October Poetry Compilation
The Sunstroke Monthly Poetry Compilation is a collection of poetry submitted by Sunstroke readers and staff members. Take a seat, light a candle, grab a cup of tea, and dive into the intricate words of our community.
Submit to future compilations at hello@sunstrokemagazine.com!
Impossibilities by Caesar
Have you ever fallen in love with an impossible?
It's a dream. The dream of all dreams
It's the clarity in confusion.
Soothing to the knot in your chest.
The kiss of death that sleeps you.
And the elixir that wakes you up.
Falling in love with an impossible is timeless.
And limited edition.
The muse you're never really sure you can amuse.
It's the ice cream stiff in your cup and the moments passing while it melts.
Falling in love with an impossible is the silly.
It's the silly in your bones, that wines and dines and grooves and moves you.
It's the thought that you're the exception.
It's the "oh, I did too much"
Or maybe the "what can I do more"
Either way,
It's the delusion of your illusion.
But mostly, it's the smile on her face.
cb
Sunshine Killed His Rose; Darkness Saved Her Soul By Aela Yuè
I was a Rose
With millions of thorns
All lined up
ready to take aim.
And then one day;
he came through the fray,
and came with a proclaim.
An eye for an eye.
A deadly avow.
That stole me away.
To the land above my own.
Filled with creatures unknown,
from tall and deathly,
too small and stealthy.
And yet I felt
okay
For?
I was finally away.
No bargains to pay,
nor sisters to crow with,
lest father to tug with.
I was a free Rose again.
But eventually, time took its toll.
The soul who set me free was now desperate to place his hold.
He loved me too much
in a way that was deadly and cold.
I tried to talk, he’d say go for a walk.
I’d tried to go outside to play, he’d drag me away.
and when It came time to fight
I faced my horrendous plight.
My once millions of thorns
wrapped around me, the Rose
were all blunt and frayed,
broken, bruised, and burned away.
My defense was no more
My essence had given way.
For now, I had to play his game.
As I turned to the night
With a cry, a plea to be saved,
an answer came.
The realm of Darkness was now my heart’s escape.
Untitled by Anonymous
Charred skin and concentric circles
of flame-licked core.
Apple red cheeks and smoke-sweet breath that hangs in balance between the cracks of the maple.
Renewal, violent and frothing,
a cauldron of clarion sap,
a pitcher, sculpted from bone dust,
brushing the bottom of a silver brimmed chalice
They always say "we are the witches you couldn't burn."
And so I strike a match,
bring it to my lips,
and ignite regardless.
Heat and self control by Caesar
Like sunflowers and rose petals, I fall beneath your feet
In the summertime, on hot ground with no water, I wilt away in defeat
But by the kiss of your moist mouth, I can come alive again
Just at the sake of my mind, my power and my choice to choose again
It's the power in your hands
The certainty in your voice
The assuredness in your stride
That takes away my voice
You keep a place for me
You work on your stronghold
I'll wear sunscreen on sunny days
And I'll have better self control
Split Open by Kaila Cherry
The last six months are in the periphery of my everyday interactions.
Which means I can not isolate a person within the present moment.
This is not a friendly conversation.
It is the sum of all that came before it, and once this passes,
Will be lumped with the prior
And become a catalyst for future communication.
On occasion, I have the most beautiful face I have ever seen.
I step out of the shower, I stand up straight, I stare at myself in the mirror.
Split open avocado style,
I am pitted of doubt and left only with soft, squishy, flesh.
If I could have been the one to think of any iconic movie scene,
It would be the bomb montage at the end of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove
Because I too believe that my downfall lies in mutually assured destruction.
The extent of my faith is in the center of my palms.
It is warm, it radiates outward, it comes back.
What do you really think of me?
You can tell me, you can be honest.
We can sit cross legged, feed each other’s egos
Until we are tired of being so ignorant.
Vera Lynn permeates my subconscious
On some sunny day.
She tells me that - that we will meet again.
I trust her judgement more than anyone’s.
Settl(in)g by Gurpreet Raulia
I
am
too
four
about
within
whoever
becoming
barbarous
deliberate
trademarked
catastrophic
unabandonable