free verse

Not To Be

May 13, 2026

To be or not to be— I choose to be a good friend, to live, to love, to lead like I was told to be. Not to be selfish, not to hold too tight, not to keep someone to yourself like you own their light— ’cause when they’re not with you, they don’t feel right, and it’s crazy, under [age] 17, to lose yourself like that Was it ever your intention, or just a need for attention, to be mean, to step in, to force a whole new direction on somebody who was perfect just the way they had been? ’Cause it’s crazy what you did, how you crossed that line so quick that’s not love, not friendship - it’s just taking what’s not yours.

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Mostly personal/autobiographical about friendship betrayal, some philosophical reflection on love.

Multiple ideas densely packed: friendship ideals, possessiveness, boundary violation, identity loss.

Strongly negative; betrayal, loss, anger, condemnation dominate throughout poem.

Accusatory tone, direct address, repeated negations, exclamatory intensity in lines 12-16.

Approximately 26 lines; falls solidly in 16-30 line range.

Some figurative language: 'own their light,' 'cross that line,' mostly direct/declarative.

Primarily lyric/internal reflection, shifts to direct accusation of 'you'; semi-dramatic address.

Not To Be

Aubrielle

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