"How are you"
Where do I even begin
when someone says, “How are you?”
I swallow the scream
and let a lie slip past my lips:
“I’m fine.”
Inside, I’m unraveling.
Each breath is a blade
slicing through empty space.
Night comes, and the darkness folds around me
like a shroud I can’t escape.
I lie there—eyes open—
counting the seconds until dawn,
hoping the pain will dull,
but it never does.
By day, I’m an echo:
a hollow shell moving through the world.
My reflection stares back with dead eyes,
a stranger I can’t recognize—
my nose, my weight, my scars—
every flaw carved deep by years of neglect.
If someone asked why,
I’d point to the empty chair in my childhood home,
where my father should have been.
He left me there—broken, unfinished—
and now that he’s back,
every attempt at kindness
rips open wounds that had almost stopped bleeding.
I ache for a love
that never came.
I ache for a voice to say,
“You matter.”
But all I hear is silence—
a vast, empty ocean swallowing me whole.
I carry this ache like a secret tomb,
where hope goes to die.
I’ve grown accustomed to the weight
of being unwelcome in my own skin.
Sometimes I wonder
if anyone would notice
when I vanish
into the void I’ve carried for so long.
Because here’s the truth:
I’m already halfway gone.
@Thatonerandomgirl99
Reading this hit me harder than I can put into words. I feel every ounce of the pain you’re carrying the weight that never lets up. It breaks my heart knowing you’ve been holding this all inside, feeling so invisible and lost...But please, don’t ever believe you’re halfway gone. The fact that you’re still here, still breathing through that darkness, is a fierce kind of strength most people never see. You deserve to be told again and again that you matter because you do!!! It’s okay to feel broken, to hurt, but don’t let that silence convince you that hope isn’t still there. Sometimes, even in the deepest darkness, the smallest spark can grow into a fire that changes everything. You’re still fighting, and that fight is nothing short of incredible!!❤️
@ALittleBitExtra
I’m really sorry for the delay in getting back to you! Your thoughtful words truly brightened my day and mean so much to me. I can’t express how grateful I am for your support during this time—it really helps more than you know!
@Thatonerandomgirl99 I'm really sorry you're feeling this way. Please know that you're not alone in this, and you truly matter 💝 Sending lots of love to you! ❤️❤️
@fossilfellow
Thank you so much! Your kind words mean a lot to me!
Sorry, this took me so long to reply to my life has been busy lately!
@Thatonerandomgirl99 ❤️❤️
Wow. Did you really create this poem? It is amazing. I don't usually like poetry, but this poem really spoke to me (I don't identify with it, but it was very good at communicating what you feel)
I did 💜💜💜💜 tysm 😊
I loved writing poems when I felt very down and had no way of saying out my feelings out loud. When I read this, it hit something inside me. I've always felt like I was stuck in a black hole with no escape and I've always felt like I was surrounded by my own fears and disappointments.
I hope you do alright and remember that there is a whole community here supporting you!
And here is a poem for you in return. It may not be as good as yours but I tried :D :
SEARCHING
The light at the end of the tunnel —
That is all that I am trying to find.
A hand that is touching my shoulder —
That is all that I need to survive.
A smile that says, "I will do alright" —
That is all that I need to see.
A wave of hope gushing down —
That is all that I really need.
But no matter what happens,
I never seem to find what I'm looking for,
Whether I am searching high or low.
But I have no choice but to keep looking,
Because they are my last bit of survival
That could help me be free —
From all the heartache and tears
That seem to fall with no end.
But still, I keep searching
Until my pain mends.
@brownturkey2009 ❤️❤️❤️
Thats amazing I love it 💜