Your silence furnishes a dark house. But even at the risk of burning,the moth always seeks the light.

People say that you’re stuck with the family you’re born into. And for most people, that’s probably true. But we all make choices about people. Who you want to hold close, who we want to remain in our lives, and who we are just fine without.

...and then there's a tapon my shoulderand I turn to see Papi,holding his hand out to me,reaching for my arm,asking me to dance."I should have taught youa long time ago,Dancing is a good way to tell someone you love them.

Because after all the poemsI've written for him and othersthis is the first poems ever written for me.I'll never be as good of a poet as you, Poet X, and I believe you're strong enoughto defend yourself and me at the same time,but I'll always have your back,and I'll always protect your heart.

He was fine, older, and mostly nice to me. At least, I convinced myself he was nice. And most important, he wanted me. He could have sex with any girl, but I was the one he was after. Even thinking about it now I get a little twisted up inside. So much of my decision to have sex had more to do with being chosen than it did with any actual sexual attraction.

But who knew the words, when said by the right person,by a boy who raises your temperature, move heat like nothing else? Shoot a shock of warmth from your curls to your toes?

The first time Dre touched mewithout our clothes on, she kept running her handfrom waist to hip. & I wanted to write Mamia thank-you text, for giving my body a spotthat was made to nest Dre's hand.