearts

as they feel life’s pulses

sensing realities

others never consider

they may not know how to grasp

their own talent and depth

or the true

harsh nature of existence

so they reach out to find

what they hope will fill

the void within

and become addicts

this is why so many

beautiful artists

eventually spiral

into unbecoming endings

like leaves falling wistfully

through an autumn breeze

graceful and inevitable

bittersweet and purposeful

to the end

 

 

 

 

Shannon is a writer with dreams of becoming published.