Exhaustion

by Poet on the Piano   Apr 7, 2013


It's 1:09 am and I'm not at my best now.
My hair is sprawled in greasy, un-organized
directions and my legs are cramping up
like I've been placed inside a set of
parenthesis.

Is this an anomaly?
Because words always appeared to have the
higher standard, interwoven with students
who spell-check and color their ink
unabashedly.

Yet, I'm ashamed.

Tomorrow I don't go back;
I do the next day.
And so many walls probably record
how I sneak down the halls, beige face
already pressed into expectation.

Is this a heresy?
Because I urge my mind every few
seconds to not think about telling someone
though the thought of burdening them
puts me at unease.

I step away.
I trust only a few.

Maybe the day after tomorrow....

- - -

And it's exhaustion, somehow keeping me alive.

- Written April 7th, 2013

0


Did You Like This Poem?

Latest Comments

  • 11 years ago

    by TSI25

    Sounds like literaly every day at college to my. I find myself so very tired of just about everything here, the work, the tests, being awake, riding the bus, everything is just kind of an exhausted monotony.

    and, like in the poem, i think it really does prevent me from getting close to people; i always put off being overt for another day when im not so exhausted.

    i think a lot of people can learn from the futility of this kind of exhaustion, people like me really need to find a good source of energy and momentum, and to find somewhere they belong....

    its sad but i think it reads a bit more like a cautionary tale, and theres a little pang of hope that maybe, if you can understand where this narrator has gone wrong, you can avoid it in yourself.

    a very well written poem in my opinion

  • 11 years ago

    by Jenni Marie

    Well, what can I say, other than that I frikken adore this?

    I really love your opening, I think we can all relate to this at some point in our lives..the times when we stay up late, when we can't really think straight because we are so tired and when we can't form rational thoughts or find the energy to care about how we may look.

    Your next verse intriques me...it makes me think on those people that have to be absolutely perfect at everything they do, and are perfectionists in every way...it makes me reflect because I too used to be that way until I decided life was far too short to be so concerned with every little detail...and I pity those that haven't learned that yet, that haven't realized how valuable grabbing every opportunity is and living life to the full.

    "Beige face"

    Words can not describe how much I love this. I find you always manage to capture so much emotion and imagery by adding only a word or two when you talk about a face/ facial expression and I love how you manage to do so, seemingly so easily.

    "though the thought of burdening them
    puts me at unease.

    I step away.
    I trust only a few."

    And this. This is my favourite part of the whole poem! OHmygosh, I love this, I can relate so well here. I always find myself thinking, when I have a problem/issue...I don't want to speak about it with someone because I always think that by doing so I am going to burden them, that they wont like it, that they will judge me for it.

    And even though I may trust one or two select people I still feel that way regarding this and I too think "Next time. Later. Tomorrow." etc. Gosh, it's like you just wrote my mind within these few lines!

    And the last line, well..as Temps said it is so contradictory and yet it makes so much sense and is something else I relate very well too at times, it's like...you need to rest and yet you can't, you know you're not done yet, that you still have things you need to do or work on, and you're so tired yet you just can't stop.

    I frikken love this!

  • 11 years ago

    by Courageous Dreamer

    Ha, I just love how you express yourself. Like I told you in previous comments, just little aspects about your day you draw inspiration from so easily! I can see you staying up late writing or whichever, thinking about how in a few days you'll have to get up early once again. I like the ending, about exhaustion keeping you alive, so contradicting yet I totally know what you mean. Lovely write!

  • 11 years ago

    by Britt

    I feel like I'm definitely not grasping this poem for all its worth.. but then again its late and I, too, am exhausted. Lol.

    What I love mos lt about this and all your poetry is you bringing real life to the page. The first stanza proved that instantly. I especially loved the part about being cramped and the parenthesis. That was very creative :)

    Another amazing thinker from you, of course!