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  Nov 2018 empty seas
underestimated
I can't tear myself to pieces anymore
I can't give my all to you anymore
The more of myself that I give to you
The more of myself that I have to lose
I can hold my own hand
After all I'm the only one who understands
I must have some self respect...
empty seas Nov 2018
it was dark
the closet
small, too
i put the sandbag down
he did too
i tried to leave
when he grabbed me
wrapped his arms around me hard
pinning my arms to my sides
and i was frozen
all i could say was
“Boy, what are you doing”
(stupid, i know
but thoughts were frozen in my head)
and he
kept squeezing
like we were old friends
when i considered him a stranger
i was frozen
petrified
a thousand other synonyms all applied
is he going to hurt me?
he lifted me up slightly
and i said again
“what are you doing?”
that’s when
he slapped his hand on my mouth
said “you’re under arrest”
but then someone came in the room
and he let go of me and left
what did i do wrong?
i was friendly
i joked
but i never did anything inviting
so why?
empty seas Nov 2018
it’s comforting to know
the anxiety and pain i feel
is the tide
of the chemicals in my brain

i try to control the ebb and flow
with medicine
and it works, for the most part
i no longer feel like i’m always drowning
but solutions are never that simple
and when the tide rolls in
and i sink under the waves
i remind myself
that i will be okay

when the tide rolls in
it has to roll back out again

empty seas Nov 2018
i say i strive to do my best
but that is not true
i strive for perfection
because my best isn’t good enough
anymore

if i’m in the 99th percentile
there’s still 1% who beat me
i must be better

A’s are not sufficient anymore
i have to have 100s in my classes
i must be better

i am a hideous Medusa of a monster
i must dress better, cover my face
i must be better

if i am not perfect, i am worthless
if i am not perfect, i am worthless
if i am not perfect, i am worthless
if i am not perfect, i am worthless
i am worthless
i am worthless
i deserve this endless hunt, this punishment
always failing to meet my goals
i deserve all the sleepless nights and anxiety and having panic attacks over getting a B on an assignment
Why? because i am a worthless human being
i only hurt and cause pain and everyone who has ever known me knows this, even if not consciously
they are all perfect in all their imperfections, balancing it out with kindness and friendship
i am just worthless
empty seas Nov 2018
I have always been
fiercely independent
even when people took away
pieces of my personality
that has always remained
and I’m proud of it

my family raised me
to meet my future head on
and now it’s time
to take the next step
into that future
They finally found my host family for when I’m going to be a foreign exchange student!!!
I’m honestly so happy, it’s going to be amazing
  Nov 2018 empty seas
Elinor
I had my first dream last night that you weren't in.
not even a minor character,
your ****** name wasn't even in the credits,
let alone plastered across the sky in flashing lights
like you want it to be.
my first reality that you didn't belong in,
and it was the most blissful peace that I can remember since we bathed in pools of cloud.

I heard the first song that didn't make me think of you yesterday.
the lyrics, for once, were just lyrics,
not an embodiment of you and the things you do.
guess what?
it was coldplay.
you always hated coldplay.

this morning, I basked in the sun and didn't picture you coated in gold light beside me.
I didn't look at the leaves adorning the trees and picture your face laughing beneath it.

I didn't trace the plate lines of my palm and imagine the earthquake we used to create when yours collided with mine.

I didn't eat new food that I wanted you to try and I didn't want to share the smallest details of my day with you.

you may have won this poem, loverboy,
but don't be too triumphant.
your victory won't last long.
it's the era of my new beginnings without you and I'm going to be just fine.
never trust anyone who doesn't like coldplay.
empty seas Nov 2018
the anger
pulsed
pushed
through the air

pushed
pulled
at my head

i could not leave
could not shut
it out
could not feel
fine
can’t be calm

the anger
it pulls
wraps its arms
around me
pulls itself
into that empty place
above my stomach
in my ribcage
it was them
and now
is me

they put
the anger there
placed it
by the force
of the looks
the words
the tears
the anger is
all around
you
are not
you
are never
you
will never be
you

anxiety is
not just fear
it is
primal
the rage
the fear
it wraps itself
in you
and you can only
channel it
inwards
you can only
self destruct

anxiety and anger
are two sides
of the same coin
and i
flip
between
the two
until
i stop
being
anything
at all
i flip
and i flip
somedays
it seems like
the only thing
i do
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