This poem was inspired by real events, when I noticed that I was unconsciously avoiding things that felt slightly uncomfortable. At first, each decision seemed small and reasonable. My body said, “Not today,” and I listened. However, the more often I avoided things, the harder they began to feel. The mental weight grew heavier, while my world gradually became smaller. Writing this poem helped bring that pattern into my awareness.

This poem came from a conversation with my husband, where I tried to remember details from my wild younger days and realised I couldn’t. Yet there’s often a quiet social assumption that these moments would be stored and remembered; that men leave a lasting imprint.

This poem began as a moment of doubt – What am I? I questioned whether what I write really “counts” as poetry, because my work isn’t traditional – it’s literal, psychological, and driven by the need to understand, not to impress. My style sits somewhere between reflection and therapy, blending emotion, insight, and self-awareness into something that feels human and useful. I don’t write to sound poetic; I write to make sense of myself – and in doing so, I’ve discovered a method that helps others