@Bendy Nguyen Here’s the poem Out of Time As I looked at the empty space you used to fill, It calved a home into my heart. Filled with icy air, Shivers my heart to it’s core. Is it beating, does it care? The music enters my ears and exit my eyes. Tears, it gifts me tears and memories. Photoshopped. Because nothing real will ever be good enough. Nothing present, past or future will ever be good enough? Will it? Your ghost is there It waves, smiles at me takes a photo. A photo I will cherish. You’re not in it, but I will always remember how you looked when the fireworks went off. Lighting up your face. Glimmers of hope in your eyes. They’re gone now with you. All I have now are illusions of what was. Uncertainty of what will be. And a slow, painful present. Of time. Of your face.

As a "youth" I have to agree. I did English Literature at GCSE and A Level and although we did read modern poets like Carol Anne Duffy and Phillip Larking there is definitely a concentration on older literature. I didn't mind it and eventually "got it" but then again I am a massive nerd. Or I felt like a massive nerd compared to everyone else in my class; even at A Level. I am also afraid of my poetry becoming "insta-poetry" because what we are showed in school is this 'Pinnacle of Poetry' that I can't achieve yet so I am confused on what my poetry 'should' look like. The only poem that I have written that I am confident is poetry is "Poetry is Dead". Anything else feels like this uncomfortable middle ground where technically my poetry isn't anything like Rupi Kaur but it doesn't mean it is any better.

There was a poem I wrote originally called "Ghost Photographer" about reminiscing and loss. In the poem the persona looks at a photograph and gets 'transported' to when that photo was taken; and (although unintentional) it reminded me of my favourite game "Life is Strange". So I decided to rename the poem after one of the episodes "Out of Time".

I believe poetry is the ultimate version of "show not tell". Form, language and sound are used to create a cohesive message that is created with purpose. Granted, my earlier 'poems' were not made with purpose. My biggest downfall was form. I wrote in free verse unedited and, although I did use some literary techniques, I could have done better. Now I try to ask "why?" with every decision I make and remind myself of the message of the poem.

I may be late to this but here’s one of mine 😁 Ghost Photographer As I looked at the empty space you used to fill, it calved a home into my heart. Filled with icy air, Shivers my heart to it’s core. Is it beating, does it care? The music enters my ears and exit my eyes. Tears, it gifts me tears and memories. Photoshopped. Because nothing real will ever be good enough. Nothing present, past or future will ever be good enough? Will it? Your ghost is there It waves, smiles at me takes a photo. A photo I will cherish. You’re not in it, but I will always remember how you looked when the fireworks went off. Lighting up your face. Glimmers of hope in your eyes. They’re gone now with you. All I have now are illusions of what was. Uncertainty of what will be. And a slow, painful present. Of time. Of your face.

I normally type up my poems on my phone in the notes app since it is always with me. I have a designated folder for them.

I agree. My first poem did rhyme but I didn’t enjoy writing it as much as I could. So now I mostly write in free verse and if something rhymes it rhymes. 😄