Note: This poem contains content that is sensitive to some
By Emperiss Usanga
i feel like i speak without being heard
with every word i fade farther and farther
from importance.
i act out because my actions seem to speak louder than my words and
i’m SCREAMING,
these scars on my wrist are BLEEDING
yet you still don’t SEE me.
breathe
turn down your music and take out your
headphones emperiss
yet don’t you see music is what stops me
from being abusive
it stops all these
delusions that society is trying so hard to hide
stop trying to take away my remedy before
my calmness turns into insanity
just—
breathe
public speaking
breathe
my dad
breathe
self-esteem
breathe
why isn’t it helping?
why can’t i just
breathe
no asthma but my inhaler isn’t working
if only there was a place
to run to where my anxiety wasn’t lurking
it’s taking a toll
LOOK AT ME
do you SEE me yet?
do you see what i NEED yet?
DO you FEEl what i FEEl yet?
can’t you see that i can’t breathe yet
just breathe
just breathe
just breathe
JUST FUCKING BREATHE
see your worth
recognize your beauty
recreate that happiness
forget the pain
remember who you are Emperiss
and breathe
just breathe