Poem: Everything On Red

Everything on Red

By Meghan D. Coates

I’m not a gambling man--

I’ve hedged my bets since I was small,

I don’t take risks or put things on the line that I don’t want to lose,

But you make me want to gamble.

You make me want to drink

And go for twelve AM walks through the city,

Make me want to throw caution to the wind

(and hearts, too)--

I’ve never asked someone for their number

But I’m asking for yours.

There’s a lot I could lose--

I’m not a gambling man,

And it scares me, giving this power over,

To you,

To fate,

To God--

But we all have to learn to lose control sometime.

I’d rather choose when

Than gamble on fate picking the right time,

Place,

Man--

So I’ll gamble on you,

Here,

Now.

Dear Dealer;

Everything on Red.

--Published in 2016 by Eber & Wein Publishing

Poem: Thirteen

Thirteen

by Meghan D. Coates

Originally published by Eber&Wein

You fall in love

when you're too young to feel,

With a boy

who doesn't know which you is real,

And you'll like him for ages,

sure as you love him for hours,

And your diary pages

like compressed dying flowers

Will speak of your conviction,

of addiction and pain,

A childish obsession

That sours and fades.

You fall in love

when you're too young to feel

And you use it all up

(but it’s not even real)

"Love Is What You Make It" Is Live!!!

     A few days ago I promised that I would start updating a story about polyamorous soul mates on Wattpad every Tuesday and Thursday--and it's really late on a Tuesday night, but it's still Tuesday (even in New York!) and the first chapter is up and ready to be read!
     The cover page isn't up to the standards I'd like it to meet, so I'm planning to remodel it when I get a free minute, but for now that up there is what we've got, and I'll post the summary again below.
     If you read the first chapter and like it, I always welcome feedback, and if you didn't like it and you want to let me know why I'd be grateful--just like all of you out there, I too am an imperfect sack of bones and meat (shocking, I know), and am ever striving towards self-improvement.
     If, for whatever reason, you might want access to early chapters, and in particular if you happen to also be PoC, LGBTQIA+ (intersex/intergender in particular), polyamorous, Jewish, or Muslim, I'm open and eager to having Beta readers (or even critique partners if you've got a WIP you'd like to swap chapters of)!  If that's the case you can reach me in the comments, dm me on twitter, message me on tumblr, or email me at TheSpiderWriter@gmail.com.
     And, since I'm new to Wattpad, if you have any good story recs for me (fantasy/sci fi/horror are my favorites, but I like a little bit of everything) drop 'em in the comments and I'll check 'em out! :)

Love Is What You Make It Summary:

Everyone is born with a name on their wrist.  One name.  Everyone gets one, that is all.
     Jack is born with three.
     Growing up in a world that's been shaped by the concept of one person, one soul mate is difficult when whatever forces govern the creation of such bonds have decided that you're destined to be polyamorous--or maybe that your soulmates are destined to die, one-by-one, along the way?  Jack doesn't know.  Jack is terrified that he doesn't know.  Jack tries not to think about the things he doesn't know.
     But what he does know is that when he meets Thomas Gray, a damaged jerk with too many pairs of glasses, everything is easy, everything is hard, and nothing will ever be the same again. 
     It's difficult, trying to figure what destiny is with only six words to guide you, especially in a world where lifting your sleeve too high might get you killed in the wrong neighborhood--but it's still four more than most people get, and Jack is eager to find out what that means.