Poetry

Wilted

~ ~M ~ 19 Comments

Wilted, that’s how I feel,
a flower that’ll never bloom again.
My petals droop and die,
fluttering to the ground one by one;
will I ever be restored?

I’m going through this phase;
maybe someone can relate.
Emptiness encases me
like a thick woolen glove.

I’m trying to escape the feeling
of being smothered and surrounded
by all that has invaded my insides
over these past fifty-some years.

Is it too much to ask
to be able to understand myself?

© 2025 Michelle Cook

*These were some personal sentiments I found when reading through my journal over this past year. I think I’m much closer to understanding myself now, but there are days when the weight of this world still closes in on me and reminds me of all the things I wish I could change. I’m happy that I never stay stuck in my head for long, and I generally snap back after a few days of wallowing in self-pity. I’m continuing to look for ways to keep a positive outlook on life. Nobody wants to be droopy forever. 😉

Photo generated with AI

Different and new (like the year) ;)

~ ~M ~ 10 Comments

“Everyone sees me differently now,
and that’s ok; I am different.” ~M

We grow
We change
We seek to rearrange

We become
We resolve
We at last evolve

We hope
We fear
We manage every year

Until
there are
no more

© 2025 Michelle Cook

*Happy New Year to my wonderful WordPress family!
May you all grow and change into who you strive to be
and live out your passions each and every day. Love, ~M xoxo

Photo generated with AI

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve…

~ ~M ~ 11 Comments

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve, so hard to believe.
This year passed by in the blink of an eye.
The world feels the same; I’ve only myself to blame.
I should’ve done more for those I adore.
Thus, regrets sit like a pit as my stomach throws a fit.
It feels like it’s time to get it right as my body puts up a fight.
So many things set me back, yet determination is not what I lack.
The key is finding the right combination, but the lock is my frustration.
Will I ever get things correct or will I always be a reject?
There are some who think I’m great, but my own brain can’t relate.
This self of mine has a skewed perception; I’ve always carried this misconception.
There is nothing much I can do; nobody can change your thoughts but you.
And now, a new year is just about here, time to get my booty in gear.
No excuses anymore; there is always a path with an open door.

© 2024 Michelle Cook

Photo generated with AI

Feigned brilliance

~ ~M ~ Leave a comment

Brilliant blue skies
and oceans sparkling black
you’re the only reason
I never went back

It all turned to feigned brilliance
and murky seas
I wish I’d seen sooner
the truth in these

Realization comes
when sparkles dim
and I finally figured out
all the trouble I was in

And now I’m never going back
to that place of false hopes
Back in those days
I was at the end of my ropes

© 2024 Michelle Cook

Photo generated with AI

I’m ever happy with you

~ ~M ~ 15 Comments

This life…
It’s full of hardships
and battles we never see coming.

One minute, we’re going along
doing our thing
and the very next moment
we’re left perplexed by the audacity of others.

I like the little bubble I’m living in
but it periodically breaks
when the wills of others smash it to pieces.

I try to hold things together
and stay within the confines
of the happiest place I know.

Maybe others just want to get inside
and dwell in contentment too.

Sadly, there isn’t room for the whole world.

I let some people in
and some I hold captive for a while.

Others stay with me
because they don’t wanna be anywhere else,
and they can never imagine leaving.

Those are the ones I hold fast to with all my heart.

They’re the ones who keep me alive
and save me when the battles begin.

© 2024 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/christmas-background-wedding-couple-7335258/