everything, all at once
what does it mean to be alive?
perhaps to be human is to fail
to crack open like an egg, to ruin and foil, to make mistakes
to try and try until your bones ache with it
to run and sprint and scream with the force of your ambition, only to fall face down in the dirt
to disappoint yourself over and over again, until your reflection seems fragmented in the mirror
and you don’t recognize who you see, or who you are, any longer
-
perhaps to be human is to cry
to let the past heave down on your shoulders
to have guilt and regret knaw at your very soul
to be rich in memory and poor in gratitude
to stumble and fall into the same mistakes
to have frustration and resentment eat you alive
to feel small and alone and broken in a world that does not care how many tears you shed
to have no one catch you when you fall, or to push them away when they do
to push away the gift and the curse of the present
-
perhaps to be human is to die
to spend your days however you may until the fatal end, and to not know the half of it until you get there
the sweep of death may be painful and ghastly, or it may be over in an instant
we may die emaciated, afraid, alone, abandoned
or we may die peacefully, elated—free, from all of it
it may come when we think we feel it in the air, expecting and awaiting its pull, or it may strike us out of nowhere
in the dark of night, unexpected and uninvited, changing the course for all those we know, and for all we love
it may be up to you, or to God, or to the universe at large where you end up, if anywhere
you may have been right, or you may have been wrong
you may see everyone again
or you may see no one and nothing
or you may see, and be,
everything,
all at once
—
I don’t love this poem, but I figured I’d try to write a little something in an attempt to feel a bit better than I currently do. It worked, a little bit.
I know it’s a pessimistic poem. It’s not as pessimistic as I feel our lives might truly be, but who’s to say?
Love you guys. ♥️
About the Creator
angela hepworth
Hello! I’m Angela and I enjoy writing fiction, poetry, reviews, and more. I delve into the dark, the sad, the silly, the sexy, and the stupid. Come check me out!
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Comments (23)
Congrats on Top Story, Love the Story and you nailed it. Very proud of you…
Pretty sure many have these same thoughts. Very true and real feelings you put into words. Congratulations on top story.
I love the authenticity! Congrats on your Top Story! 💕
Existential dread and questions linger after your excellent poem is read!
This poem left me speechless. so relatable and well written. really encapsulates all the negative thoughts running through one's head when in a bad mood... very deserving of TS- Congrats!!!
carries a deep weight. Writing can be a good way to process feelings. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Feeling a bit better is a good thing!!! Congratulations on Top Story!!!💕❤️❤️
This is very relatable to many in a lot of days, great job. Congrats on the TS!!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Didn’t come off pessimistic to me! But recognizing the difficult parts of life are in fact just that, inevitable parts of human life. Congrats on Top Story!
this was a beautiful poem.
So powerful and poignant, Angela. Sometimes getting the darker thoughts and feelings down in writing is the best therapy. I hope you're feeling a bit better! Congrats on the well-deserved Top Story! 🎉
Congrats!
Well written, congrats 👏
YAY TOP STORY!
I like it a lot. Though it’s commentary on life and death, it’s clear that it comes from a very frustrating day, which is to say the same thing. I feel those days too.
I'm glad writing this was therapeutic for you. But I don't feel this was pessimistic. It felt very practical. We gotta stop seeing life through rose coloured glasses and start seeing it as it is. Your poem is the brutal truth and I freaking loved it!
Angela, you've just described the human condition to a T. A truly heartfelt write.
I thought you wrote this incredibly well - I particularly enjoyed your first verse, especially about the fragmented reflection. I think everything feels a little overwhelming at the moment. Wishing you all the best.
Hey. It's good to express it, Angela. Let it out. Give it a voice. Putting into words whatever's bothering you goes some way to helping you understand yourself, others, "it" whatever it is and aids its release into the world. Your words, like you, are important and marvellous. Great poem imbued with feeling.
Very expressive poem.
This is a wonderful poem! Grounded in harsh reality. Loved it! 💚
I absolutely love this poem. I have no idea why you don't love it. It has fantastic images of the different ideas associated with the experiences of being human. I love the stanza about death especially, concerning that different people believe different things about where they will end up afterwards. Again, I love this poem a lot. A fantastic piece!