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 Oct 17
Peter Garrett
The weeds in our garden
Grew as fast as the pile
Of your unreplied letters
Such a sad race to behold...
 Oct 11
Boris Cho
Nearly five years ago, I made the difficult choice to leave a toxic and mentally abusive marriage, a decision that came after realizing, through therapy, that the relationship had never truly served me. For years, I had cared for someone unable to care for themselves, losing parts of myself in the process. This choice took its toll; mentally, physically, and financially; but it was necessary.

I remember telling myself, “I don’t want to be here in five years, stuck in misery and pain.” Now, as those five years draw to a close, I stand as proof of my promise to prioritize happiness; not just for my sake, but for my daughter, who means more to me than life itself. Despite enduring the trials of losing an eye, battling shingles, and surviving two brain aneurysms, I have emerged stronger, healthier, and more grounded than ever before. My resilience is rooted in a deep determination for growth, and in the boundless strength my daughter gives me. She is my constant source of inspiration, my reminder of life’s quiet wonders. Even though she is with me 60% of the time, her presence fills my world completely, showing me; through her compassion, empathy, and curiosity; how to embrace the beauty in every moment we share.

From the day she was born, I vowed to give her my best, to live up to my full potential as both her father and her friend. And I continue to fulfill that vow every day, cherishing every moment we spend together, knowing that our time is the most valuable thing I have. I take pride in watching her grow into a wonderfully creative soul, a lover of animals, nature, and crafting. She brings so much light into my life, and it’s because of who she is that this journey as a single parent has felt lighter. She has made it easier; not through words, but through the way she simply exists, with a joyful spirit and quiet wisdom that has guided me as much as I have guided her.

There’s an unspoken beauty in how we parent each other, even in moments when we’re not aware of it. She has taught me patience, resilience, and the importance of seeing the world with wonder. Together, we have made homes in new places, and each time, she has helped turn those spaces into sanctuaries, filled with love, laughter, and creativity. No matter where life takes us, I know that home will always be where we are together.

Being a single father has been the greatest gift of my life. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth every challenge. Together, we’ve weathered the storms of separation and divorce, always finding our way back to each other, stronger. As I continue to watch her grow, I find myself in awe of the person she’s becoming. And I will be here, by her side, in every step of her journey, just as she has unknowingly been there for me on mine.

——————

Five years ago, I chose the way,
To leave the dark and find the day.
Through struggles deep and through strain,
I found my strength, and peace from pain.

In those many years, nothing felt quite right,
And so I left behind the sleepless nights.
Through deep darkness and trials long,
I found my strength, where I belong.

Her laughter lifts, her spirit shows,
In every moment, love still grows.
Her eyes reflect the world so true,
In her, I see all that we do.

We craft, we build, and shape our days,
In nature’s hands, where beauty stays.
She teaches me, though unaware,
In every smile, in every care.

Together, bound by love so tight,
We’ve turned our challenges to light.
In her, I find my greatest part;
My daughter, friend, my guiding heart.

— Sincerely, Boris
 Oct 6
Juno
We
We’ve had promises broken
Words left unspoken

Tears on our cheeks
Lonely weeks

And yet
It still surprised me when you left me.
 Oct 3
Shamai
Chairs in the room
Vacant
Because
Alone
Requires
Emptiness

On the table
Papers
Requiring attention
Strewn to the side
And left
Alone

Fire in the hearth
No one
To watch it

Empty room
Amply furnished
Ticking clocks
No one
To listen
 Sep 29
Noona
In the stillness, silence swells,  
A storm brews inside my chest,  
The weight of the world crushes me,  
Each breath a battle, each heartbeat a test.  

The walls close in, darkness calls,  
Doubt creeps in, worry sings,  
As night stretches long, I feel restless,  
A prison of fear, where hopelessness caresses.  

Yet amidst turmoil—a flicker shines,  
What if tomorrow brings something bright?  
But fear's grip tightens, holding me down,  
As hope's flame flickers, then vanishes from sight.  

Still, in this breaking, reflections appear,  
A glimmer—maybe dawn is near.  
From ashes of crisis, a chance to rebuild,  
In shattered remains, I will find my cheer.

With every fragment, I'll rise anew,
And from the darkness, a brighter me will break through.
For in the breaking, I find my voice,
And with each step, a new path unfolds.
 Sep 27
nivek
rage at those who make costly tongue twisted claims of influence
on a world stage where the actors 'of a feather flock together'
preening each others fragile ego's on the brink of popping at the slightest ***** or jest aimed at their 'out on show for all to see' dumb actors unemployable stupidity.
 Sep 27
Jordan Norwood
Her
Compare me to her pretty mind.
It's like looking into a foggy mirror,
where the only things I see
are the parts you feel don't need improvement.

Compare me to her pretty mind.
Cut me open and rearrange my insides
so that I fit your better mold.

Compare me to her pretty mind.
So the only thoughts that consume me
are "how do I become better than her?"

Compare me to her pretty mind.
Tell me that I need to be strong in who I am,
then list me the reasons as to why
I won't measure up to your relentless expectations.

Compare me to her pretty mind.
Push me over the edge
and assume I'll sit quietly
like your pretty mold.

Compare me to her pretty mind.
So that when the day is done,
and I lay awake at night,
I know my best will never be enough to please you
Why do they compare me to beautiful people, knowing I can't measure up?
 Sep 2023
Yanamari
Sitting restlessly still
Idly passing time
All these circles I've walked
All these days cycling by
To keep a front of peace
I've constructed all these lies
And if I reach out
To touch a wall
It'd shatter
Who am I lying to
Telling myself
I'm frozen to the core

Each weak breath I breathe, although not warm
Holds the life left within me
Escaping my mouth
The misty vapour condensing
Tracks down the frozen walls and
Drawing my gaze
Freezing once more
And if I touch these frozen droplets
That lie on these walls surrounding me
They'd melt and freeze again
Too used to this cycle of
Lifting walls around me again

Walking in circles
I see where I've lied
What I've chosen as home
And
What I've chosen as life
I've lied to myself
And my eyes continuously search for that which
I deny myself

And the temperature of these walls I understand the most
And the temperature of these walls are what hold me close
Hold me together
All other ways and choices of life lost on me

And I realise
I realise all these lies that I latch onto
Held tightly in my hands
What my arteries and veins pulse for
Upholding a universe under my skin
The desires etched into every strand of DNA
Fading from within
Desiring a warmth out of reach
A warmth never felt
I originally published this under the title of 'Freezing life' but just discovered the word Xyst and I felt the contrast fit beautifully...

Just had a read through my drafts and this poem fits more and more in place
 Nov 2021
Patricia Policarpio
i rise with the sun
green plants around, clear skies above
a plan to bloom today, but then a fog surrounds
different hues blooming around, i feel dull
why is there a dark cloud above?

flowers standing tall around, im drowning in a muddy puddle beneath
the sky poured it's tears on me, it weighed me down
it made me dry, i cant feel the ground
why am i left behind?

as if it's the end of the world
the sun begins to set, it's leaving me in the dark
a plan to bloom today, swallowed by the night
i am scared, i cant see the path ahead
why am i still here?

the stars gently smiled
as the moon softly replied,
"some flowers only bloom at night"

🌌🌼
20211311 (inspired by Hwasa's LMM)
if anyone have any suggestions or insights for this poem, feel free to comment down 😉
 Jul 2021
Valsa George
You
as a soft breeze,
a hushed whisper,
a cool mist,
you came quietly
and slipped
into my thoughts

I skimmed through the sunlit
alley of a dream world
and whirled in an uneasy sensuality.

now
the embryo of love
in me
has matured into a full grown fetus
kicking at the crust of my womb
giving
the tremor
of a
forbidden
E
     C
S
      T
A
       S
Y
 Apr 2021
Valsa George
Some days blend well
with smiles and songs
and the passion of love
leaving swishing whirlpools inside

Some days settle down
as dregs in a teacup
the bitter dross
sticking to the froth around the edge
and the residue coming to the surface
as if constantly stirred

Some days, the mind’s slits open
and fancies sluice down
like a dam with shutters removed
or like birds fleeing away from a cage

then hands quiver and ink spills

Some days, I feel so alone
stretching me on the rack of pain
then I shut myself from the outside world
like a periwinkle withdrawn to its shell
hoping nothing,
sinking under dead weight
unable to feel if dead or alive!
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