One inhale, you take me.
Take me away from —
Life, to live as death.
One inhale, you make me.
Make me forget to —
Live, and numb my mind.
One inhale, you push me.
Push me away from —
Love, to feel only hate.
One inhale, you change me.
Change all of me, into—
Self-hate, into isolation.
One inhale, you suffocate me.
Suffocate my thoughts, until—
Silence is all I know, a hollow echo.
One inhale, you leave me.
Leave me trapped, in—
Clouds of ash, broken lungs screaming.
One inhale, you break me.
Break my will, to—
Hope for breath beyond you.
One exhale, I see you.
See you for what you are—
A thief, robbing me of time, of peace.
One inhale, you poison me.
Poison my thoughts, until—
I lose sight of myself in your smoke.
One exhale, I reclaim me.
Reclaim my life, my time—
Breathing out your lies, breathing in truth.
No more inhales, no more lies.
I reclaim the air—
And breathe without your weight.
This poem is my personal reflection on the damage smoking has caused in my life. For years, I let it control me, numb me, and take me away from the things that truly mattered. Through each inhale, I lost a part of myself—time, love, and peace—until I was left suffocated and isolated. The poem's shift to "exhale" marks the moment I started seeing the truth: smoking was a thief, stealing my life. Now, as I reclaim my breath and my freedom, I am choosing to move forward without the weight of addiction. This is my journey of regret, anger at the time I've lost, and the hope I now feel as I take back control.
