On the bathroom floor,
Glass shard in hand,
It catches the light,
Is this the end?
And the tears, they
Bounce off the glass.
Shutting my eyes, I’ll
Just make this fast.
What of the dreams
I’ve yet to dream?
What of the world
I’ve yet to see?
I lift the glass
Away from my skin.
This night, I choose
To breathe and begin.
© Jade M. Wong
From my debut poetry collection, Glowstick
This is a choice I was able to make after a decade of battling my inner demons. And now, I extend that choice to you. Will you choose to breathe and begin with me too?
Choice is a powerful weapon in the fight against despair.
Yes it is. The ability to choose is a power we don’t give enough credit to. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
This speaks to so many people struggling with depression. The choice between life and death. The line between the two sometimes gets blurred. Your poem breaths life into hope.
Thank you so much! I was hoping it would resonate to those who are struggling with such similar situation. I’m glad you liked the poem 🙂
This one is beautiful, Jade!
Thank you! I’m glad you think so ^_^
Dearie! This is beautiful! <3 Yes, breathe and begin.
Thank you dearie <3
This is beautiful Jade..
Thank you michnavs 🙂
This piece built really well. If I didn’t know you, I wouldn’t know which way this piece was going to end. I’m happy she chose to live another day!
Thanks Mandi! I’m happy she chose to live another day too, To be able to choose is such a powerful thing, and such a difficult decision.
I’m always glad your poems end on a hopeful note – it definitely could’ve taken a dark turn, but either way, it would have still been beautiful and heartbreakingly tragic. Sometimes choosing the right thing is obvious to us, but for someone struggling with depression, it’s hard – and incredibly brave too.
I’m a sucker for happy endings and positive linings lol I think it’s because reality is so bleak and I know it doesn’t always end well…so in fiction, I like to give it a hopeful note 🙂
Thank you for reading Chris! Your comment made me smile today!
Wow. It felt like my breathing was snatched, as I read this. Whew. What a heart wrenching poem. Reminds me of two words- begin again.
We can always begin again
Yes, every new day is a chance to begin again. We just have to remind ourselves of that sometimes 🙂
Absolutely!
Each day a new beginning…or end. It is our choice. Loved your poem.
Thank you Annell! I’m glad to hear that 🙂
I really loved this. I was right there watching …..
Thank you Vivian 🙂
Very vivid imagery of your surroundings and emotions. Your words make the readers ask themselves the same questions the protagonist is asking herself. It was a great read.
Thank you for the kind comment 🙂
Powerfully penned. Every moment we get to choose. Thanks for joining us at dVerse this evening.
Thank you Paul! You picked a really thought-provoking prompt this week.
You’re welcome.
You started with the end and ended with a new beginning. Everyone needs to reach rock bottom before they can move upwards. A brave poem, Jade.
Yes, after all, once you hit rock bottom, there really is no other way to go but up. Thank you for reading Kim 🙂
What a wonderful poem. Life is about choices, as it portrays.
I couldn’t agree more! Life is indeed about the choices we make, big and small. Thank you for reading Beverly 🙂
I am glad of the ending. the other alternative is too raw to contemplate.
Thank you, I have a fondness for happy endings, so it felt right to instill a little hope 🙂
I’m glad you chose life. The power to choose is so important and it is important to make the right choice. A very brave poem. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for reading! Yes, the power to choose is so important and so overlooked.
It is good to breathe again.
Yes indeed. To breathe is to live after all 🙂
Knowing that the cycle of life does not end with each ending but will begin again always is enough to remind us to breathe and just be. I really do appreciate how you have sculpted this poem with a true heart.
Aw thank you for your kind words! With every ending, there is a new beginning. It is the circle of life, after all.
I begun again, they found me before the end.
I now know I was lucky. Hoping yours was
Just a poetic dilemma, beautifully written!
I think there’s a little truth in everything we write, you have to instill a bit of yourself in every piece of art, right? Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts as well. I’m glad you begun again too 🙂
My sentiment too, I am so glad it is a metamorphic expression else I’d be down to my toes, but yes, with every word, every stroke of the brush we give a little of ourselves. As for beginning again, yes, and loving life.
Life is a succession of beginnings and endings, a dance where we can create new steps. We can choose.
That is a beautiful sentiment! Thank you for sharing that, and for stopping by!
Dark. A TV series called 13 reasons, is flooding us with this thinking here in the USA
Ahh, I know that series. I read the book and it absolutely shook me to the core. A powerful read.
Good choice. It’s always good to breathe.
Yes, it is. Thank you for reading.
I think all of us have faced that choice at some time or another. Well done.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the poem, and I agree. I think we are all facing our own battles.
Love how you jump right into the action in that first stanza! Good poem and good decision- keep writing!
Beautiful and inspiring. The picture was vivid!
Thank you! Glad you liked the poem! The photo is from Unsplash—lots of stunning photos there!
This happens a lot to me because of the vagueness in my words. I meant the picture your poem present it my mind. I use Unsplash too, it was my destination to avoid copyright infringement with anyone.
Ohh, haha oops. Sorry! I misread your comment.
No worries!
I really, really like this. I suffer from depression & this speaks to me. Thank you for this. I’m new to WordPress but a lot of what I’ll be writing will deal with my struggles, life, what’s going on in my mind. Follow me if you’d like 🙂
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a lovely comment. I’m touched that you shared a snippet of your past with me and felt the poem spoke to you. I hope you kick depression’s butt every day 🙂
P.S. I’ll visit your blog right now ^_^
I try very hard but sometimes it kicks my butt. All you can do is move forward each day!
That is true! And that’s okay as long as you remember to dust yourself off and get back into the fight! No matter how hard it is 🙂
Thank you so much ❤️
I love this piece. It reminds me of a scene from one of my favourite movies, Prozac Nation.
Aw thank you! I’m not familiar with that movie, but I’ll do a quick Google ^_^
http://www.english.emory.edu/classes/Handbook/meter.html
I think it is fun to use rhyming and traditional poetic metre when writing, because it is seldom used in contemporary poetry, however I get the sense of swerving in-between a broken metre and free verse in this poem. This can be a fun idea, however there is a difference between consciously writing this way and doing it out of ignorance of form.
What of the dreams
I’ve yet to dream?
What of the world
I’ve yet to see?
This is perfect Iambic pentameter, but it is the only one of all your verses that is consistent. I’m curious if that is what you’re going for?
Thank you for that perspective! I actually wasn’t going for iambic pentameter for this particular poem. I was instead focused on keeping each line short (4 words per line) to give it the impression that each line was a breath. That’s one of the things I was aiming to convey.
So much of pain and sorrow but I like that it ends with hope.
Thank you 🙂 I’m glad you liked this, and a little hope goes a long way!
Absolutely.😊
Needed to read this and think clearly
I’m touched to hear that, thank you for visiting.
[…] via [Poetry] The Choice — Jade M.Wong […]
Hi! I like how this poem ends. Thanks for sharing:) PS. Your blog is really interesting!
Thank you! I’m happy you liked the poem 🙂 A little hope goes a long way. And I’m glad you like my blog!
Your work took me on a trip through my own memories. It’s a powerful piece and I respect it. (And love it, too)
Thank you! I’m very touched that this poem made an impact on you. Hope you are having a happy day 🙂
Miss Jade M. Wong your poem “the choice” is absolutely amazing… in my opinion! You are very talented so long may it continue. I love “What of the dreams I’ve yet to dream?”… its like something I would love to come up with! Once again keep it up 🙂
http://www.poetrypost.co.uk
Thank you so much, I’m very flattered by your kind comment!
My pleasure 🙂
Very lovely! Well-written 🙂
Thank you! I appreciate the read and comment ^_^
This is beautiful and deep. 🙂 I love it! 😃 It’d be really great if you check out the poems on my blog.
Thank you so much! Yes, I’d be happy to check out your blog too 🙂
[…] I think that the length of the poem really emphasises how quickly mental illness can take hold, how impulsive it can be and how sometimes all it takes is the right motivation, the right dream, to realise that life has more to offer than death. Jade’s poem is beautiful and hopeful, leaving you to think over the possibilities the future could hold. Click to read the full poem here. […]
Quite entertaining Jade! I like the simple style but powerful progressive journey through your poem!
Thank you! I’m happy to hear that you liked the poem 😀
i adore the last line of this- so much power
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that 🙂
well written
Thank you 🙂
This is superb.
Thank you! I appreciate the read and comment 😀
Wonderful!
Thank you!
[…] via [Poetry] The Choice — Jade M.Wong […]
well done poetry.
Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂
I feel the words that move about.
what a cool work.
Jade this so wonderfully written and so powerful you truly capture the essence of being so desperate yet wanting to live you’re an extraordinary writer.☺️
Thank you Robbie! You’re very kind yourself. I’m glad you felt the desperation and desire to live in this poem. Cheers! ^_^
Thank you Jade and you’re most welcome you truly have a gift of capturing true emotion have a wonderful day my dear friend.☺️
Fascinating poem. I discovered your blog just a few minutes ago. It’s nice to notice and we use the same theme for our blogs!
Hi, it’s lovely to meet you! I’m glad you discovered my blog and that you like this poem. Feel free to explore! ^_^ I’ll pop over to your blog now!
I have read quite a few of your poems and I think they are exquisite. I will definitely be reading more.
I am very new to blogging, though. But I am flattered by your visit all the same. 🙂 I hope to post regularly.
Powerfully expressed!
Thank you, Diana!
You’re welcome, Jade!