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Sep 2021 · 1.2k
The darkness
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
There's no denying the darkness
can be harmful.
People can hide. You're all alone.
It can feel impossible to find a way out.
But there's also no denying the darkness
has its charm. You can hide. You can be alone. You finally have a place to scream, shout, and let it all out. Whatever your situation, you can break through. Start by finding the courage to talk to someone. Then, keep following through. It will be hard, but for what it's worth, I'll be cheering you on
Sep 2021 · 1.9k
You will be found
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
Whether you hide or stand out,
Whether you whisper or scream and shout,
If you want to, you can be found.
And if there days you feel you have no one
But your fears and your doubts,
Like you've looked everywhere but can't find a way out, if you want to, you can be found.
You will be found.
Sep 2021 · 2.4k
Here comes the sun
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
The sun hid behind the clouds
So it could be ready to shine
Just for you when you have a bad day.
Sep 2021 · 741
Take your time
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
If you want to change something
Don't be afraid to take your time
Because tomorrow's another day.
Sep 2021 · 6.6k
One last time
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
Can I hold your hand once more
Before you walk
through the next door
And leave me behind forevermore?
Sep 2021 · 1.1k
Live in color
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
There are billions of colors.
But most only see black or white.
Don't be afraid to live in color.
Sep 2021 · 640
In the end
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
I know that what I've done so far
Has really helped people.
But sometimes, I wish I didn't care so much. Sometimes, I would give anything to be numb. Because it's so exhausting being a castle of glass. I can't sleep. I can't breathe. Because every day,  I feel myself getting one step closer to the catalyst. The thing that makes me ready to take everything I've built and burn it down. Because in the end, does any of it really matter?
Sep 2021 · 781
Is this pain?
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
I know I'm in pain.
But is this pain from living? Or dying?
Is it a punishment for trying to survive?
I'm sorry, I don't have the answers.
But I'll keep looking.
Sep 2021 · 641
Numbers
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
In a world where employers
and broken systems treat you like a number, and you always feel like number 2,
I hope that some day,
someone tells you that you're their number 1, and they become yours too.
Sep 2021 · 445
There's nothing wrong
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
There's nothing wrong with grieving.
There's nothing wrong with taking your time. There's nothing wrong with saying "no."
There's nothing wrong with not being ready to go.
There's nothing wrong with you
if you feel you want to be alone.
There's nothing wrong if you're feeling blue.
But most importantly,
There's nothing wrong with you.
Sep 2021 · 2.0k
Somebody to lean on
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
People need people.
Animals need animals.
But sometimes, we need each other.
And that's Okay.
Because no matter how independent you are,
Someday, we're all going to need
somebody to lean on.
Sep 2021 · 1.1k
Turn the lights on
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
I know it's been a long time coming.
But these days, it doesn't seem
like anyone's home emotionally.
Like we all took a midnight drive
to clear our head.
But by the time we were ready to come back, we got lost
because the street lights were dead.
This is a call to all our loved ones waiting anxiously by the door:
Turn the lights on.
We don't want to be alone anymore.
Sep 2021 · 2.0k
Understand
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
Some people can't understand.
Some people don't understand yet.
And some people refuse to understand.
But just like it's not your job
to prove people wrong,
the burden doesn't fall on you
to make them understand.
Focus on the people who do support you
and understand.
Because you should never have to defend
how you live your life.
Sep 2021 · 543
All grown up
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
Adulthood is like high school.
Someone's always ready to find a way
to take advantage of you.
You have to work with or near people
you don't like.
You have a half hour for lunch.
And forget everyone else.
You're still trying to prove yourself to yourself. The difference is, in high school,
kids don't have many opportunities to change. They don't have a reason to change.
Therein lies the beauty of being all grown up. People can say you shouldn't do something. And they may not like it.
But they will respect you enough
to make your own decisions.
Sep 2021 · 5.1k
Trying to find a girl
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
I'm trying to find a girl. She hides behind tears that no one sees her cry. I think she's trapped under a mountain of insecurities and lies people have told her. If you find her, can you tell her she's loved. Wanted. Can you help her understand she's not a burden if she wants to talk to someone?
Sep 2021 · 1.2k
proof
Zack Ripley Sep 2021
Memories. Dreams. Memories of Dreams. They're all proof life isn't lived completely linearly. That life isn't purely physical.
It doesn't have to be defined by what we see, smell, touch. We don't have to limit ourselves so much. Who cares if something seems impossible? We've been proven wrong before. There's still so much we don't know. So don't be afraid to explore.
Aug 2021 · 1.2k
Go to hell
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
If the road to hell really is paved
with good intentions,
we all work on the railroad at some point.
But if the stairway to heaven is only revealed when good intentions evolve into good deeds, does that mean we all go to hell?
Aug 2021 · 1.2k
The weeping willow (a haiku)
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
The willow stood tall
Then it watched us from above
And started weeping
Aug 2021 · 2.3k
Believe in me
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
"Why do you believe in me?"
"Because sometimes, I don't believe in myself. That I'm really helping.
But we all need something to believe in.
And I know that you believe in me.
So I believe in you."
Aug 2021 · 950
Broken
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I'm someone.
You're someone too.
Even if you're broken.
Because if a broken crayon can still color,
and a broken clock can still be right,
a broken person is still a person.
You just have to find your way
out of the darkness and into the light
Aug 2021 · 1.0k
Silence
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
They say that sometimes,
silence says more than words ever could. Which is good.
Because right now, I can't think of any words that could comfort you.
I can't think of any words
you haven't heard a million times before.
So, for once, I'll let Silence take the floor
and hold you in my arms and my heart forevermore.
Aug 2021 · 361
Gonna be okay
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
Thought I had nothing to lose
Thought I had nothing to gain.
Just wanted someone to share the pain with.
Then one day you came along.
Made me feel I could be wrong.
You Made me feel like I could belong.
And just like that, I had a friend.
Now I don't want this life to end.
I don't know what I'd do without you.
Cause now I know I'm
Gonna be okay.
Cause now I have a reason to stay.
Aug 2021 · 1.5k
Just another day
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
It's just another day in the life of me.
Just another day; nothing new to see.
It's just another day in the life of me.
Just another day I wish I didn't feel this way.
It's just another day in an endless war.
Just another day my heart feels sore.
It's just another day, but it's almost done.
Just another day I pray that tomorrow
will be more than just another day.
Aug 2021 · 1.4k
What do you want to say
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I've said hello. I've had to say goodbye.
I've said a lot of things in my time.
And I'll say a lot more.
Because you taught me
that what I have to say matters.
And now it's time to share
what I've learned with you.
What you have to say matters.
What you WANT to say matters.
You listened to me.
So, I'm ready to listen to you.
What do you want to say?
Aug 2021 · 996
I dare you
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I dare you.
I dare you to breathe.
I dare you to think.
Think about yourself.
Do something for yourself.
Because you have the rest of your life
to do things for everyone else.
Aug 2021 · 1.0k
A world of your imagination
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
In a world of your imagination, who do you see? What do you see? Could it be..
.a paradise untouched by man?
A place you can escape?
Dare I say it, a place you could feel safe?
In a world of your imagination,
are there any wars?
Have you opened all the doors?
Do you have somebody to love?
Don't be afraid to share!
We may never get to see it in person.
But that's never stopped us before!
And if Rowling or king are any indication,
a world of your imagination
could inspire a generation.
Aug 2021 · 1.3k
By the wayside
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I don't know if I can change anything.
But I have to try. I've seen too many people
let their dreams fall by the wayside.
And for what? A chance to survive
long enough to see their children thrive?
No. We deserve better. For ourselves.
For our loved ones. For everyone.
Like I said.
I don't know if I can change anything.  
But I have to try. I've seen too many people
let their dreams fall by the wayside.
Aug 2021 · 4.2k
The curse of adulting
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I may have achey feet from working
all the live long day.
But I'm grateful for them.
They take my mind off my aching heart. Caused by the curse of adulting and time keeping us apart.
Aug 2021 · 1.2k
The rain and the rainbow
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
The rain went away
So the rainbow could tell you
You will be okay
Aug 2021 · 782
Trust yourself
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
Before you even try to trust someone else, make sure you can trust yourself first.
Aug 2021 · 826
Too important
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I didn't change for me.
I didn't change for you.
I changed because I had to.
But the one thing I could never change
Is who I am inside.
Because who I am is too important
to leave behind
Aug 2021 · 760
Free at last
Zack Ripley Aug 2021
I've made peace with my past.
With the memories I've lost.
With the memories that have lasted.
I've made my peace
with the people who hurt me.
With the people I've had to let go.
I've made peace with the fact that my life
will never fit neatly into a pretty little box topped with a bow.
And now that I've come so far,
now that I can truly leave the past in the past, all I can say is...I feel free at last.
Jul 2021 · 4.1k
Where did my life go
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
They say "time flies when you're having fun." But I don't remember having any fun.
And I know I'm not the only one.
I remember working. Fighting about money. But, for the life of me, I don't remember my kid being much bigger than a bunny.
I remember being stressed in great detail.
I even remember daydreaming
about getting a boat and sailing away.
But of all the things I wish I could remember,
I wish I knew where the time had gone.
Where my life had gone.
Jul 2021 · 1.4k
Chances are
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
Chances are I'm not the man I think I am. Chances are I'm not the man
I make myself out to be.
Chances are I'm somewhere in between.
Chances are it's the same for you too.
Now, whether that's a good thing or bad thing, that's up to you.
But whatever the answer, Chances are,
you're amazing just the way you are
Jul 2021 · 1.2k
One more light (a haiku)
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
Half of the world sleeps
While the other half wakes up.
One more light goes out
Jul 2021 · 988
Whoever needs to hear it
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
Whoever needs to hear it:
abuse is abuse no matter what kind.
Physical, mental, verbal, ******,
none of it is OK. It will never be OK.
Whoever needs to hear it:
men, women, non binary,
however you identify yourself,
just because you "can take it"
doesn't mean you should have to.
Whoever needs to hear it:
you didn't do anything to deserve it.
Whoever needs to hear it:
you have nothing to be ashamed of.
It's OK to ask for help.
And Whoever needs to hear it: you matter.
Jul 2021 · 2.3k
A million things
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
I could have said a million things
in a million different ways.
All of which would have made you stay
a million more days.
But when the time came,
I thought about the future,
and I could never say with confidence
that my feelings would stay the same.
In the end, I couldn't let my fears
break my heart or yours.
Not when there's a million other doors
to open and explore.
Jul 2021 · 2.4k
Stairway to hell
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
We only live once but that’s alright.
As long as we find our love
and our light.
You’ve shown me a way
to make it through the nights.
You helped me in a way
that I never can tell.
You showed me love
and brought me out of my shell.
So I need to thank you now
For  pulling me off the stairway to hell.
Jul 2021 · 3.4k
Because you live
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
You taught me I wanted to live
when I thought I wanted to die.
In my heart, I always knew,
but you reassured me it's okay to cry.
So that's why even though we live in a world that's drowning in fear,
it's a world I'm proud to live in.
Because you live here too.
Jul 2021 · 775
One more
Zack Ripley Jul 2021
If we had just one more hour, one more day, could we find another way?
Could we find the words to say
what we've always wanted to say?
Could we find a reason to stay?
And yes. It's true that one more hour,
one more day could make things worse.
But isn't it worth the risk
if you can find closure? Worth?
Jun 2021 · 1.4k
Almost
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
Almost out of energy.
Almost out of time.
Almost out of patience.
Almost out of rhymes.
Almost out of love.
Almost out of space.
Almost ready to give up
and leave this wretched place.
But every time I feel I'm ready to say goodbye,
I think about all the people
I'd have to leave behind.
I think about all the memories
that would be erased.
Some good. Others bad.
I think about all the adventures
I'd never get to have.
Life can be exhausting. Painful.
So I can understand why you'd want it to end.
But take it from me.
You never know what you'll miss.
You never know who will miss you.
And you never know
What's just around the river bend.
Jun 2021 · 889
Connected by time
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
Just as yesterday became today,
today will become tomorrow.
And although these days
are connected by time, what happens isn't. Even though tomorrow's a mystery,
today, you can learn from yesterday.
Today, you can go your own way
Jun 2021 · 4.2k
You may
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
You may be wrong.
You may be right.
You may be crazy.
You may be big.
You may be small.
You may just be the smartest of them all.
You may be sad.
You may be bad.
You may be ****.
But what you are and always will be is you.
And when you become proud to be you,
There's almost nothing you can't do.
Jun 2021 · 636
Sweet victory
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
Lonely days turn into Lonely nights.
The Lonely heart: the casualty
of one too many fights.
About commitment, parenting.
Money. Responsibility.
But not all hope is lost, Lonely heart!
You've fought before. You've lost before.
And as long as you keep fighting,
someday you will see Sweet victory.
Jun 2021 · 2.1k
Tomorrow's another day
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
If you feel like
you've been going through hell,
if you feel you've thrown
all your coins
into the bottom of the wishing well,
if you feel like
you want to scream and yell,
I want you to know
it's okay to let yourself break.
Because there's only so much
people can take.
And when you make a mistake,
just know it will be okay.
Because tomorrow's another day.
Jun 2021 · 532
Snooze button
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
How can so much go wrong under a sky filled with pinks, golds, and blues?
These days, it feels like a chore to turn on the evening news.
Don't get me wrong. I know life has never been a pleasure cruise.
But day by day, I'm getting more addicted to the snooze button
Jun 2021 · 1.4k
Make them feel beautiful
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
Have you ever watched someone
look at themselves in the mirror?
It's heartbreaking.
They never see what you see.
But that's why it's important for you to be there.
To make them feel beautiful.
Like someone cares.
Jun 2021 · 601
Start living
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
Things are bad.
They've always been bad.
And I'll tell you a secret...
Bad things will keep happening.
But life is too short
to treat it as a spectator sport.
So don't wait for the bad times to end
To start living again
Jun 2021 · 1.4k
Wake up
Zack Ripley Jun 2021
Whether you Wake up to
silence or a rooster call,
darkness or light,
love or a fight,
You still woke up.
Day or night, even if your hope is gone,
You woke up. So keep moving on.
Because however it happened,
You woke up.
And that's another chance to change things. Another chance to live.
May 2021 · 616
Saying goodbye
Zack Ripley May 2021
I can't tell you why.
I can't tell you how to say goodbye.
But what I can tell you
Is I'll be here to hold you
if you need to cry.
And if you need to be alone,
I won't be far.
Just on the other side of the door.
And when you need it, I'll remind you
They're still with you
Even if they're not here anymore.
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