PoemsBrowse PoemsSlamsFresh DropEchoes
LearnWriting TipsPoetry TermsPoets & ArtistsBooksFor Teachers
ExplorePoetry GenomePoem MapEchoesTake ActionGroups
AboutWrite a PoemDonateSign UpLog In

What I do..What I'm not


 

I wish to make a definition of myself

I wish to put who I am into words others may understand

I wish to have this ability

But no few words can define me


I can better be  described with verbs rather than nouns and pronouns

I show and don’t tell unless it helps for you to understand what I am saying


I give and don’t ask for things back but then sometimes end up empty-handed

I hold on to opinions because they are how I’ve shaped myself since the 5th grade

I cry on the inside because, either way, it’s a fleeting pain


I remember my young self and the need for compassion

I think about how I am now and see nothing much has changed

I feel self-involved and selfish because I barely effectively communicate

I think of how 17 years practiced imperfection will bring on some hate



I rarely pray to God about these these things because they seem quite petty

But when I have thoughts of my constant mistakes they are often more than I can take


I think sanely therefore I am but I allow others to define my own feelings

I breath steady so I know I am alive but..


I am not living

I am not happy

I am not satisfied

I am not stable

I am not who I am meant to be but a combination of critics and hurt feelings

I am not me!

 

 

©All Rights Reserved

Something wrong with this poem?

Share

Replies are closed for this poem.

If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, 24/7. Crisis Text Line — text HELLO to 741741.

Micah Williams

View all poems →

Your Poem's Voice

See what makes your poem unique — its voice, energy, themes, and the literary traditions it draws from.

Comments (1)

Micah Williams
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I wish to make a definition of myself</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I wish to put who I am into words others may understand</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I wish to have this ability</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">But no few words can define me </span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I can better be &nbsp;described with verbs rather than nouns and pronouns</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I show and don&rsquo;t tell unless it helps for you to understand what I am saying</span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I give and don&rsquo;t ask for things back but then sometimes end up empty-handed</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I hold on to opinions because they are how I&rsquo;ve shaped myself since the 5th grade</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I cry on the inside because, either way, it&rsquo;s a fleeting pain</span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I remember my young self and the need for compassion</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I think about how I am now and see nothing much has changed</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I feel self-involved and selfish because I barely effectively communicate</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I think of how 17 years practiced imperfection will bring on some hate</span></span></p><p><br />&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I rarely pray to God about these these things because they seem quite petty</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">But when I have thoughts of my constant mistakes they are often more than I can take</span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I think sanely therefore I am but I allow others to define my own feelings</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I breath steady so I know I am alive but..</span></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I am not living</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I am not happy</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I am not satisfied</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I am not stable </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I am not who I am meant to be but a combination of critics and hurt feelings</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-968e12f6-ddbc-1c29-835e-038418bedc79"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">I am not me!</span></span></p><div>&nbsp;</div>

Comments are closed for this poem.