The weight of your world
On my shoulders
Placed there with good intentions
And tough love,
The weight of your hopes
And dreams
Bending my back
Eternally,
But as I grew up
I shed you
A piece of a dream
At a time,
Until shoulders light
And back straight
The only life I live
Is my own.
© Jade M. Wong
Re-posting an old favorite. How’s everyone doing this week?
Bravo Jade!! As it should be. When all else is said and done, you are all that remains.. Many blessings..
Thank you Violet! Glad you liked the poem! Yes, agreed, we are all that remains.
Shedding the oppression – empowering.
That is beautiful Jade. We all must straighten our spine to life, more than once over the years. Well written! 🙂
Thank you Rob. Easier said than done, but yes, I hope we all remember to straighten our spines 🙂
Expectations of others’, their dreams, their rules, their “guidance” can weigh an individual down. And then to shed those layers and be oneself. Back straight, freed from those burdensome expectations. Really good write to the prompt.
Thank you Lillian! So glad you liked the poem 🙂 It can be hard to view guidance in a negative way, especially if it comes from people we love, but it’s always good to remember to stay true to ourselves!
So freeing a light – I felt like floating as I finished this one!
Thanks so much, H.R.! Feeling like floating is lovely ^_^
I love the strong imagery in this poem. Yes, we shed the demands of childhood and come into our own! Well done!
Thank you Roth! Glad you enjoyed this poem and its imagery.
Your are welcome!
Its indeed wonderful to finally live your dreams and make it happen…not the ones our elders expect us to be (well mostly common for most Asian families); not that its bad…but as a mother i believe we should allow our kids to grow on their own and discover the kind of dreams they will dream…
Ah Mich, you are an amazing mother 🙂 Coming from an Asian family myself, I understand firsthand the pressures from the elders and how difficult it can be to be independent and chase our own dreams.
I am happy for you and i remembered you finished University already right? So you have the tool already to chase your dreams and make it happen..
Yes, I graduated from University and I’ve been working in the Real World lol I think it just gets harder to chase your dreams the older we get :/
Beautifully written.
Thank you, my friend! 🙂
Welcome
Excellent, Jade. So often we live for others and then discover that we really must live for ourselves. I love the awakening here!
Wonderfully said, Sascha! I love the description of the ending as an awakening 🙂
A beautiful first dVerse poem of the new year, Jade. I felt the weight lifting from my shoulders as I read. I love the gradually shedding, ‘A piece of a dream / At a time’ and the release and freedom of light shoulders and a straight back.
Thank you so much Kim! I’m glad you enjoyed this poem 🙂
Great writing Jade, loved it 👍🏻
Thank you! I appreciate the read and comment 🙂
The burden of our own life is enough to carry. Bravo
Well said! Thank you, my friend 🙂
Yes this is how to do it… shed those burdens and walk with a straight back
Indeed, thank you for reading Björn!
Nice description of the weight of someone else’s dreams bending one’s back.
Thank you Frank, I’m glad you like the poem 🙂
I like the gentle way it seems you are explaining to your parents why you need to be your own person. Lovely poem.
Thank you, I’m glad you found this poem to be gentle and enjoyed it 🙂
You are welcome 🙂
Yes, we sometimes must shed others’ expectations to be who our best version of ourselves! Well written, Jade.
Thank you Lindsay! Yes, it’s not what other expect of us that’s important, but what we expect of ourselves 🙂
Out with the old and in with the new.. its so tough at times, but we have to let go of somethings, for our sake
Yes, sometimes, change is a good thing 🙂 Thank you for reading, Ameena!
The weight of this world is indeed heavy and sad. This was beautifully written!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed!
The weight of this world is indeed heavy and sad. This was beautifully written! 🙂
this reminded me of one of our conversations over dinner one night about parental expectations especially Asian parents, well articulated Jade, carrying those burdens seem like a duty but when shed it can allow us to soar even higher – you articulate beautifully
I’m glad this poem reminded you of that conversation we had because I was inspired to write this poem based on parental expectations. You always know how to read my poems and find the true meaning behind the lines!
you write brilliantly, and tackle these subjects delicately yet with much clarity, i love how you work the themes in. here’s to more thought provoking conversations!
Very descriptive poem. I like the “The weight of your world” phrase which reminds me of the old is out and in with the new. New change is something we can all try for once.
I really like this poem so much. 🙂
So glad that line stood out to you! And agree, new change is something we can all try indeed 🙂 Thank you for reading, Charlie!
You’re very welcome and I’m so glad that I read it and felt the truth in your poetic work. 🙂
P.S I posted a new poem…it’s much crazier than the other one. 🙂
On my way to read your poem, Charlie!
🙂
This is a masterpiece.
Thank you so much 🙂
You’re very welcome! I mean it 🙃
Wonderfully written! We must live for ourselves too.
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
beautiful ❤️…. I think about this often in my life, and the choices that I ultimately made. Actually, the choices I still make, and what dictates them .. I missed seeing your work. I have been MIA for a bit. Glad to run into one of your pieces 😘
Glad to see you here! All we can really do is make the best choices we can make at any given point. I hope you are staying safe and well 🙂
Poignantly evoked
Thank you!
You’re welcome
You vividly created the feeling of heaviness. and then line by line, you unburden the poem. 🙂 beautiful, and totally spoke to me. 🙂
Thank you, my dear Rosema. I’m so glad you felt the poem gradually lightening and that this spoke to you ^_^
always, dearie!
It’s vague enough that you could read into this a litany of people relying on you – parents, siblings, lovers, kids, toxic friends. It easily spoke to me as a reader.
That was the intent, to be relatable no matter what sort of burden the reader may be facing. I’m glad that was conveyed and I’m glad this poem spoke to you.