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Sara Barrett Feb 3
In tenth grade, a boy said,  
“Washington, D.C. is in Virginia.”  
I corrected him—  
said it was neither and both,  
its own district.  
The teacher Googled it,  
read the truth out loud,  
then turned to me and said,  
“Apologize for disrupting the class.”  

So I did.  

And I have been saying sorry ever since.  

Sorry for knowing too much.  
For being too passionate,  
too emotional, too empathetic.  
Too much when I demand respect,  
too much when I react  
the way others do to me—  
but when I do it, it's wrong.  

I have learned that women must shrink  
to be acceptable.  
To be small enough to be tolerated.  
To swallow knowledge  
so it does not spill out  
and threaten fragile egos.  
To let silence replace truth  
because truth makes them uneasy.  

We are taught to apologize young.  
Sorry for our hair in the drain,  
for needing tampons and pads,  
for the price of our own biology.  
Sorry for bleeding,  
for growing,  
for existing in spaces  
where men believe we should not be.  

By puberty, we know—  
our bodies are currency,  
our voices are burdens,  
our presence requires permission.  

But not me. Not anymore.  

I have stood my ground—  
faced cruelty when it came for those I loved,  
thrown words like knives because no one else would protect them.  

I have refused to step aside—  
to move for those who walk as if they own the world.  

If you do not see me, you will feel me.  

I will not apologize for choosing my family over expectations.  
For shutting out the noise of a world that demands too much.  
For putting my healing first—  
even when it makes others uncomfortable.  

I will not apologize for being a woman.  

I will not apologize for the space I take up,  
for the voice I refuse to quiet,  
for the boundaries I dare to keep.  

I am done paying the apology tax—  
a tax I never owed in the first place.  

And now? I am collecting every debt:  
every moment of silence stolen from me,  
every inch of space I was told to surrender,  
every truth I swallowed so someone else could feel whole.

I am done saying sorry for being whole myself.

Let them learn to carry their discomfort—because I won’t carry it for them anymore
This poem is a powerful declaration of self-worth and defiance against societal expectations, especially for women. It explores themes of gender inequality, self-empowerment, and the emotional toll of constantly apologizing for one’s existence or actions. The speaker reflects on early experiences of being silenced and criticized for confidence, intelligence, and individuality, leading to a lifetime of unnecessary apologies.
The poem transitions into a bold rejection of these imposed norms, celebrating resilience, boundaries, and unapologetic self-expression. It is a call to reclaim space, voice, and identity while challenging others to confront their discomfort rather than forcing it onto others.
In the still of the night, I sit alone
With nothing but my thoughts to keep me company
The darkness envelopes me like a shroud
And I find myself lost in its depths

I watch as the stars twinkle above
Their light so far away, yet so comforting
But it is the aurora that catches my eye
Dancing across the sky, a beautiful display

But even as I gaze upon its beauty
I can't help but feel a sense of loneliness
For you are the light in my life
Yet the darkness surrounds me, suffocating

I long to reach out to you
To feel your warmth and love so true
But you are far away, out of reach
And I am left here, drowning in my thoughts

I think of all the moments we shared
The laughter, the love, the joy
And I realize how much I miss you
How your absence weighs heavy on my heart

I close my eyes and imagine your face
Your smile, your eyes, your touch
And for a moment, I am at peace
But then the darkness creeps back in

I try to push it away, to banish it for good
But it lingers, like a shadow in the night
And I am left feeling lost and alone
Yearning for the light of your presence

So I sit here, staring into the darkness
Searching for a glimmer of hope
A sign that you are thinking of me too
That I am not alone in this vast emptiness

But until that moment comes
I will continue to fight against the darkness
To hold onto the memory of your light
And to keep you close in my heart forever more.
In the dark depths of Tartarus, where chaos reigns
Eris, the goddess of discord, dwells in eternal pain
Tortured and tormented, she weeps in despair
Her laughter turned to madness, her beauty marred by care

Once a radiant goddess, beloved by all
Now a cursed figure, doomed to fall
Her mischief and schemes, her lies and deceit
Led to her downfall, her ultimate defeat

In her twisted realm, where shadows dance
The sailor ventures, seeking chance
Lost in the labyrinth of her twisted mind
He faces the demons of his own kind

Whispers of betrayal, echoes of fear
A chorus of voices in his ear
Eris watches, with twisted delight
As the sailor succumbs to the endless night

His ship sails on a sea of black
Caught in the web of Eris's attack
His crew whispers of mutiny, of doubt
As discord spreads, inside and out

The sailor's dreams are haunted by strife
His past mistakes, his wasted life
He longs for the light, for a way out
But Eris's grip is strong, there is no doubt

In Tartarus, time stands still
A prison of torment, an endless thrill
Eris laughs, in her twisted glee
As the sailor falls, on bended knee

But in the darkness, a spark ignites
A glimmer of hope, a flicker of light
The sailor rises, with newfound strength
To face the goddess, at any length

He confronts Eris, in her twisted lair
Her eyes gleaming with a malevolent glare
But the sailor stands tall, unyielding and strong
Defiant in the face of all that is wrong

With a roar of defiance, he breaks free
From Eris's grip, from her twisted decree
He sails out of Tartarus, into the light
A hero victorious, in the eternal fight

And Eris, in her twisted domain
Is left to ponder, in her eternal pain
The sailor's courage, his unwavering will
A flicker of hope, in a world so still

For in the darkness, there is always light
In the depths of despair, there is always fight
And the sailor's victory, his triumphant way
Shines brightly in the endless day.
In the windmills of my mind
Lies a battle yet to be defined
A constant struggle between heart and mind
Love's challenge, should I tilt or should I withdraw

The windmills turn, creak, and groan
From the force of emotions unknown
Should I take the plunge, embrace the unknown
Or retreat and keep my heart stone

Like a ship caught in a storm
I toss and turn, my thoughts forlorn
Should I let love's flame burn bright
Or douse it out, retreat into the night

The windmills of my mind spin round
A carousel of emotions, leaving me bound
To the whims of love's fickle hand
Should I stay or should I withstand

The winds of change blow fierce and strong
As I navigate the path of right and wrong
Should I follow my heart's sweet song
Or cut ties, bid love so long

The windmills turn, a never-ending dance
Of love's sweet seduction, leaving me in a trance
Should I surrender to its tempting call
Or build walls, protect my heart's fragile wall

The windmills of my mind whisper and sigh
A symphony of doubts, fears, and why
Should I risk it all for love's sweet embrace
Or play it safe, protect my heart's delicate grace

The windmills of my mind
A labyrinth of choices, intertwined
Love's challenge, should I tilt or should I withdraw
Only time will tell, the answer I shall unearth and draw
Beneath the scorching sun of despair,
Desert sands stretch like a cursed prayer.
Lost in dunes of endless solitude,
A lone soul tormented by internal feud.

Through the fog of war, a monster lurks,
Fear gripping tightly, shadows smirk.
Lost brothers haunt the restless night,
Rage of war fueling the inner fight.

In the abyss of self-destruction's embrace,
Lies loneliness, a chilling empty space.
Death whispers secrets of failure's toll,
A war-torn heart trapped in its own hellhole.

Betrayed by fate and drowning in chaos,
The soul battles demons with unyielding loss.
Evil shadows dance in the fiery light,
A haunting reminder of humanity's blight.

Memories poison the mind with bitter taste,
Madness grips tighter in this desolate waste.
A realm of uncertainty and insecurity bound,
In solitude's grip, screams remain unheard sound.

The darkness within mirrors the outside strife,
In the dystopian canvas where monsters thrive.
Tormented by nightmares and fighting through the haze,
The descent into madness, a relentless maze.

Visions of the past haunt the broken mind,
Echoes of screams and battle cries bind.
The line between reality and illusion blurred,
Swallowed by the darkness, a tragic word.

Shadows dance in the flickering light,
Whispers of demons in the dead of night.
The soul, a prisoner of its own creation,
Falling deeper into the abyss of damnation.

Each step taken leads further astray,
Lost in the labyrinth of mind's decay.
A descent into madness, a frightening sight,
A battle for sanity in the dead of night.

The mind, a battleground of twisted thoughts,
A warzone of memories that cannot be fought.
Haunted by specters of the past,
The descent into madness, a shadow cast.

In the depths of despair, hope fades away,
Madness consuming the light of day.
The soul, a vessel adrift in the sea,
Lost in the turmoil of insanity.

Beneath the scorching sun of despair,
Descent into madness, an endless snare.
A journey through the darkest night,
A soul consumed by eternal fright.

In the realm of darkness, chaos reigns,
Madness grips tighter, driving one insane.
Lost in the labyrinth of twisted dreams,
Descent into madness, or so it seems.

Each step taken leads deeper within,
A descent into madness, a battle to win.
Haunted by ghosts of the past,
The soul struggles to break free at last.

In the realm of shadows, demons wail,
Descent into madness, a chilling tale.
A journey through the depths of night,
A soul consumed by eternal fright.

The descent into madness, a dark abyss,
A journey through the mind's twisted mists.
Lost in the labyrinth of endless despair,
A soul tormented, beyond repair.

In the darkness, whispers of the lost,
Descent into madness, a heavy cost.
The mind, a prisoner of its own design,
Lost in the echoes of time.

In the heart of darkness, a soul cries out,
Descent into madness, filled with doubt.
A battle for sanity, a war within,
Lost in the shadows of eternal sin.

The descent into madness, a twisted fate,
A soul consumed by internal hate.
Haunted by demons of the past,
The soul descends into madness, the die is cast.
In the labyrinth of confusion,
I stand at the edge of oblivion,
Peering into the abyss of grief,
Lost in a maze of despair and disbelief.

Love's deception led me astray,
Into a sea of tears, I slowly fade away.
Desolate and abandoned, my heart cries out,
For the light that once shone bright, is now in doubt.

The weight of my sorrow is too much to bear,
As I journey through this realm of despair.
I find myself alone, lost to all time,
In a darkness where even the stars won't shine.

The echoes of my pain reverberate,
Through the winding corridors of my fate.
I search for a way out, a path to redemption,
But all I find is endless deception.

Judgment awaits me at the precipice of despair,
As I confront the demons that linger there.
The truth of my heart is laid bare,
In the labyrinth of confusion, I am ensnared.

The love inside me has long since died,
Leaving my soul withered and dried.
I reach out for a lifeline, a thread of hope,
But all I grasp is the fraying rope.

Desperation grips me, as I sink deeper,
Into the mire of sorrow, where nothing is sweeter.
I long to break free, to find my way,
But the darkness surrounds me, leading me astray.

I am consumed by the abyss of grief,
Trapped in a cycle of endless disbelief.
The ferryman beckons, his hand outstretched,
To lead me away, to a place beyond death.

I take his hand, my fate sealed,
In the labyrinth of confusion, my wounds never healed.
I drift into the darkness, where light cannot reach,
A soul adrift, lost in the depths of the breach.

The sea of tears swallows me whole,
As I surrender to the depths of my soul.
I am lost to all time, a mere whisper in the wind,
In the labyrinth of confusion, my journey begins.
The world, a canvas of alabaster, stretches forth,
unblemished, save for whispers of last night's snow,
a pristine expanse beneath the pre-dawn hush.
From our haven, a cabin snug, a haven built of love,
we watch the firmament begin its slow reveal.

A blush of rose, crepuscular and faint, begins to stain
the eastern sky, a promise whispered on the breeze.
The tundra, hushed and still, absorbs the nascent light,
each crystalline flake a prism, catching hues unseen,
reflecting back a spectrum, ethereal and bright.

Then, vermilion streaks the horizon's edge,
a fiery kiss upon the sleeping land.
The world awakens, slowly, stretching limbs of light,
as shadows shrink and melt beneath the sun's ascent.
And in this shared awakening, our hearts entwine anew.

Cerulean hues then paint the heavens high,
a backdrop for the drama of the rising sun.
The world is bathed in gold, a transient, fleeting grace,
as day ascends, its vibrant reign begun.
We watch, content, our love a constant in this change.

The apricot and peach now blend and swirl,
a symphony of color, played across the snow.
The tundra breathes a sigh, releasing winter's chill,
as life stirs gently, putting on its show.
And in this moment, timeless, our love feels ever strong.

Secure within this haven, built of trust and care,
we face the day, whatever it may bring.
For in each other's eyes, we find a love so deep,
a bond that strengthens as the wild birds sing.
And as the sun climbs higher, our hearts find perfect peace.
Good Morning
dead poet Jan 31
if i could, i’d let it go -
long ago,
so you’d never know
how i felt
when you had me knelt
before the sinister
price i owe.

i gave you my world
with fists uncurled;
you gave me your spite
with a tongue that twirled
at the whims of a curse
so foul, it reeked
of a bane too vile,
and unreasonably
perverse.

can’t blame you, though,
the things i know
could rip the heart,
and have it show
the crimson shards of
memories jarred,
and a quiver so bare
from all the blows.  

perhaps,
there’s still a place for you
in my heart, that’s yet
to know what’s true;
but i cannot allow
my head to bow
to scorn, and spite,
to name a few…
As night descends and stars softly gleam above,
Weaving dreams in the tapestry of our hearts,
She comforts me, a beacon in the dark,
A kindred spirit, in whom I find solace.
Her gentle touch, a soothing, soft caress,
Chasing shadows, bringing happiness.

Once, it was I who soothed her restless soul,
Now the roles have reversed, a sweet exchange.
In this dance of whispers and tender embraces,
We discover the true essence of our bond.
A silent language spoken heart to heart,
A masterpiece where souls play every part.

Kissed by moonlight, our souls intertwined,
A new beginning unfolds before our eyes.
In loving oneself, we find strength and grace,
A symphony born of passion and self-love's embrace.
No longer bound by fear or self-doubt's chain,
We rise above, where true love will remain.

Laughter echoes through the chambers of our hearts,
A melody of joyfulness that knows no bounds.
In being ourselves, we find completeness within,
An interconnectedness that transcends time and space.
Our spirits soar on wings of pure delight,
Bathed in the glow of love's ethereal light.

So let us dance in the realm of dreams and love,
In this sacred union where we are truly free.
Embracing each moment with hope in our eyes,
We write a romance that defies all expectations.
A tapestry of moments, precious and rare,
A love story beyond compare.

And as the dawn breaks, painting skies anew,
Our love remains, steadfast and ever true.
Through whispered dreams and starlit, soft embrace,
We find our haven, a tranquil, loving space.
Forever bound by an unbreakable tie,
Our love will flourish, reaching for the sky.
Part of my Whispers Collection to be published
In the stillness of the night,
Underneath a blanket of stars,
I find myself lost in thoughts of you,
Aching for your presence from afar.

The distance between us feels infinite,
Yet I feel your spirit close to mine,
Whispering sweet nothings in the wind,
Reminding me of the love we intertwine.

As I gaze up at the starry sky,
I am reminded of how vast the universe is,
And yet how small and insignificant I feel,
Without you here to share in its bliss.

I remember the last time we were together,
The way your eyes sparkled like the stars above,
How your laughter filled the room with joy,
And how my heart swelled with love.

But now you are miles away,
And all I have are memories to hold onto,
I find myself crying in the darkness,
Longing for your touch to see me through.

But in the quiet of the night,
I have a revelation so clear,
No matter the distance that divides us,
My love for you will always be near.

I pledge my devotion to you,
Across the expanse of time and space,
For you are the beat of my heart,
The light in my darkest days.

In the hush of darkness, beneath the starry gaze,
I find solace in the echo of your voice,
Across distance vast, my heart still ablaze,
Longing for the warmth of your embrace, my choice.

I find solace in the thought of you,
And the thought of us together again,
Building a future filled with love and laughter,
Where every moment is worth the pain.

Each night I wander through the midnight sky,
Gazing at the twinkling stars so far above,
Their light a reminder of our love's sweet lullaby,
As I whisper to the heavens all about my love.

So as I lie beneath the starry night,
Missing you with all my might,
I know that our love will endure,
Through every trial and every fright.

Tears fall freely like raindrops in the night,
Mingling with the gentle breeze's soft caress,
Aching for your presence, yearning for your sight,
In these moments of solitude, I confess.

For in the distance that separates us,
I find strength in our connection,
And with each passing day,
I know that our love will be a resurrection.

A devotion unyielding, a flame that burns bright,
An epiphany in every whispered prayer I send,
For in this distance, amidst the silent night,
I find strength in a love that will never end.

So let the night sky be our guide,
And the stars our witnesses,
As we navigate this long distance,
And emerge stronger from its mysteriousness.

Oh, how my heart aches with each breath I take,
With memories of our passion etched deep within,
Yet in this longing, a bond we cannot break,
As we dance together under starlight's gentle kin.

In the end, we will be reunited,
And our love will be brighter than any star,
For in the stillness of the night,
I know that you are never too far.
Part of my Whispers Collection to be published
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