Just disappear
You can never
Be of value
You will always
Disappoint them
Who cares if you
Vanish from view
Please, don’t ever
Try to speak up
When things aren’t right
Swallow your voice
You know you can’t
Be good enough
You don’t have to
Keep on trying
You can give up
The weight of shame
Is too heavy
You know nothing
About true love
And you will learn
From your heartbreak
Set yourself free
Can you bear it?
A clear image
You are someone
God forsaken
For you are not
Of consequence
And your life is
A waste of time
Despair becomes
A trusted friend
Heed the words of
Your worst nightmares
Let them climb up
Around your walls
Let the flames rise
To threads of hope
Cling on tightly
To all those doubts
Just say goodbye
Author’s Note: This is an inverse poem and it is meant to be read through again from the bottom line to the top line.
About the Creator
D.K. Shepard
Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now
Fantasy is where I thrive, but I like to experiment with genres for my short stories. Currently employed as a teacher in Louisville.
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Let's Don't Do This
"I just can't do this anymore..." "Do what?" What can't you do? Put gas in your own car? I swear to God you make me take care of everything, don't you? You know I'm on my way to work right now but that never stops you from bothering me, does it?"
By Shirley Belk5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (23)
So beautiful and powerful. I haven’t read an inverse poem in quite some time now, I’m glad I stumbled upon this one
Excellent DK. Did you enter this in the vanishing poem challenge. You are in teaching mode, teaching me the inverse poem. You are very talented DK. Nicely Done!
THIS IS MASTERFUL D.K!!! *Sitting in wow-land right now and wondering if I can muster up enough gumption to start an inverse poem* Thank you for sharing your gift of a poem!
Wonderful!!! Love your letting go poem!!!❤️❤️💕
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
This left me feeling raw and melancholic, DK!! Congrats on honourable mention on this week's leaderboard!! 🎉
This is to be read aloud, and "please don't ever vanish from view" hits me harder! Need to be heard. Outstanding.
Brilliant! I wonderful take on the Disappearing challenge… so glad to read back up to the start and positive end!🤩
This is amazing! 💕
Love the message of this, DK <3
Ooooh, niiice! My lack of poetry knowledge had me thinking I was supposed to assume the opposite of each line while reading (which sort of worked). But respect to your brain for being able to craft something like this. I can't imagine it was easy, haha. But very nicely done, D.K.!
Whoaaaa, I loveeeeee how different the meanings of the poems were, when read top to bottom and bottom to top. Pessimistic and optimistic. Two extremes of a spectrum. You truly nailed this!
You're so clever DK. This was such a hopeful and optimistic poem (bottom to top) and I particularly enjoyed reading that after going (top to bottom). This is just so good. Well done.
Soo good, DK! Inverses are so hard. A perfect contrast when compared from both directions :)
So well done! Each line really works either way, so hard to do
Very clever. I have the utmost respect for those who can produce inverse poems!
This is the best and most completely opposite reading of any inverse I have read. Pure genius, DK! Very well done for a very difficult form!
The plunge into the abyss, followed by the soaring conquest of despair! This is very deftly done, DK!
Oh wow, DK, this is a masterpiece! More hopeful in the bottom-up version, too!
I love this poetry style; it's one of my favorites, and DK, you did the format proud! A wonder of words, both downward and upward. Fantastic job!!!!
Nice! It gives clear meaning either way. Reading it down felt like a culmination of all the mistakes one makes packaged right there for them to absorb. Reading up was the opposite, giving reassurance that everything will be fine. Just believe in yourself. They truly read like separate poems. Inverses always give me a headache to write, taking longer than they should, haha. How long did this one take?
AW, DK! You can't see me but this asshole Scot is standing giving you an ovation. This was beautifully conceived and executed and is one of the slickest inverse poems I've read in a long time. As soon as I got halfway through the negative side, I could see clearly how it was going to work the opposite way and was smiling, then when I read it backwards, everything felt shifted and a weight was lifted and I was just cheering you on to the last first line! Remarkable. Is this an entry for one of the challenges? Wonderful work, my friend.
I read it both ways and am empresses by the message. Hope is sometimes the most powerful feeling we possess