Submit your work, meet writers and drop the ads. Become a member
May 2021 · 1.5k
Happy
Zack Ripley May 2021
You can keep your secrets.
You can keep the past in the past.
Just tell me what you need.
Because I think we have something
That can last.
All it takes is your smile
to make me smile too.
All I need to be happy
is to see you happy too
May 2021 · 1.6k
I'm still standing
Zack Ripley May 2021
so, I decided to challenge myself and write a poem that included the titles of 20 of my favorite songs. and I did it. this might be one of my favorites. see if you can find all the titles. check it out

I thought I’d have to go to another world
to find somewhere I belong.
I felt powerless. Alone. A broken man in a carnival of rust.
My friends always tried to make me feel wanted
by saying “someone’s gonna light you up.”
But I always felt like the only thing people saw
were my imperfections.
They wouldn’t have tried so hard to break me
if they saw how good of a person I tried to be, right?
Or is it the opposite? They didn’t want one more light
in a world that was already so dark?
Well, they almost won. I almost tried to see heaven.
But I’m still standing.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m a simple man
or because I decided to stand in the light,
but I was given a second chance. Now, I don’t worry about a thing.
Because what I’ve got is all I’ve ever wanted.
Every time I look in her angel eyes, little by little,
the black of my iris gets lighter.
And now that I can see how beautiful life can be,
I’m not afraid to follow you wherever you will go.
I’m forever yours…faithfully.
May 2021 · 1.9k
Risks
Zack Ripley May 2021
I would be lying
If I said I wasn't afraid of failing.
But I'm more afraid of succeeding.
There's so much more pressure.
You have more to lose.
Your actions have more consequences.
You have to think more carefully
Before you choose.
But sometimes, you have to take risks.
You just have to decide
If it's worth the extra stress.
May 2021 · 849
I'm here to tell you
Zack Ripley May 2021
I've been lost. I've been found.
I've been up, down, and around.
I've been here. I've been there.
It feels like I've been everywhere
Without going barely anywhere at all.
I've been accepted. Rejected.
Made fun of by my peers.
But i'm here to tell you if I've made it through,
There's hope for you too.
Just breathe,
and don't be embarrassed
If you shed a few tears
May 2021 · 2.5k
Room
Zack Ripley May 2021
There's room to live.
There's room to love.
There's room to hate.
There's room to forgive.
There's room to change.
There's room to grow.
There's room to breathe.
There's room to believe.
There's room to grieve.
There's room to run.
There's room to have fun.
There's room for everything
And everyone.
You just have to make it.
May 2021 · 3.2k
Lonely but not alone
Zack Ripley May 2021
You've filled your pretty head
With a million excuses and lies.
Stop wasting your breath;
I've seen and heard it all a million times.
Sorry, little boy,
but you're not as cute as you think.
You may think you're water in a desert,
But I'm not desperate enough to drink.
Because I may be lonely, but I'm not alone.
May 2021 · 1.5k
Free
Zack Ripley May 2021
As cold and lonely as the outside can be, there's a lot less drama and pressure;
You're free
May 2021 · 1.3k
Being me
Zack Ripley May 2021
I'm not sure exactly where I stand
When people ask me if I'm a boy or a man.
But does it really matter?
You're going to see what you want to see.
You're going to say what you want to say.
So while you decide, I'll be standing on the side
Just being me.
Apr 2021 · 1.7k
My most precious memories
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
Of all the days and all the years,
All the laughs and all the tears,
All the love and all the fights,
All the mornings and sleepless nights,
Of all the life we've been through,
My most precious memories
Are every day I spend with you
Apr 2021 · 929
Adapt
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
You may be lost. You may be alone.
But it's not your fault.
Even if you push people away.
I know, coming from someone on the outside looking in, it's easy to say "don't listen to them"
Or "take what they say with a grain of salt."
So I won't say that.
It doesn't help you feel better anyway.
What I will say is what I said before.
It's not your fault.
I don't know what happened, but if you isolated yourself, that was a reaction.
And there's no right or wrong way
to react to anything. But not all hope is lost.
When you react, you adapt.
It's not easy. In fact, it can be quite painful.
But you did it once. You can adapt again.
Apr 2021 · 529
Rule
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
I don't want to rule the world.
I don't want to rule anything at all.
Because eventually, those who rule
Fall and fall hard.
Apr 2021 · 1.3k
I want you to know
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
I want you to know something.
It's okay to ask for help.
It's not embarrassing; it's brave
To admit you don't know something
And want to change.
I ask that you don't worry
That people will think less of you
If you do. You're trying to learn.
And that's something you should
Never apologize for
Apr 2021 · 1.8k
You've got a shot
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
Don't worry about where
you'll go in life
or how much you do.
You don't need that much pressure.
You're barely 22!
But if you are, it's okay.
Because I know you'll go far.
The key is to go with the flow
for as long as you can.
But some day you'll fall.
In more ways than one.
But you'll always get up
Because there's more work to be done.
But just because there's more work
Doesn't mean there has to be any less fun.
Sometimes, though, it may be hard to find.
Some days, all you'll want to do is run.
You won't care where.
You'll just want to go away.
But away is a scary place.
A place with no rules.
Of course, that's why some people stay.
Whatever you decide,
it's your decision to make.
And don't be embarrassed
when you make a mistake.
Because you don't know what you don't know.
And at first, you won't know a lot.
But you'll get there.
At least, I think you have a good shot. 😉
Inspired by Dr. Seuss' oh! The places you'll go
Apr 2021 · 1.5k
Innocence
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
I miss how you used to laugh
And inspired everyone else to do the same.
I miss your fearlessness.  Your curiosity.
I miss how much you loved
to run and play games.
I miss a lot of things.
But what I miss the most is how pure you were.
Like the light from the midnight moon.
You were gone too soon, Innocence.
Apr 2021 · 947
Friends
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
As sure as rain in the spring
or heat in the summer,
this year is looking promising
to be another ******.
But as sure as the cold in the winter and fall,
My friends will be there
To help me through it all.
Apr 2021 · 1.1k
Good man
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
When I was a kid,
I thought I could be superman.
But now that I'm older,
I don't think anyone can.  
So, if no one can be a superman,
the next best thing I can be
is a good man.
Apr 2021 · 1.2k
Easter 2021
Zack Ripley Apr 2021
A day of fun and sun
In a world of doom and gloom
Is a nice change of pace.
Happy Easter 2021 everyone!
Mar 2021 · 702
Stand by me
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
I'm not as concerned with what
I leave behind
As much as I am about
who I leave behind.
Because when I die,
it'll be like I'm blind.
And as much as people
can be black holes,
People can also be
the sun, moon, and stars;
Ready to help you wherever you are.
So that's why I want to live.
Not just for me;
but to stand beside someone
Who stands by me.
Mar 2021 · 1.3k
Special
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
I've seen it all before
And I'm sure I'll see it again.
But I don't know if I'll ever meet
Someone as special as you, friend.
Mar 2021 · 2.0k
The other side of the door
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
Livin like a wannabe.
Not that you want to be.
Always looking for that one opportunity.
But you'll never find it
cause you can't see:
if you work for someone else
you'll never be free.
Free to speak your mind.
Raise your voice.
Free to love.
Make a choice.
There's a whole world.
Make it yours.
See what's on the other side
of the door.
Mar 2021 · 1.0k
Pain
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
Pain has always been there
To help remind us that we're alive.
But not all pain hurts the same.
A broken heart starts with a shock.
A bullet, a hole of fire.
A stab or slice, a sting.
A punch or kick, an ache.
But the worst pain isn't physical.
It's psychological.
Over time, you may forget the pain
Of being shot, stabbed, or punched.
But you'll never forget the words
That were said or the fear you felt.
The point is,
There are different types of pain.
But none of them hurt
or heal the same.
Mar 2021 · 666
Life and death
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
If we experience death
While we're alive,
Could we experience life
When we're dead?
Mar 2021 · 1.1k
Bad times
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
As you wander down this road
That we call life,
Nothing will come easy
Except the bad times
Mar 2021 · 755
After all this time
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
The seconds, minutes, hours pass by.
And yet, after all this time,
I can't help but sit back and wonder...
"Why?"
Mar 2021 · 770
On the surface
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
On the surface, love and hate
May seem black and white.
But that's not quite right.
They're feelings.
And feelings can change.
They're also like humans.
On the surface, people may seem
Scary or really nice.
But give them time,
And they may make you think twice.
First impressions are important.
But take them with a grain of salt.
And if you get fooled,
Just know it's not your fault.
Mar 2021 · 1.5k
The frozen lake
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
The air is cold.
But I don't notice.
Because as I walk across the frozen lake,
I know I can't afford
to make a mistake.
The longer I look
At the fish that swim below,
A feeling grows inside me.
It's not fear.
But fascination.
We always say we wish
Time would slow.
And walking on water
Makes me realize it does.
We just don't notice.
Mar 2021 · 1.4k
One and the same
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
For some, the world is black, white, and gray.
For some, the world may be gay.
For some, it can be hard
To find a reason to stay.
For some, the world is big.
For others, it's small.
For some, the world has
a billion people.
And for others,
there aren't many people at all.
For some, faith and love for God
Can get them through the darkest days
Some have other ways to cope.
Whatever world you live in,
It's one and the same.
Your world, my world, the world,
They all exist on the same planet
With the same name:
Earth
Mar 2021 · 1.1k
Unreal
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
You never knew how I felt
Cause I didn't want you to know
But now you're ready to leave
and I don't want you to go.
You taught me to laugh
When I wanted to cry.
You're not just my love;
You're my sun, stars and sky.
How can I tell you how I really feel
When every time I'm with you
Nothing ever seems real
Mar 2021 · 1.8k
Empty hands
Zack Ripley Mar 2021
You don't have to be alone
To feel alone.
I still struggle with that
Despite how much I've grown.
I still have my friends,
My family, my fans.
But when I look down, all I see
are my empty hands.
Feb 2021 · 1.9k
Don't worry. Be happy.
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
You wore your heart on your sleeve
Until you couldn't take the pain anymore.
Then one day, it shattered on the floor.
You could pick it up
And put it back together.
But you can't help but wonder...
"What for?"
Your frustration eventually brings
Tears to your eyes as you realize
That all you want is to feel okay again.
But you're worried if you do,
You could let your guard down
And your heart could break again.
Here's the thing: it doesn't matter
How high or thick your walls are.
You will get hurt one way or another.
So why not let yourself be happy
For awhile.
Go ahead. Have some fun.
Because as far as we know,
You only get one.
Feb 2021 · 2.4k
Broken home
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
When I left home,
I was broken and bruised.
Daddy took it out on me
When he fell victim to the *****.
I thought when I graduated,
I'd finally get to choose.
Find a world where the bars
played rock instead of the blues.
The day everything changed,
There was a fork in the road.
There was a wise old man,
And this is what I was told.
"If you go to the left, you'll stay in hell.
But you'll get your revenge
when he dies in a cell.
But if you don't want revenge,
go to the right.
You'll travel the world,
you'll make a difference.
But it will be hard to sleep at night."
I didn't even think. I ran to the right.
He told me it would never be the same
If I ever had to come back.
But I was okay with that.
I had everything I needed in my sack.
Five years later,
I woke up alone in bed.
A purple heart hung above my head.
Even though I am where I am today,
I don't regret it.
Because when I go to my grave,
When someone is asked to describe me,
They'll say "he was brave."
Feb 2021 · 1.5k
A good place to be
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
I don't know where I began.
I don't know where I'll end.
But I don't need to.
I know where I am right now.
I'm with friends. I'm with you.
And to me, that's a pretty
great place to be.
Feb 2021 · 738
Stained heart
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
It's not about the bad times.
It's not about the good times.
It's about all the times.
The heartache and the pain.
The kisses in the rain.
There's so much for you to gain
If you don't worry
About your heart getting stained
Feb 2021 · 950
Know who you are
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
If you want the world
to know who you are,
YOU have to know who you are first.
What you stand for.
What you want to say.
Because one day, they may listen.
But you never know how long they'll stay.
Feb 2021 · 506
Something new
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
I didn't know I was lost until I met you
I'm still lost.
But before, I was lost in the world;
A sea of blue.
Now I'm lost in something new.
Something true.
Feb 2021 · 484
Dreams
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
Waking up next to you
Would be a dream come true.
But I hope it doesn't.
Because dreams don't live in reality.
Feb 2021 · 591
525,600 chances
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
If a picture's worth a thousand words,
What's a life worth?
It's crazy to think that life can be lived
A million different ways when,
at most, we'll only see 36,500 days.
Especially these days, people worry
They don't have time to figure out
How to do, how to say something meaningful.
So think about it like this:
You may only have 36,500 days, 100 years. But it doesn't take days or years
To make a difference.
It only takes a minute.
And EVERY YEAR, you get 525,600 of them. 525,600 chances to change.
Feb 2021 · 1.2k
Same boat
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
Are you afraid? You're not alone.
Are you hungry? Cold?
You're not alone.
Are you barely making it
between paydays?
I'm sure you can guess
where I'm going with this.
You may not want to
connect with anyone.
But just know:
You may have been alone before.
But things have changed;
Your boat's not empty anymore.
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
"I'm not going to win.
So why should I even try?"
That's what you've been telling yourself so when the bullies try to hurt you, you won't cry.
I've been down that road
a couple times.
Told myself a thousand lies.
Felt my soul die
a little more every time.
Then one day,
someone showed me the way.
When I looked to see
where I'd come from,
I saw a sign with instructions.
It said "this way to self destruction."
Feb 2021 · 607
Fear vs hope
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
Hope is a horrible thing to be without.
Without it, you would surely drown in doubt.
A lot of people say they feel hopeless.
Here's the thing: the definition of hope
Is desire for or expectation
For something to happen.
Based on that definition, it's impossible to be without hope.
So, if hope never died, never left,
Where did it go?
What if your fear
that nothing would change
or get better overpowered your hope
That things would change
Or get better?
How do you get it back?
You tell fear you're not afraid anymore.
Then you show it the door.
Feb 2021 · 4.3k
Hell hath no fury
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
Whether you're a victim
Of a firestorm, sandstorm, snowstorm,
Remember: hell hath no fury
Like mother nature scorned
Feb 2021 · 673
So much time
Zack Ripley Feb 2021
So much time to win.
So much time to lose.
So much time to think.
So much time to choose.
So much time to love.
So much time to hate.
So much time to give.
So much time to take.
So much time to be afraid.
So much time to be brave.
So much time between
the cradle and the grave.
So much time to create.
So much time to destroy.
So much time to unapologetically
Be who you want to be.
Jan 2021 · 854
More precious than a star
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
You may not light up the midnight sky
But to me, you're more precious than a star.
Because if you let me close enough
To touch you,
You won't burn my hands
or blind my eyes
Jan 2021 · 823
take my breath away
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
Sitting on the couch
Outside the dressing room.
Baby, you walk in and make my heart go boom.
You ask me what I think, but you know what I’m bout to say.
No matter what you wear, you take my breath away.
Jan 2021 · 1.6k
Rainbow within you
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
Sometimes I feel blue.
Sometimes I see red.
Sometimes I smell orange
Or eat yellow bananas
when I get out of bed.
Sometimes I'm green with envy.
I'm sure there's indigo and violet
Somewhere in there too.
But just because sometimes the only color people see
Is the color of your skin,
It doesn't mean you don't have
A rainbow within you.
Jan 2021 · 975
Complicated
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
People are complicated.
Relationships are complicated.
Life is complicated.
They're complicated because you
Can't define them; they mean different things to different people.
But that's also what makes them so special
Jan 2021 · 1.3k
Wanted
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
If you know you're wanted,
Please don't take that for granted.
Because someone you know
Doesn't know. Doesn't believe.
Has had peers tell them
They're a burden.
They hear it so much, they believe it.
If you're reading this,
And you're feeling this way,
Let me be the first to say...I want you.
I want you to live.
I want you to not be afraid to love.
I want you to find courage and pride.
I want you to rise above.
Because I've been there.
And you deserve to feel wanted.
Jan 2021 · 401
Only you know
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
Feeling numb from my head to my feet.
Like a musician who can't hear the beat.
But that's what happens
when you're making your name in the streets.
Can't trust anyone you meet.
So where do you start
when you can't trust anyone,
let alone your own heart?
You take your time.
Think everything through.
Because only you know
what's best for you
Jan 2021 · 677
Tonight's story
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
Tonight's story doesn't start
With once upon a time
Or take place in an enchanted land.
It doesn't have magic or dragons,
Kings or queens.
It doesn't even feature a grand adventure.
But it's still a great one all the same.
Because, you see, tonight's story is your story
Told by me.
You may not like your story
Because it's always been told
from your point of view.
But that's why I'm telling it.
So when you look in the mirror,
You see something new.
Jan 2021 · 786
To be strong
Zack Ripley Jan 2021
Being strong has nothing to do with strength.
It's about your ability to adapt to
And overcome obstacles.
If you look at it like that,
Anyone can be strong.
And with all the challenges
We face this year,
you'll have plenty of practice.
Next page