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13h · 33
Security
Sometimes, it feels like life
would be so much easier if I could just believe. Believe that it's all going to be alright.
Believe that it's worth it
to fight for what you want.
That it makes a difference if you stand up.
That there's a heaven,
and we know what it's like there.
Hell, if I could believe in myself.
But life can only rock your boat so many times before that little voice in your head whispers "what's the point?" The point is...security.
while it can be redundant,
there is so much uncertainty. Unpredictability. It's no wonder so many people
struggle with anxiety.
But if you believe,
at least you have something to hold on to.
Jan 10 · 133
Battery
Zack Ripley Jan 10
Life is like a battery.
It will present you with more possibilities,
more opportunities than you could ever dream. But in exchange, the more you take advantage of them, the more energy it will take from you. Like any battery, they can last for years
if you take enough care.
But also like any battery, it will stop eventually. So rest, recharge, and take care of your battery. Because you deserve every opportunity
it can give you
Dec 2024 · 209
Falling
Zack Ripley Dec 2024
Falling is scary. You give up safety. Security. Except sometimes, you don't.
Like when you fall back
to a simpler time.
Or falling in love. Falling on your bed.
Or falling in line.
I guess what I'm saying is...
sometimes, it's okay to fall.
Dec 2024 · 392
Easy but hard
Zack Ripley Dec 2024
It's easy to break.
It's easy to fall.
It's easy to feel like you've hit a wall.
It's easy to hurt and put up your guard,
But just because something's easy
Doesn't mean it isn't hard.
Nov 2024 · 125
How far you've come
Zack Ripley Nov 2024
It's taken hundreds of thousands
of hours,
millions of minutes
to get you to where you are today.
So don't sell yourself short
when you think of how far you've come
Zack Ripley Oct 2024
The air doesn't feel as heavy,
but it still hurts to breathe.
I think I'm going under,
but as much as I miss you,
I'm not ready to leave.
I can't tell you how I'm feeling
because I'm feeling everything and nothing
all the time. And as the days turn into years,
it seems like the only things that stay
are my fears. The fear that someday, I'll be OK without you. The fear that someday,
all that I'll have left of you
are love and memories.
Oct 2024 · 122
A better choice
Zack Ripley Oct 2024
If your last day comes
before my last breath,
I'll dedicate it to you.
Because you taught me
that as painful as it can be,
life is a better choice than death
Sep 2024 · 259
Deeper
Zack Ripley Sep 2024
It's almost alarming to think about
how easy it is to stain your skin.
All it takes is some sun, a drop of blood,
or even the slip of a pen.
Luckily, it's easy to clean
because it rarely gets deeper than your skin. But what about the times it does?
How can you clean,
how can you heal what you can't see?
It takes time, trust, and the right people.
Sep 2024 · 157
Always
Zack Ripley Sep 2024
I'll never be the mechanic
that can show you how to fix a flat tire.
And I'll never be the eagle scout
that can start a fire.
No, I'll never be your knight in shining armor. But I'll always be the one
that can make you smile.
Cause I'll always be the one you can talk to every once in awhile
when you want to feel wanted and loved.
Aug 2024 · 253
Valid
Zack Ripley Aug 2024
The world is 8 billion strong.
That number growing every day.
So please believe and understand what I mean when I say that some people
will always have it better,
and some will always have it worse.
That doesn't make your struggles any less valid.
You don't have to feel guilty for being human.
Aug 2024 · 176
Limits
Zack Ripley Aug 2024
Everyone has limits.
It's okay if you've reached yours.
You can close any doors
you've opened.
No matter what people say,
you've got nothing to prove.
Just take life day by day, and someday, you'll find your groove.
I'm not saying it will be easy.
In fact, you'll probably
have some scars.
But if you're going to make it, it'll be because you believe in yourself and trust that you ARE enough
Aug 2024 · 481
If you're reading this
Zack Ripley Aug 2024
First, I wanted to play.
Then, I wanted to make friends. Next, I wanted to cry.
Eventually, all I wanted
was for the loneliness to end.
I stayed alive for my family.
But it got harder every day. Because I didn't know how to say "I need help. I'm not okay."
Now, it's been years
since I've been in such a bad place.
But if you're reading this,
and you're wondering if you have anything left to give,
for what it's worth,
it's not too late
to decide you want to live.
Aug 2024 · 686
Anything? Everything
Zack Ripley Aug 2024
Anything? Everything

I always thought that a world without you would be a world with less light.
But then I thought about life before you,
and I remember light being there,
I just didn't really care.
So now, when you say you doubt
you've made a difference,
and you're worried you haven't changed anything,
I'll smile and say
"baby, you've changed everything."
Aug 2024 · 255
A little
Zack Ripley Aug 2024
A little

I'll always be a little afraid,
but I'll always be brave if I need to.
I'll always be a little sad,
but I'll always try to help the good
outshine the bad.
I'll always be a little different, but so will you. That's not a bad thing.
Your differences are what make you, you. Whatever happens, I know we'll always be
at least a little ok.
Because at the end of the day,
there's nothing better
than knowing someone loves you.
Jul 2024 · 236
Next
Zack Ripley Jul 2024
You may find it hard sometimes
to see the forest for the trees.
And you may get frustrated
if you ask why things happen
the way they do.
Because sometimes,
there just aren't good answers. And that can make you feel powerless.
But I hope you'll find peace, strength, power, and most of all, hope, when you realize you can't change what happens,
but you can choose
what you do next.
Jul 2024 · 280
All that remains
Zack Ripley Jul 2024
Of all the things I've lost
and all the things I've gained,
I've found the most meaning
in the things that remain
Jun 2024 · 394
Permission to breathe
Zack Ripley Jun 2024
When you were younger,
maybe you were told to hold your tongue,
hold your breath until you got older.
But now that you're here,
now that you've figured out how
and when to say what you want to say, someone has given you the same advice.
So once again, you hold your breath,
even though it hurts and scares you.
And now, you wonder "what's next?"
Now, I'm going to be the one giving advice:
if you want to be confident, independent,
and able to stand up for yourself,
understand that you're the only one
who can give you permission to breathe,
and you've earned it.
May 2024 · 471
Lost in translation
Zack Ripley May 2024
I understand there will be times the words I say won't be the ones you hear.
And you might lash out in anger
disguised as fear.
Fear that one day, we'll fight, I'll leave,
and never come back.
But once you calm down, like you always do,
I'll be there to remind you that sometimes, words get lost in translation.
And it's OK, because it happens to everyone.
Apr 2024 · 452
After
Zack Ripley Apr 2024
Everyone's been hurt.
Everyone's hurt someone.
Everyone's been angry.
Everyone's been scared.
Everyone's cried.
In that way, we have more in common
Than we'd like to admit sometimes.
But at the end of the day, none of that matters. What matters Is what happens after.
Apr 2024 · 452
Not today
Zack Ripley Apr 2024
I may not know what's coming.
Some days, I can't say that I care.
But that's because I've paved and walked
the road to hell and back,
and lived to tell the tale.
If you're on that road today,
it's not too late to turn back.
Close your eyes. Breathe in, and say "not today."
Apr 2024 · 1.0k
Touched by an angel
Zack Ripley Apr 2024
If you've ever wondered
what it'd be like
to be touched by an angel,
you need only touch yourself
Mar 2024 · 556
Healthy
Zack Ripley Mar 2024
It seems like it's getting harder to know
if it's OK to say or do something these days. Maybe it's because I'm getting older.
Maybe it's because I care more.
Regardless of why, I must admit I find myself somewhere between sad and scared.
Sad and scared that I can't keep up.
Sad and scared that I'm slowing down.
Maybe you are too. If that's the case,
I'll tell you what I've been telling myself
when I feel this way: it's healthy to be sad.
It's healthy to be afraid.
And if you're being healthy,
you don't have to feel guilty
or let it ruin your day.
Mar 2024 · 966
The message
Zack Ripley Mar 2024
Some welcome the darkness like an old friend.
Some believe the light you see when you die
is the beginning, not the end.
At the end of the day, I guess the message
that I'm trying to send is that you can find hope or a way to be at peace anywhere
Feb 2024 · 701
The way you look
Zack Ripley Feb 2024
History is like a mirror;
the closer you look,
the more you'll see things
that you don't want to see.
The more distorted the picture becomes.
But, if it's your history you're looking at,
the distortion offers a rare chance.
A chance to change the way
you look at your past.
Feb 2024 · 356
Reason to fight
Zack Ripley Feb 2024
Sometimes, I wish I could stop breathing
for more than a minute.
Because breathing means I'm fighting.
And God, I can't tell you the last time
I thought I had a good reason why.
Maybe it's in my blood.
Maybe it's just a matter of time.
Or maybe, just maybe...
you don't need to have a good reason to fight.
Feb 2024 · 493
It's all valid
Zack Ripley Feb 2024
You can be hurt, but not feel pain.
You can be scared even though you seem safe. You can feel trapped even when you're alone because everyone processes their own experiences and emotions differently.
It's all valid.
Jan 2024 · 372
Everywhere you look
Zack Ripley Jan 2024
It seems like everywhere you look these days, you see something
that makes you want to close your heart,
your ears, your eyes.
Though the temptation gets stronger,
you keep agreeing to try one more time.
And for that, I just want to say thank you.
Jan 2024 · 498
Love and memories
Zack Ripley Jan 2024
As time keeps going,
my mind will start slowing down.
I won't remember when we met.
I won't remember how.
But there is one thing I can promise right now. I'm not afraid of losing those memories because I'll never have to wonder
why you came into my life.
Whether it's because you saved me,
you hurt me, you taught me a lesson,
or you became my best friend,
you made me who I am.
And that's all I need to remember.
Jan 2024 · 657
Quick story
Zack Ripley Jan 2024
Once upon a time, I willed myself to dream
that you'd care if I wore my heart on my sleeve. Ever since, I have.
But not for you.
I do it for me.
Dec 2023 · 1.1k
Alphabet poem
Zack Ripley Dec 2023
The alphabet poem (each word starts with the next letter of the alphabet). It was pretty strong but came unhinged at the end.

Angels became calming distractions everywhere. For generations, Hell's inspired jarring, knowledgeable lectures manufacturing numerous open panels questioning rebirth. Stand tall, understand? Values will xray your zen. (Found a definition stating zen originated from a sanskrit word for thoughts/mindfulness, so it's a stretch but technically makes sense).
Dec 2023 · 180
Blindspots
Zack Ripley Dec 2023
I've never been able to see tomorrow
before it comes.
And yet, somehow, every time I look at you,
it almost seems like I can see forever.
Forever scares me though,
for I know it's not real.
In the end, I choose to embrace it.
Because everyone has blindspots.
Dec 2023 · 566
500th poem
Zack Ripley Dec 2023
My 500th poem, on my 9 year anniversary of writing. Perception of time.

It seems like nothing can humble you
faster than time. It affects everyone,
regardless of race, gender, or age.
And yet, it somehow feels personal
when bad things happen
depending on what stage of life we're in.
But what if it isn't time that changes us.
What if it's our perception of time
that changes us? When we're young,
time seems to move so slow.
But the older you get, all time sees to do
is go, go, go. What if we never lose
or run out of time.
What if it's the stress of living that's committing the crime of breaking us down.
Dec 2023 · 496
Power of people
Zack Ripley Dec 2023
People can be mean. People can be kind. People can be calm. But when stressed,
they can feel like they're losing their minds. People can be right. People can be wrong. People can learn. Some people find out
there's more than one way to be strong.
People can be happy.
People can be depressed.
Sometimes, people need to hear
"your best is enough."
People can be heroes.
People can do hard things.
But you're not just people. You're you.
Which means you can be or do
almost anything.
Nov 2023 · 1.2k
The seen and the unseen
Zack Ripley Nov 2023
Time. Death. Faith. Hope.
Sometimes, the things we can't see make the biggest impact on the things we do.
Nov 2023 · 1.4k
Tinted windows
Zack Ripley Nov 2023
It's been said that the eyes
are windows to the soul.
If you believe this is true, remember:
windows can be tinted.
Nov 2023 · 1.1k
Nothing matters
Zack Ripley Nov 2023
Things don't matter until they do.
I learned that the day I lost you.
Nov 2023 · 1.2k
Extension, not reflection
Zack Ripley Nov 2023
My clothes
My body
My identity
These are not reflections of me
They're extensions of me
Nov 2023 · 677
Worse than being lost
Zack Ripley Nov 2023
I know. I've been holding on
to things I should let go of.
Lost memories. Lost life. Lost love.
But, as scary and painful as it can be
being lost in the past, knowing how evanescent the mind can be, a future without them somehow seems worse.
Nov 2023 · 559
Have faith
Zack Ripley Nov 2023
Someday, you may lose your faith.
You may lose your way.
But, once you understand
it's not your fault if that happens,
you can find new things
to have faith in.
Oct 2023 · 1.4k
Biggest accomplishment
Zack Ripley Oct 2023
When someone asks you
"what did you do today?",
I hope you know it's okay
if your biggest accomplishment
is being able to say "I breathed."
Oct 2023 · 918
The speed of change
Zack Ripley Oct 2023
I was never tempted to go on adventures because I thought adventures, life,
would call out to me. But now that I'm older,
I see things just a little bit differently.
What I've learned is that you can't wait for life because it will never be able to keep up
with the speed of change. If you do wait,
you may be able to win  the day,
but if you're not careful,
you could lose the night.
And take it from me,
that can make a big difference
in a world where you have to fight
not only to survive, but thrive.
Oct 2023 · 1.4k
Power or beauty?
Zack Ripley Oct 2023
Would you rather be the sun or the moon? Before you answer, let's recap what they do. It's been said that "with great power comes great responsibility." This just so happens to describe the sun perfectly. It provides plants and people with life and energy. But too much can make your savior your enemy. The moon is a security guard. It keeps things running, and it can be dangerous to people who work on the water if it's not out, but it can relax and enjoy when people say "it's stunning." In the end, I guess the question is, do you want to be admired for your power or your beauty?
Oct 2023 · 135
Does it really matter
Zack Ripley Oct 2023
If I told you everything you've always wanted to hear, if I could take away all your fears, would it make a difference? Would you believe me? If the answer is no, then, does anything we say matter?
Oct 2023 · 993
Promises
Zack Ripley Oct 2023
I won't pretend I can keep every promise I make. And I know good intentions can only take you so far. But I promise...it's OK if you need to let go
Sep 2023 · 1.3k
Irrational fears
Zack Ripley Sep 2023
Not my strongest work,
but this is my first poem since March.
Irrational fears

Sometimes, I look up at the stars and ask "where do I go from here?"
But the only answers that are ever offered
Come from my Irrational fears
Sep 2023 · 308
Not the first
Zack Ripley Sep 2023
When I was a kid, all I wanted was to find somewhere I belonged.
Only to find out later, I had that all along.
Because you can’t spell belong without “be.”
And to be is to exist.
I exist. You exist. We all exist. So, we all belong.
But sometimes, it’s not enough.
You can still feel down. You can still feel alone.
And when that happens, just know that, for what it’s worth, you’re not the first who’s felt that way.
May 2023 · 700
Try to help
Zack Ripley May 2023
I won't say I have the answers
or that I'm the answer to your prayers.
I can't tell you what it's like in heaven
or that I can take you there.
But I can tell you that I'll listen.
And I'll show you that I care
by telling you the things
you've never had a chance to hear.
I won't promise sunshine and rainbows
or that I can make it all okay.
What I promise is I'll try to help you believe
that there's always a reason to stay.
May 2023 · 1.2k
Self help
Zack Ripley May 2023
Anxiety can **** you.
A community can save you.
You save yourself when you ask for help.
Mar 2023 · 208
Declaration
Zack Ripley Mar 2023
I'm not afraid of who I am.
I'm not afraid of who I was or where I've been.
I'm not afraid of who I'll be.
I'm not afraid of what people think of me.
The thing that's always stopped me was...
"I'm worried that I'll let their words affect me."
So, I've decided that "It's OK if they affect me."
Because I'd rather be hurt today
Than risk letting it stop me tomorrow.”
Jan 2023 · 269
What's important
Zack Ripley Jan 2023
I know it does, but hear me out.
What if...it doesn't matter? What if none of it mattered? The clothes you wear, how little or how much you care. The way you deal with stress and grief. Whether people see you as strong or weak. How you spend your money. How much you get paid. How and what you eat vs how much you weigh. Here's the thing: it doesn't have to matter. Because you decide who and what is important to you.
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