Poets logo

Those Words

The things I never said, and don't regret.

By Cathy holmesPublished 7 months ago 1 min read
Those Words
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

What if I said that you were terrible,

that your harsh words made me mad?

Would that have broken our sacred bond,

made our love unrepairable,

Or perhaps just made you sad?

*

Should I continue to choke back those words,

those words I never once said.

The ones that often burnt to ash,

as they bubbled and churned,

their volcanic rage inside my head.

*

Those words, a truth I wished I’d screamed

so many, many times before.

That boundary, never to be purged,

those thoughts unseen

trapped behind an unbreachable door.

*

But I’m at peace with silent words,

there will be no guilt nor regret,

of thoughts that lived in angered minds,

forever and always left unheard,

since I haven’t said them yet.

*

I could swear on all that’s ever wrong,

it was you who caused the pain.

But what’s the point in accusations,

now that you’re gone

If I cursed the heavens and your name?

*

You’d still be gone, I’d still be here,

my poor soul be wracked with shame,

while all that’s past and all to come,

would be the guilt forever there,

and I would be the one to blame.

fact or fictionFamilyFriendshipGratitudeheartbreakMental Health

About the Creator

Cathy holmes

Canadian family girl with a recently discovered love for writing. Other loves include animals and sports.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  3. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  1. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

Add your insights

Comments (26)

Sign in to comment
  • Novel Allen6 months ago

    But I’m at peace with silent words...my favorite line. We all have those moments from time to time. Yet we grow beyond them...into something lastingly beautiful. Sadly wonderful.

  • Tiffany Gordon6 months ago

    Fabulous work Cathy!

  • ThatWriterWoman7 months ago

    'as they bubbled and churned, their volcanic rage inside my head.' Is an outstanding line Cathy! The imagery, the tactile-ness of the lava - excellent!

  • Heather Hubler7 months ago

    Ah, this was rough. I read it over and over just feeling the pain yet slowly feeling some peace by the end. Brilliant, my friend, my Queen :)

  • Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊

  • Silver Daux7 months ago

    I agree with Lamar, this felt like closure. Like a heavy breath after a long struggle. You're such a powerful writer!

  • Lamar Wiggins7 months ago

    This felt like a type of closure. Whether situations were ever resolved or not, sometimes it’s best to move on from things we can no longer change. Well said, Cathy.

  • This one hit home. Thank you for writing it

  • D.K. Shepard7 months ago

    There's a lot of pain and wisdom in this piece. Sometimes speaking even if the words are truth might not be the best course of action. Certainly a fine line to walk between saying what needs to be said and letting love overlook an offense. Very well written, Cathy!

  • John Cox7 months ago

    I have read this several times in an effort to write something meaningful in response to the ill treatment you put up with. It really saddens me that so often the man cannot see beyond the boundaries of self and actually partner in the give and take of a real relationship. I suppose telling him off would have chased him away sooner, but I honestly don't know if that's a good or bad thing. Beautifully written like always, Cathy.

  • Mother Combs7 months ago

    Lovely words, Cathy

  • Indeed, let's just leave what is unsaid be...there are times when that brings more peace, Well-wrought, Kathy.

  • There is power in the words we don't. Often more than the ones we do 💜Beautiful as always C x

  • A simple punch. Beautiful poem ❤️

  • Gina C.7 months ago

    Exceptional work, my friend! It's so hard to know sometimes. 💙

  • Colleen Millsteed 7 months ago

    It’s the burden of the wise to know when to bite one’s tongue my friend.

  • These burdens we bear I would have you know we also share.

  • Rachel Deeming7 months ago

    Once it's out, it's out and it can never be undone. It might feel good to say it at the time but its ripples will be felt way beyond its initial impact and I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing. Great words as always, Cathy.

  • It such a nice feeling to finally be at peace with what we've left unsaid. Loved your poem!

  • Grz Colm7 months ago

    Another wonderful and thought provoking piece Cathy! I liked these lines a lot, “But I’m at peace with silent words, there will be no guilt nor regret”. 🙂 🌋

  • Caroline Craven7 months ago

    That last line is outstanding. Damn Cathy. Such talent.

  • Teresa Renton7 months ago

    I’m at peace with silent words - perfect 👌

  • Sean A.7 months ago

    Some things truly are best left unsaid, but you said it all very well here

  • Test7 months ago

    Somethings are better left unsaid, well written Cathy!! It was relatable and so well written!

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2026 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.