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Jul 27, 2026
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My New Normal
No calling just to say hello.
No voicemail just checking in.
No more happy birthdays.
No more holiday greetings.
I keep myself hidden until darkness comes.
Can't sleep through the thoughts.
Can't think through the feelings.
Can't feel through the pain.
No one sees it, I keep it for myself.
My hurt. My pain. My emptiness.
I am alone in a room full of people.
I can't share it, you can't possibly know.
This is my fight within myself.
I'm stuck inside my own tar pit
and I cannot climb to the top.
When I see the light, my footing fails
and I slide back down.
Drowning... Suffocating... Defeated.
A thick shell barely contains my world.
They say I'm strong, but I need my mom.
Just a scared little girl all on her own.
This is my new normal.
May 20, 2026
— KJax, Jul 27, 2026
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About This Poem
Style/Type: Free verse
Editing Stage: Polished draft
Critiques
Mark
2 weeks 6 days ago
Your poem KJax
I like it! You have some compitition in the contest.Read Stanza out loud. I am having a difficult time with the rhythm there.
Tip> never claim that you ae not editing. We are all here to learn.
Welcome aboard Neopoet and good luck!
Mark
now for a little challenge. Since I commented on your poem at this hour.Find a poem to read and comment on it if you have not already.
KJax
2 weeks 6 days ago
I appreciate your comments…
I appreciate your comments. I guess I haven't really read it out loud. I wasn't going for rhythm when I wrote it. I am on a healing journey and my writing is my outlet... my therapy if you will. I've never really shared my writing before.
Thank you for taking the time to read and offer advice.
Tink
1 week 5 days ago
Howdy! It's me, Tink
Welcome to Neopoet!
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing this as your first poem with us.
The emotions really pour out of this piece! I can relate (though my dad, mom still with us). I do agree with what Mark said. The best piece of advice we can give is for you to read your work out loud. (actually anything out loud) You will hear if there is an issue, you will stumble. It helps teach you meter, punctuation, weak rhymes and the like.
Please reach out if you have any questions or need help navigating through Neopoet. You can usually find me in the chatroom. We just launched our themed chatrooms, Geezer is hosting a room on Saturday nights, Myself on Friday nights and BlueSkies on Monday nights. You can find them on the calendar events. Hope you can visit!! We would love to have you join us!!
Live, Love, Laugh
(and don't forget to Write!!)
Yours in Ink,
Tink
Tink
1 week 5 days ago
Howdy! It's me, Tink
Welcome to Neopoet!
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing this as your first poem with us.
The emotions really pour out of this piece! I can relate (though my dad, mom still with us). I do agree with what Mark said. The best piece of advice we can give is for you to read your work out loud. (actually anything out loud) You will hear if there is an issue, you will stumble. It helps teach you meter, punctuation, weak rhymes and the like.
Please reach out if you have any questions or need help navigating through Neopoet. You can usually find me in the chatroom. We just launched our themed chatrooms, Geezer is hosting a room on Saturday nights, Myself on Friday nights and BlueSkies on Monday nights. You can find them on the calendar events. Hope you can visit!! We would love to have you join us!!
Live, Love, Laugh
(and don't forget to Write!!)
Yours in Ink,
Tink
Mark
4 days 3 hours ago
Your updates.
Very well done. The repitition works for me.The good news is that it is more than likely temporary. Put something about that in it perhaps?
Great job!
Mark
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