I was at a poetry reading She spoke about immigration Loss of culture Loss of identity She spoke about chaos, confusion She said "father I don't understand what I am writing" Now I've taken it entirely out of context Father, I don't understand what I am writing

I think she meant language My immigrant mother desperately trying to strike the match and fuel the flame That never existed in the first place Is a mother tongue Just your mother's? Is a mother tongue the language you speak to her in? Her fifth? Your first? Her last country Is it her birthplace? Her dad's? Her teen years? That summer in the war zone Her gap year?

Father I don't understand what I am writing Applies to languages yes But what about my poetry I type so fast My mind strings sentences Metaphors hung like fairy lights

The English language, (my only btw) Squirming and evading my grasp My English teachers stare and harsh words Will forever stain my pen Will forever bleed the ink And will forever deter me from The confides of freitags pyramid Or sonnet structure My poetry will forever be free

Words hung in the air Like drying washing Will I understand what I'm writing? I have so much to say And not enough languages Not enough time Thoughts race round Running rings like Saturn Will they ever be found? Ever get out? Will I ever understand what I'm writing? Father! Do I write to live? Write to breathe? My right to life tainted by A lot of things What are some things that make you inhuman? Immigrant, queer, disabled, female Activist, creative, Won't fit in a box Like she said "a tree can't breathe In a pot"

This prompt Lowkey works

Keys, wallet, phone, airpods Dog bags, treats, leash Dog Shoes on, headphones in, Music up and door locked,

Me time, free time Just walk Head down, mouth closed Summer air and summer heat Struggling in too-long jeans

I'm not looking, I'm unaware Don't they teach you these things Eva? There's man behind me- Were there kids? I don't remember

Okay one behind No one in front Where's the dog?

Glance back Headphone out Call him, flash a treat

Pop.

Pop? Have you heard this before? Not a gun- you watch too much tv Not a nerf one either

Remember when you were eight? That toy gun that your friends little brother had It shot foam balls into the air

That kinda pop.

He's running back Takes the treat Stupid smile tongue out Wagging tail

He's got that look The kind we used to joke about But for a split second I thought

Wouldn't it be funny

If that wasn't my dog

-~~~~-

It's been four days

And he's not quite the same

"I mean could you class us as human, right?" Laika turns away, slightly offended by the prompt. "Of course we're human!" Arden rolls his eyes. "I mean we were literally made in a lab, and we don't act like humans do" Mae folds her arms, a sucker for playing devil's advocate. "We still have their anatomy though!" June exclaims, never having pondered the fact that she may not be a person. "A heavily modified and advanced version," Mae reminds everyone. "Our bodies function exactly the same! Just a bit more efficiently..." Akari trails off, remembering how he had to take two medical degrees- one for the six of them and one for 'normal' people. "Then it's just down to philosophy isn't it? What does it mean to be human?" Eros asks, leaning back in his swivel chair. "I don't know,"

~

"Give it a couple hours, Kari and Kaz will write a song about it," Eros teases. "Jokes on you I already have the lyrics," Akari responds, "Plus Mae will make a robot that will tell us in a much better way than I ever will," "Or even you Ros! I can already imagine the gallery, a massive canvas with your art," Laika holds out her arms, describing the layout of the exhibition. "Don't forget JJ's dance piece and Denna's short film- together we'll definitely have the answer somewhere,"

~

"We are human, right?"

~

(5 years later🤭)

"Are we even still human?" JJ whispers, holding her new Alcyone Colony citizenship ring, "What is tying us to Earth at the minute?"

"Our mission."

Ntp I think the moon is jealous of the sun Why wouldnt it be? It leaches off its light Any life is a result of it Anyone could live without the moon But the sun?? No, that you need Sure the sun burns, that kills the moon There's nothing it can do to stop or help Just sit in awe of the beautiful disaster Envy seeping from it's craters It's uselessness cracking grey rock All it can do is sit and watch In the suns shadow Inadequate as per

Ntp

"Anddddd... Action!" "It's a YouTube video Denna, we don't have to say action," "Let him live, Kaz!" "Just saying!"

Mae switches off the camera and rolls her eyes, "We will never make it to the plains if we carry on like this- what if we were..." She trails off, "what if this was serious?"

"We aren't! And it isn't! Jesus, guys it's a YouTube video; literally an intro to a vlog," "Well go on then!" "Action!" Denna teases, side eyeing Kaz.

The camera counts down from ten, Mae rushes to her place on the sofa where Denna and Eros are sat. Kaz and Kari are perched on the backrest of it while JJ sits on the arm.

They all look at each other- a habit formed as children, where they can speak without saying anything. A language that has many, including Kaz and Eros (both doctors in linguistics, amongst other things) baffled. It was born of sheer necessity of course, the need to convey large amounts of information within seconds but nonetheless sparks rumours of telepathy. It makes it hard to translate.

I think this look meant "who's going to start?"

Kaz does, giggling they introduce themself, "Heyy, it's Laika here, with the whole gang! It's been a while since we've posted but that's because it's been a while since we've done anything interesting-" "Which is exactly why we're making this video," Kari finishes. "Akari and Arden had... An idea..." Kaz continues. "I think you mean we had a stroke of genius" Denna folds his arms, temporarily confused at the use of his full name, Arden, how pretentious... __ "We are going to try get to the salt plains..." Mae pauses to laugh, "In Turkey," "Now is this the dumbest shit we've ever done? Maybe... Buttttt is it going to cool as hell if we pull it off? I think so!" JJ says, her excitement seeping through her smile.

They explain the plan to the camera. Rambles and technical jargon that will probably be edited out, involving altering security cameras, stealing planes and convincing their minders that they needed a capture drill. It was detailed and well thought out but still built on ifs, buts and maybes. The group is smart though, raised to depend on each other for everything. Working well as a team is not only a privilege to them but a necessity, their lives have been in the hands of each other since they could walk- since they could train. At the age of 13 they were almost killed, Laika had saved Mae's life and the price she payed was a shattered leg and lungs filled with seawater (the others would go on to save her at 17- but that's another story🤭) Their plans rarely fail but this is different, this is just a group of teenagers sneaking out.

"Just like training!" Eros says, sarcastically. "Time to put those pilots licenses to good use," "Saving the world isn't a good enough cause for you Mae?" "Well when you put it like that!" "Saving the world is a stretch! I don't think that's in my job description," "They call us the JLK for a reason- the Justice League Kids," "That was a PR stunt and you know it- we needed it to fund our research and training," "To save the world!" "Yeah right,"

Mae has a point, their research will be vital to everyone on Earth and even potentially for life that could exist on other planets. These kids are going to explore the universe- they aren't superheros but they're pretty damn close. Eros, however, tends to be more cynical, it was a PR stunt. When they were born they were given the last names of DC characters, since, genetically, they don't have parents. So the ESA had to give them nerdy names- obviously.

Eros (Ros) Kent (he/him) Mae (Maisi) Palmer (she/her) June (JJ) Allan (she/her) Laika (Kaz) Danvers (he/they/she) Arden (Denna) Jonas (he/him but she/her in drag🤭) Akari (Kari) Marshall (he/him)

(also pls let's pretend that the last names are actually JL names and not rlly niche DC characters ty)

"Anyways!" Laika says, "we have a plane to steal,"

They turn the camera off and pack their bags. This will be a fun mission.

(Guy Idek what this is I thought I'd write abt my ocs, it's probably rlly confusing if u don't know their lore and these guys have soo much lore😭 so if u wanna hear more abt them lmk)

If it walks like a duck If it quacks like a duck Chances are... It is a fucking duck

If more than 3 people have said something If you've written more than 3 poems about it If you've skipped 3 meals

It's probably an ed

Probably.

Does it char your throat? Taste of guilt? Crying over spilt milk Or the thought of having to make something

Later you say. Don't need breakfast if you slept till noon Don't need lunch if you'll eat dinner Don't need dinner if you need to cook it If you need to ruin a perfectly fine dish

I don't hate food Don't dislike it Just don't have time Or desire

Fighting hunger cuz I need a fight The bruises and the broken bones aren't enough Punch me in the gut, there's nothing to throw up The world is simpler when you're empty, clearer

It's no different when you're full It's different when you have to move To the kitchen Turn on a stove, risk getting burned Risk getting bored, risk losing track Wasting time, wasting food Left on the counter top Left in the oven

And the fire alarm is ringing And the noise is horrible stimulation And the sprinklers are a welcome sensation The different textures, feelings, temperature Hot fire, cool water Alarm bells, your music, the tv Dog barking, roommate screaming Beautiful cacophony, crescendo

White noise, mind slowing Always in inverse with the world High low, up down Playing the clown A starving clown...

But it's not a duck.

It's not a duck.

There's dirt under my nails Better than him under my skin It's better than her in my head But there's dirt under my nails

There's blood in the water And salt in the wound What am I gonna do?

Dust in my wild wide eyes Grass and sand under my thighs Muddy hair caught in the breeze Stepping on sticks fallen of trees Balancing on a stepping stone Isolated and alone

Like the stream, small and feirce So far out from the river So long untill the sea Blocked by dams Built by small and mighty

The sun filters through Blocked by leaves A kaleidoscope, a mobile Will it sing too? Kiss the moon hello and goodbye? Like it kissed my skin Laying down freckles Planting them perfectly Gently and soft

Will the moon rise? Bless the shadows Darken the dirt burrowed by my skin Glisten the stream Glittering like a child's scrapbook Winking like the missed connection Across the room, crossing over Crossing paths Over the clearing, cover in the trees Cower behind him Behind that faltering face Terrified by this place

I. Love. You. One two three. We're counting the freckles of my face And the days untill We're stringing beads And crafting dreams Brick by brick Beat by beat Of a heart that pumps for the other Lungs that breathe for You and me One two three Blow out the candles We'll wish to be free Like we are, birds with colourfull wings Orange and blue Or purple and yellow Colours complementing Shapes slotting so perfectly Souls aligning The sun is setting And your eyes are glowing And your smile is wide Arms open, heart whole Made whole by the presence Of another Made whole, made free, made loved I love you

I channel so much anger into my poems, I fear I am abrasive, I hate and I hate, and then I drop the pen the moment my heart lights up, when a smile creeps up on my face and there's a spark in my eyes that I can't erase, there is so much good, but that's not poetic, so much brings me joy that I would never dare immortalise, would never stain with my words and my high pitched voice, but there is so much, I cannot even begin to describe, the tears in the eyes of a creator, now responsible for the lives of plenty, the numbers crawling up and up with our collective humanity, the smile on a kid with asylum sought and found, fought and crowned, the flower growing through the tarmac, the man you helped cross the street, the girl who looked out for you on your way home, the friend who stayed up just so you weren't alone, the tree you sponsored, the plastic you picked up, the smile you gave out the warmth you have, never loose it yeah? Smile, because there's so much good, there's so much you can do

Blink and then we're out of here, blink and there's tears in your eyes, blink and we'll swallow our pride, get God on our side, so that safe place was a lie, didn't really take me by surprise, it was always gonna be one of us that dies, maybe we'll find some allies and look into their eyes, we'll see a reflection of red and blue, do those colours mean anything to you? There'll be black and red, then green and white, white when its over, white when its done, and we're either under the rubble or under the sun, waving the flag, blink and can you see it drag across the air? White flag means surrender, we're saying our last prayer, there's nowhere to go from there, there's blood in my hair, no food to share, can't sleep too aware, it's quite the scare, I swear this isn't fair, do you fucking care? Cuz I seem to be the only one, blink, because one of us can, blink and turn away because you can, they can't blink, they can pray but they can't escape, so blink and make a choice because you can