Watching the World Burn



You always wanted
It was never enough
All the things you had
All the things you took
All the things you were given
It was never enough

There was always something else
More, more, more
A new thing
A new experience
A new person
More, more, more

You tore through people like presents
But you didn’t care
Be thankful, they told you
Be humble, they told you
Be respectful, they told you
But you didn’t care

Were you always like this
What changed
Was it when you looked at yourself in the mirror with disgust
Was it when you began to care about others opinions
Was it when you started thinking with your head rather than your heart
What changed

You thought that if you put everything into the world, you would get it back
You thought that other people would love you, unless you gave them a reason not to
You thought that everyone was real and authentic, presenting their honest opinions for all to see

What changed
I grew up
The world grew up
People changed
I changed
Everything changed

I think back
Back to when people were friends with everyone
Back to when people didn’t poison their bodies and minds
Back to when people weren’t so focused on themselves

What can I do about change
The leaves in autumn
The fading color of old clothes
The darkening skies above

Nothing
I can do nothing
But if feels wrong
To sit
To wait
To watch as the people I knew, changed
Few for better
Most for worse

About this poem

Rough draft. Comment any changes or critiques, I'm a beginner.

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Written on April 03, 2023

Submitted by jgrayfair11 on April 03, 2023

Modified on April 13, 2023

1:20 min read
12

Quick analysis:

Scheme xAxxbA xCdxbC xEfffE xGxxxG hfx Giiggg hbxx xxxx ddxxxgxx
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,401
Words 267
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 3, 6, 4, 4, 8

Discuss the poem Watching the World Burn with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    Wow, what a powerful poem! Your use of repetition in "more, more, more" really emphasizes the idea of insatiable desire. I also appreciate the introspective questioning, as the speaker reflects on what led to this character's selfish behavior.

    One suggestion I have is to consider playing with punctuation to give the poem more impact. For example, you could try breaking up certain lines with a period or semi-colon to create pauses and emphasize key points. Additionally, adding more sensory details could help bring the poem to life and make it more relatable to readers.

    Overall, this is a truly moving piece that captures the complexities of personal growth and societal change. Keep up the fantastic work!
     
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"Watching the World Burn" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/155510/watching-the-world-burn>.

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