unhappiness

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

The things I tell myself

~ ~M

I don’t write much anymore
not sure I ever really had it in me.

Oh, I dabbled here n there
when the muse seemed fit to visit.

But those words were willy-nilly,
halfhearted and unexpected;
useless to those with any reason,
disappointing to my trusted few.

It’s illogical to think any of it matters
when the meandering mind mulls.

Why should anyone be interested,
least of all me, the writer of it all.

© 2024 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/girl-sunset-freedom-summer-female-1857703/

The point of no return

~ ~M ~ 27 Comments

I think we all reach a point
A place of exhaustion
A time of misunderstanding
A feeling of not being heard
The scrapping of knees on concrete
Life becomes too much to bear
So we alter our direction
Scrambling for the door
The one we hope leads to peace
I think I’m at that point
And I’m not looking back
I need to find some place
That takes me far away
Miles from this point of discontent
This place of unworthiness
This time of hurting
This feeling of hopelessness
I can’t keep bleeding
for the rest of my life
At some point
it all has to end

© 2024 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-girl-space-flowers-8210734/

Superficial

~ ~M ~ 17 Comments

Like a geyser, I gush,
spurting my rage,
but it’s all underneath,
turmoil engaged.

From the top of my head
to the bottom of my feet,
the swells of unrest
continue to heat.

The storm grows stronger,
destruction in its wake.
Still, I try to breathe calmly,
fearing I might break.

And nobody ever knows
the misery I endure;
It’s all just a façade,
a superficial blur.

© 2022 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/grief-woman-cry-destruction-pain-5501796/

Stay

~ ~M ~ 34 Comments

Why does happiness have to be so fleeting?
We think we can hold onto it, but it’s ever taking flight.
Happiness can morph into madness in an instant
or be extinguished in a sad, unexpected moment like a moth to a flame.
If only I could hold it always and keep it safely cradled against my chest.
But happiness always finds a way to elude me.
I’m watching right now as it inconspicuously floats away.

© 2022 Michelle Cook

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-balloon-sky-love-red-balloon-1046693/