Blog Move

All new poems are posted over on www.nothingwithoutwords.tumblr.com.
My official website is www.shelbyleigh.co where you can find out more about my books and upcoming projects.
Thank you for following my journey!

Flames

I watched you taste every word
carefully on your tongue 
before spitting them out
breathing fire onto my skin
and branding me as yours
ashes fell on my shoulders
as I came face-to-face with your flames

my body was on fire
yet I dare say
your words are what hurt the most

It Starts Like This: Poetry Collection

About a week ago, I released my poetry collection, and today I hit #1 on Amazon in the Women's Poetry category. I'm so thankful and amazed--it's the best Christmas present I could have received.

If you are interested, you can purchase it on Amazon US or Amazon UK (for other countries just search the name: It Starts Like This).

And my active poetry blog can be found here. Happy Holidays!

Journal

Once I sculpted you out of letters
and carved quotes into your skin
you became every word
I wanted someone to tell me
even if you said it with silence

you let me spill tears on your shoulder
even though it left a stain
and you never forgot a single detail
while I poured my heart out every day
yet I abandoned you as I always do 
when you ran out of space for me
and I realized as I tucked you
behind rows of books on my shelves

that you never asked for my eyes
to spill tears on your corners
and my mind to drip words on each line
I ruined my creation,
my sculpture born of ink,
until I had no more tears left to cry.

Every morning when I open my eyes
I find an empty bed
and I'm always surprised
because all through the night
you never left my head.

I did it.
I wrote 365 poems in (a little longer than) a year.
I am more active on my Tumblr (nothingwithoutwords.tumblr.com) where I grew a bigger audience than I ever thought I would! And soon I'll be releasing a poetry book with my work, so stay tuned!
Thank you for your support this past year,

Leigh 

Day 365

ripping petals off of daisies
is my favorite pastime,
a selfish one for tearing
flowers from their homes
roots clinging to the soil
they are not ready to let go
but I need answers
so I break their beauty
for the truth

he loves me
he loves me not
I chant again and again
surrounded by white petals
and stems
when will I apologize to the earth
for my greedy destruction
because of the truth I already know
(he loves me not).