Waiting For It

“In that moment, I knew.
I knew I would wait an eternity
just for one kiss.”

I wanted to taste his lips like nothing I’d ever felt before. My mouth tingled at the thought. And I couldn’t help but wonder how my taste buds would ignite with excitement, like tasting chocolate for the first time in years. That was what it felt like, to watch that small, knowing smile on those perfect lips. To see those deep eyes, seeing right through me. As if he could read my mind and knew just what I wanted. And he planned to make me wait for it.

In that moment, I knew. I knew I would wait an eternity just for one kiss.

© Sarah Doughty

It would be worth it.

Advertisements

Anticipation

“So, my love, won’t you take
all these thoughts away
and help me get lost in you?”

The mere thought
of having your hands
travel across my body
in a slow,
agonizing motion
leaves me weak
in the knees.
And I’m shaking
like a leaf,
anticipating the next time
those hands of yours
will find my skin again.
These goosebumps
only serve as a reminder
of how much
I crave your touch.
So, my love,
won’t you take
all these thoughts away
and help me get lost in you?

© Sarah Doughty

I need to feel you
like I need air in my lungs.

Excerpt — Burn For Him

“And that was when I knew
what it was like to burn for someone.”

When I saw him, it was the ethereal glow surrounding him in a purple haze that caught my attention. He stood in a casual stance, wearing black. But his hair was my downfall. It was straight and brown, curtaining around his face on one side while the other was tucked behind his ear, threatening to fall in the breeze. Chocolate, brown eyes flickered to mine and my breath caught in my throat. He held my gaze, and I couldn’t breathe.

God, but he was the most gorgeous creature I ever saw. Something about him made me feel alive again. I wanted to feel his skin. Taste his lips. Feel the silkiness of his hair. The stubble on his cheeks. It made my fingers twitch and my lips tingle at the thought.

It was illogical. I didn’t even know him. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away. It felt like I’d been burned, all the way down to my soul.

© Sarah Doughty

A little something
from Just Breathe,
my first novel,
slightly condensed.

I thought, perhaps on the weekends, or maybe just Sundays, I would share a little something from one of my books. They each mean so much to me, and maybe by sharing little bits of them, you, my lovelies, will have a little taste of the bigger picture. I do hope you like this idea. Be sure to let me know in the comments what you think.

Much love,
Sarah

Censorship

“No, I will not censor myself.
It’s my goddamn choice.
And it’s my goddamn voice.”

I’m tired. So very tired. I’m tired of being told that I need to get over my traumatic past. That I need to focus on the future, not dwell in the past. That I should “snap out” of this darkness that has its iron grip around my neck, cutting off my air.

I’m tired of being told I should censor myself. That I should take better care of what I decide to share with the world. But here’s the thing: I’m tired of caring. I share my truth. Good or bad, I share it. And people tell me I’m giving them hope. That I’m giving words to what they feel.

It’s my goddamn choice. And it’s my goddamn voice. I choose to do what I do to help people. No one deserves to feel alone.

© Sarah Doughty

If you can’t accept that,
then trample your dirty feet
all over your own home
and stay out of mine.

Mirror Love

“I have never once looked in the mirror
and said, ‘I love you.’
I think it’s long overdue.”

I have never once looked in the mirror and said, “I love you.” Perhaps I was afraid I didn’t deserve it. Or maybe there just was no point. But there is. And the more I think about it, the more I’ve realized that I do. I do love myself. After everything my body and mind did to protect me and keep the good alive — along with the hope. I survived. That is something worth loving — especially since that person is me.

© Sarah Doughty

I think it’s long overdue,
don’t you think?

Indie Blu(e) Publishing — We Will Not Be Silenced

We Will Not Be Silenced: The Lived Experience of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Told Powerfully Through Poetry, Prose, Essay, and Art is the result of survivors feeling compelled to do something after the strongly triggering Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings. Ultimately, it was decided to advocate, educate, and resist through art by creating an anthology. The final collection includes 166 pieces of writing and art from 95 contributors around the globe.

The truth matters,
our stories matter,
and you can help.

We Will Not Be Silenced is now available in print and Kindle editions and reached #1 in Amazon’s New Releases in several categories.

Reviews are trickling in and they are overwhelmingly positive. Check them out here and here. I even had a few things to say about it here.

To help spread awareness about this important book, the editors and many contributors will be participating in two live Facebook events. The first takes place on Friday, November 30th from 4-7 PM EST. The second on Friday, December 7th from 7-10 PM EST. There is also going to be a big giveaway going on, including a short, exclusive chapbook of my own (emailed as a PDF), so it’s definitely worth checking out.

In addition to these live events, the editors and contributors will be sharing various details and information across their social media channels. Feel free to do the same.

Additional information:

The editors decided early on that this was a project of passion and compassion, not profit. Find further information about the use of royalties earned from this anthology here.

To help provide copies to others who might not otherwise be able to afford them, please visit the Go Fund Me page.

For individuals and organizations such as rape crisis centers, gender studies departments, and public libraries that that would like to receive a copy, but otherwise are not able to afford one can be added to a Wish List by emailing the editors at indieblucollective@gmail.com.

Special thanks to the editors
for graciously including me
by accepting three donated pieces
for this anthology.

Can You Hear Me

“I wonder, darling, can you feel me
when I say I love you?”

There’s a building, a crescendo of thoughts that build up in my head until there’s no room left for any more words. But yet, they keep coming like a freight train with no mechanism to slow itself down. That’s when my head begins to feel as though it’s overflowing. Complete sentences begin to fall from my eyes as salty tears. Broken and jagged phrases hitch at the back of my throat. Outwardly, you see me as I am. Trapped behind a wall with no other way to express myself than through emotion. This is what it feels like to be trapped. This is what it means to have ink flowing in my pen. At least that way, I won’t always look like I’m in despair.

But you’ve always known me better than that. Without uttering a word, you feel me. And that means more to me than you will ever know.

© Sarah Doughty

I wonder, darling,
can you feel me
when I say I love you?

The Answer

“For you and me,
I think staying in limbo
is the better option.”

I’m not sure what to believe any more these days. I don’t know whether I’ve hit a crossroads and I just don’t know which direction to turn. I’m not even sure if there’s anything actually changing. At least on the outside. But on the inside, I feel like something has shifted. Whatever it is, it’s almost tangible, like I can feel it crawling beneath my skin. Like maybe, it’ll make itself known sooner rather than later.

I’m not sure if I want anything to change — especially not for the worse. And I suppose, that’s part of the problem. I’m always expecting life to knock me down, not to help lift me up. Maybe nothing will happen. I suppose there’s only one way to find out. I have to let it happen, whatever it may be.

© Sarah Doughty

For you and me,
I think perhaps staying in limbo
is the better option.

Retribution Calling

“Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Retribution whispers my name like a lover
and I answer its call.”

Sometimes I just can’t help myself. It’s not just the fire in my heart or the silver in my voice slicing up into the sky like a scythe. No. That’s the desire I feel.

Retribution whispers back my name like a lover. And I cannot help myself. I answer its call. Because it knows my scent just as well as yours. And I wonder, can feel it coming? Can you feel the burn yet?

© Sarah Doughty

You will. You will.

Inspired by the incredible Saide H. Ranero.
Find her on Instagram, too.

Dreamscapes

“The instant we connected,
I knew we were more than
two souls passing by.”

The instant we connected, I knew we were more than just two souls passing by. It felt like there was so much more to the story. That it would be forever unfinished. And even now, I feel you as if you’re still with me. Connected in some way.

Loving you was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. And it will be something branded into my memory. Something I will keep forever.

© Sarah Doughty

Or maybe it was all just a dream.