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c o n t r o l
stream of consciousness
flailing in the river
struggling in the fight
i’ve forgotten how to float
now i’m fighting for my life
the rapids pull me under
i can't remember how to swim
my feet won’t touch the bedrock
as the currents suck me in
i’ve fought this very river
so many times before
but my vision is muddied once again
i can’t make out the shore
surrender shouts my name
yet I refuse the raft
my fists are clenched and letting go
feels just outside my grasp
so i drown in my control
you’d think i’d learn with time
but once again i sink into the depths
losing to the tide
***************************************
I need to remember to tap in to this piece I wrote last year:
About the Creator
Kristen Balyeat
Words fly to me on the wind, bump into me as I'm strolling the city, splash me in the face while I rest by the river, and shake me awake in the middle of the night– I’m humbly one of the many vessels they use to come to life.
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Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
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Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Excellent storytelling
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More stories from Kristen Balyeat and writers in Poets and other communities.
To Speak of Secret Futures
Our coffees cool between us on the breakfast counter. You stare at the curls of steam so you don't have to look at me. That's always been your tell. Usually your gaze speaks volumes, so when you refuse to meet my eye, that means you have a secret you don't want to say.
By Addison Alder4 days ago in Humans
Comments (32)
https://vocal.media/humans/the-symphony-of-collaboration-humans-and-ai-in-harmonious-unity
This line in particular, "surrender shouts my name" is incredibly powerful. Great poem and congrats on the Top Story!
Congratulations on TS😘
Congrats on the Top Story. I like seeing what people do with the same photo. Did you write this then choose the photo? Or did the photo inspire the poem?
Congratulations on TS. Your writing has such buoyancy. There's delicacy and depth. Your word choice draws me in, allowing me to feel a party to your first-person narrator's experience. Beautifully written.
Surrendering control has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Amazing poem!
Really well done. I can feel the crush of that tide!
Perfect tempo and dreadfully full of despair. Congratulations 👏👏👏👏👏
Intense and incredibly rhythmic! Great poem!
Back to say, darn well done pally! Congrats on Top Story!
Such an intense poem! Congrats on Top Story!!🥳
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
As always a mesmerizing read full of emotions. Congratualtions
The struggle and whether it's worth fighting... Nicely done.
This flows so well, great job. Congrats on your top story
There ya go. Congrats on the TS.
Kudos! Keep excelling in your work—congratulations!
This is so well done, beautiful writing!
Head up please! 😁😊 I can’t talk! 😉 Splendidly done Kristen. Hope you are going well too.
Reading this felt like all the moments life overwhelms you. Beautifully brilliant Kristen
This was both so liberating and relatable. It reminded me of one of my poems as well. Hope things get better for you. Sending you lots of love and hugs ❤️
Sometimes we do need to fight the current, the flow of humanity as it hungers after selfish endeavors. Yet even then we would do well to remember that we're not in control, nor are we alone, & that accepting help is not a sign of weakness but of strength.
Nice writing. Let go, sink, hit the bottom, and you will POP back UP!😍
Beautifully written. Life can be over overwhelming at times. Just float with the current.
Roll on your back and float! I mean that metaphorically, of course.