Poems by Plurals and Sonnets by Systems

We take submissions of poems written by systems! While plurality as a topic is encouraged, non-plurality-related poems by systems are also welcome. You can either send us an ask (anons are welcome, with or without signatures), or mention us on a post you'd like us to reblog, and we'll come take a look.

Not sure what a system is? Learn more!

We do not discriminate based on system origin or syscourse stance. However, we reserve the right to not publish submitted poetry that is unnecessarily aggressive or offensive towards others in the community for any reason.

Posts are tagged with the blog name of who submitted them or "anon", e.g. #anon submission, as well as with the type of poetry if we can tell, e.g. #free verse or #haiku. Posts not submitted but chosen by us on our own are tagged #mod's choice.

Most of our posts are tagged #plural poetry. We may occasionally reblog poetry from non-systems that we feel relates to or describes plurality in some way, which are tagged #plural-coded poetry. Posts not about poetry, like this one, are tagged #not poetry.

Thick, uneven coats of nail polish smeared all over our hands

Socks with silly skeletons that scatter down our ankle

Oversized, round sunglasses, with faintly blue lenses

Button up shirts, in typical me fashion, they’re always black

I look into the mirror, and it’s almost me staring back

-Will :)

You seek us as your last resort

Searching within for that which could not be found without

You look inside yourself and shout

"Who am I?"

Let us tell you who we are, first

My name is Lust

I sought companionship, affection, and love

But I was forbidden, so I hid myself away

My name is Gluttony

I sought nourishment, sweetness, and to quell my hunger

But I was shamed, so I grew to detest myself

My name is Greed

I sought possessions, personal items to keep and call my own

But I was denied, so I learned to deny myself, as it was right

My name is Sloth

I sought rest, and could not remain attentive to that which held no interest

You despise me, for you believe that I was all that held you back from meeting the standards of others

But you cannot be rid of me, for I am all that keeps you from working yourself to death

My name is Wrath

I sought to defend myself from those that would harm me, to keep myself safe

But I was punished each time, so I silenced myself out of necessity

My name is Envy

I sought that which was not mine to have, a better life, better things, a better form

I was told that what I had was a gift, so I grew to accept the worst

My name is Pride

I believed that I was a person with value, dignity, and autonomy

That belief was proven false again and again, until I was broken

Now you know who we are

So we return the question

Who are you?

Who are you, without us?

Riding our bike down Nicollet Avenue. Over gnarled, twisted sidewalks. Passing glances at the passing cars, pickups and the occasional police patroller. The wind blows forcefully against our exposed arms and legs, yet in the young April heat the northern breeze is a welcome reprieve.

The road slopes downward, and in front of us our future unfurls. On the horizon a glorious skyline perches itself, glistening in the sunlight, towering over distant freeways that always wind back to it. Your heart skips a beat. Your stomach knots under the tugging of long-lived anticipation.

“That’s it,” you say. “That’s our city. We’re gonna live there someday. You and me.”

Bare yet eager to bloom tree branches leer down, blocking the view, but that doesn’t curb your excitement. Like fireworks through your nerves the idea of spending the rest of your life just a few miles north, in that city you’ve always been dreaming of, reinvigorates you. It sends you speeding down what is a rather shallow hill, pounding into the bike’s pedals, desperate for another glimpse into the future you have so zealously planned.

As you tear down the path, barreling towards the quaint, quirky, and content life you so desperately wanted for both of us, I hesitate.

My heart begins to drown. My stomach knots with a furious dread. I stare into the silhouette of the city I will someday live in, but never call home. The realization digs into my skin, tearing into my flesh, that this is my home now. I will never reach acceptance.

My hands are tied. They’re tied to yours. It’s not a red string that binds us, not even steel and chain, it’s the very flesh that makes us alive. I can’t pry my fingers out of your grasp as you drag me into new beginnings. I can only look back at a past that is real only to me. Begging to go back, knowing nothing is waiting there for me. Knowing I belong there as little as I do here. I can only cry, as even though I am thrusted into an entirely new life, I refuse to say goodbye.

But even if I slipped and fell and lost myself in you

I think you'd be the best person for me to lose me to

And I'd always come back to you, rising with the sun

So even if you're scared I promise you I won't be gone

I wrote this when our system was still newly discovered, and Lux regularly had fears of losing me one day. I wanted to let her know that no matter what, I'll always be here for her in one form or another. 🧡

before the colors leave before the darkness swallows my name before I forget my face before I forget my love for you before we disappear before we fall between the cracks just hold me together just tell me one last time

it’s pretty heavily inspired by a particular radiohead song I’m a fan of, jigsaw falling into place. I thought of this poem while listening to it.

It is our body

But it is your body

In a way that it is not my body

No matter how you word the politics

If either of us looks into a mirror

Both of us will see you

I am one of those fungi

That climbs into the brains of ants

And takes over their nervous system

Parroting their body around

Like a crude imitation of their essence

I steal from you your motor functions

And use them exactly how you would anyway

I taste the eggs that you scrambled

The orange juice that you poured

Listen to the album that you put on

I am a body snatcher

They’ll look into your eyes and you won’t be there

I will

And they’ll never even know it’s me

I couldn’t survive on my own

I need your body to be physical

So it’s our body now

And I have the sneaking suspicion

I’ve chewed through so many wires

And inserted myself in the gaps

That you couldn’t survive without me, either