OMG Please vote for and share Whitney​'s video. She's amazing!

It was so much fun doing #ZeroRetweets  with Ryan Budds! youtube.com/hoticecreamcomedy!

"Pumpkin Spice"  

Maybe if I smiled,
at my barista once or twice,
he’d get the false impression
I’m approachable and nice.
But that’d be too much effort
and hardly worth the price,
so I’ll just tap my toes while texting
as he brews my pumpkin spice.

"Blooming Treasures"

It takes some sun
a dream begun
a vision through the gloom,
a fertile land
and gentle hand
to help a flower bloom.

It takes some time
determined mind
and passion for the cause,
a strong support
the maternal sort
with compassion for its flaws.

Through storm and winter
on thorn and splinter
you’ll tend, defend, and groom,
but when it’s done
the battle won
you’ll be proud of flower bloomed. 

With taste exotic

a look hypnotic

and fragrant sweat perfume,
its texture smooth

a sway to soothe

like waving feather plume.
With growth you can measure
a gift you can treasure

from tender heart exhumed,
you don’t regret

you won’t forget

the day your flower blooms.

Here's my first draft of a poem I wrote called "Once I Wrote A Poem."  I'd love some feedback.  I'm mostly wondering if it's too long, and which lines I should cut.  Too many "and thens?"  I'm also wondering if the message is clear, or if you find anything confusing.  Grammar/spelling tips always welcome. And any other constructive feedback would be great too! 

“Once I Wrote A Poem”
by Justin Matson 

Once I wrote a poem,
that captured how I felt.
Then wrapped those words around me
like a homemade lion’s pelt.

It draped around my contours
to tuck away the girth.
and framed the boastful smile
of a man who knew his worth.

I rose with eager purpose
confident, and strong.
Then walked out tall and gorgeous
for my street to cheer me on.

And when they didn’t notice,
I pounced around the bend,
to strut my wardrobe loudly
for attention from a friend.

And when she thought it gaudy,
and hack and plain and rough,
I stormed off proud and haughty
from her sooo last season scoff.

I stood up on the railings
And shouted “look at me!”
Cause I was bright and special,
I had proof this time, you see.

But as nobody noticed,
or gave a second thought,
it started feeling heavy
tangling sun within each knot.

I saw the coat was dusty
got tattered, ripped, and torn
Had started smelling musty
around my mane the public shorn.

I stepped out of the spotlight,
and took the back way home.  
Making sure that no one saw me
In my pride but all alone.

I clutched it ever tighter,
as I sweat back to my room.
Just a moping sulking writer
with my words in dull costume.

I stripped it off my body,
like the ousting of a king.
and hid it in the closet
as a naked fragile being.

I slept all through the winter,
in the shadow of my den,
bleeding ink and tears on paper,
with a thorn in paw my pen.

I tried to stitch another,
more in fashion than the last
Intent on pleasing others,
I answered questions no one asked.

But nothing came together
and it didn’t feel right,
and oft I’d slip that coat on
to keep me comfort through the night.

And once I wore it strolling
toward my reflection in the pond
with my ego subtly trolling
for the strength to carry on.

I saw that I looked crazy,
in that homemade lion’s pelt.
that the words were blunt and lazy,
shallow meaning flatly spelt.

So clearly nothing special
just a dreamer no one knew,
but as I looked and pondered,
a rippled smile slowly grew.
Perhaps nobody liked it,
and didn’t like me too.
but that poem made me happy,
and that’s all I ever hoped to do.

(The End)