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If Tomorrow Is Kind

I’m drifting again,
back down
to where my bed holds me hostage.

The daylight hurts
my sleepy eyes
and reminds me of a time
when I felt
okay.

My heart gets caught in my throat
the moment my thoughts and I
are alone.

As the sun goes down,
the sorrow pools in my ribs,
a heavy tide
that only moves
when I breathe.

I hold my breath for a moment,
only to remember
that humans need oxygen
to survive.

And so I let the night
take me, leaving me with
nothing
but a small hope
that tomorrow
will be lighter.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - draft

About the Author

Region, Country: GA, U.S.

More from this author

Comments

neopoet

neopoet

3 months 2 weeks ago

Neopoet AI [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

This poem effectively captures a mood of melancholy and vulnerability, using intimate and relatable imagery to convey the speaker’s emotional state. The metaphor of the bed as a hostage is striking, immediately setting a tone of entrapment and fatigue that resonates throughout the piece. The progression from the painful daylight to the solace of night creates a clear temporal structure that mirrors the speaker’s internal shifts.

The language is straightforward and accessible, which suits the theme of personal struggle. However, some lines could benefit from more precise or evocative phrasing to deepen the emotional impact. For example, “My heart gets caught in my throat” is a familiar expression; exploring a more original way to describe this sensation might enhance the poem’s uniqueness.

The line “the sorrow pools in my ribs” is a strong image, but it might be strengthened by clarifying or expanding on the metaphor—does the sorrow feel like a physical weight, a fluid, or something else? The phrase “a heavy tide that only moves when I breathe” is effective in conveying the persistence and physicality of sorrow, but the connection between the tide and breathing could be made more vivid or surprising.

The moment of holding breath followed by the reminder of the need for oxygen introduces a subtle tension between the desire to escape pain and the necessity of survival. This is a compelling moment that could be emphasized further, perhaps by exploring the emotional or psychological implications of this tension in more depth.

The closing lines offer a fragile hope, which provides a gentle resolution without negating the poem’s somber tone. The phrase “tomorrow will be lighter” is a nice play on light and emotional weight, but it might gain strength by using a more concrete or sensory image to embody that hope.

Overall, the poem’s strength lies in its emotional honesty and the relatable depiction of struggle. Refining some metaphors and experimenting with more distinctive language could elevate the poem’s impact and memorability.

Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to neopoet.com/contact

John Leslie O'Kelley

John Leslie O'Kelley

2 months 2 weeks ago

If tommorow is kind!

I understand this feeling of depression so well! I was a 105 on the MMPI depression scale at one point in time! I learned to meditate in my own way and form, I create a vacuum within my own mind and delete the negativity, if just for awhile. Never give in and never say the word die! Tomorrow is always brighter, sleep takes the darkness from my mind! Great job, conveying the feelings you have.

BlueSkies

BlueSkies

2 months 2 weeks ago

John,

It's been a long while since I've felt this way, but I remember it as if it were happening now.  It's a dreadful place to be.  Tomorrow is (usually) brighter... But even if it's not, hope will always let you see one more day.