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Best Poems Written by Bronwen Balmos

Below are the all-time best Bronwen Balmos poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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Hiding From the Truth

When you hear the car door shut
You know whose home
You pretend to be asleep 
But he’s not fooled

Trying to hide under the covers won’t save you from what he’s after
He’ll take it from you
He doesn’t know any better
You are “his” after all

You cringe through every minute, hoping it will be over soon
Then, there’s the relief
He’s passed out
You’re free again, for a little while

This was a good night
There’ve certainly been worse
The nights he arrives home while the kids are still awake
These nights he gets his kicks at everyone else’s expense

He has fun tickling the kids
Perfectly harmless, you try to convince yourself
You watch as he pins your daughter to the floor
Sitting on top of her as he tickles her sides

“I can’t breath!  Mom, help!” she gasps
You’re afraid to make it worse
He laughs incessantly, while your daughter struggles under his weight
“That’s enough,” you say in a calm but stern voice, hoping not to set him off

He ignores you as always
You turn and walk away, hoping he’ll soon tire of this game
He runs out of steam five minutes later
Your daughter learns that she’ll need to protect herself

Next time she hears the car door shut
She runs down the hall and locks herself in her room
Is she safe?  Are you?
You anticipate what’s to come.

You listen as he stumbles up the stairs
And down the hall to her room
You hear him try to open her door and then pound on it with his fist
You picture your daughter huddled in her bed, petrified

You imagine she’s thinking the same thing you think when he comes to your room
“Go away.  Please just go away.  God, make him go away.”
You hear his frustration build as he kicks his foot through the hollow core door
He’s done, he’s pissed, he’s going to bed

You fail to see the whole picture
Your oldest daughter begins to “party” like dad
Your middle child takes sanctuary in her room
And, your son starts to experiment with self-mutilation

We all have our coping mechanisms
But, why are we so afraid to face the truth?
Pretending there’s no problem, won’t make it go away
Hiding from it, won’t make it better

Dad suffers from depression
His treatment of choice is the bottle
He loves that bottle more than anyone or anything in the whole world
How’s that bottle treatin’ you dear old dad?

What misery will you hide from today?
Whose joy will you steal?
Whose hope will you crush?
Isn’t it time to start facing the truth?

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My Niece Is 16

I will not accept that you’ve turned 16; it cannot be
How is it possible this is the same girl I used to bounce on my knee?
So full of smiles, but at times you were extremely serious.
You weren’t afraid to investigate those things that you found curious.

You grew up so fast.  I just can’t believe where the time has gone.
Being a teenager isn’t easy, but I’m confident that you will be strong.

Stay true to your values and don’t ever be swayed
Your hopes, dreams, and convictions, don’t ever trade
Life experiences will build you into the person you are meant to be
Never doubt those gut feelings you get, as your intuition will help you truly see

Your path is already laid out
Just listen to your heart and have no doubts
Enjoy every minute of your journey, without looking too far ahead
Accept that you will make mistakes and go in another direction instead

Don’t worry, you’ll find the path again
And your family and friends will always be there to lend a hand
I’m so proud of the young woman you’ve grown into
Remember to keep those dear to you close, as your life’s adventures continue.

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At War With Himself

His screams are deafening, but his smile warms me from head to toe
He’s in constant battle with himself.  Why can’t he let it go?
What torments his mind would leave you asking, what’s the big deal?
But to him, these struggles are all too real

“We’re out of waffles,” “we missed the bus,”
“Our plans have changed”; it all causes a fuss.
“You lied!” he yells and he believes it to be true.
To him, everything is black and white, as simple as 1+1 = 2
 
For him, plans don’t change.  Instead they were never to be.
He blames others for allowing the changes to happen, because he’s unable to see,
that some things are out of our control, no matter how much we prepare.
Does he not realize all the factors that contribute or does he just not care?

He sees things much differently than you and I
This can be a glorious thing, but it can also make me want to cry
He has such an amazing eye for detail and it shows in his artwork
But if things don’t go his way he can be an incredible jerk

I remind myself that he can’t help the way he reacts
He has ADHD and Anxiety Disorder; these are the facts
His outbursts drain me; in body and mind
And leave his little brother crying, “Can we rewind?”

It breaks my heart that I can’t do more.  
He’s a brilliant little boy, but his brain is at war.  
He worries more than any parent would.  
I wish there was a way to make him see that stressing doesn’t do any good.

He’s constantly working things out in his head.
Which makes it quite a challenge to get him to go to bed.
Unable to sit through a movie without multiple discussions about it,
His topics twist and turn, spanning the gamut.

He calls himself stupid, even threatens suicide.
His inner battles not only cause explosions, they also make him want to hide.
Fear of embarrassment and exile help him to contain his explosions at school.
But in the safety of his home, he has no concerns of acting the fool.

What I can provide him are boundaries, love, and support.
I need to maintain my patience and prevent my fuse from becoming short.
“Try Harder” is not an expression I frequent.
He’s trying as hard as he can to be decent.

Instead we have an agreement that we’re both allowed to make mistakes.
As long as we apologize and continue to try, growth can never come too late.

Details | Bronwen Balmos Poem

Where Do All the Unwanted Teachers Go?

Where do all the unwanted teachers go?
When our economy suffers so?

Budgets continue to be cut
Putting public education in a major rut

“Become a teacher and make an impact!”
But instead unemployed teachers are in line for food stamps

They earned their credentials:  teaching certificate and degree
They’ve applied for teaching jobs from here to Tripoli

“Get some experience by subbing for a year”
The year came and went and they’re still here

Year two proved to be even more trying
Which has only left them crying

“How can we survive on such an inconsistent paycheck?”
We have our own children to support and protect

Thousands in our state alone
Why can we not find a school for these teachers to call home?

Their passion for teaching is evident
A more rewarding career could not be dreamt

So, where do the unwanted teachers go?
For many we simply do not know

Their certificates are left collecting dust on the wall
While they earn minimum wage in the food court at the mall

Some returned to their corporate jobs that left them stressed
Still others weren’t even that blessed

“Unemployed” is the title they hold
Anxiously awaiting the day they will be told

“You’re hired!”

Details | Bronwen Balmos Poem

This Girl This Boy

This girl was shy
This girl was introverted
This girl was afraid
This girl felt alone most of the time
A few close friends were her saving grace

This boy was active
This boy was wired
This boy was different
This boy felt alone most of the time
God was his saving grace.

This girl played sports
This girl studied hard
This girl made no enemies
This girl loved to write
The pen was her instrument for expression

This boy was awkward
This boy got by
This boy was involved with his church
This boy loved to be on stage
Acting and debate were his means of expression

This girl had dreams
This girl had hopes
This girl had fears
This girl followed her friends to college

This boy had dreams
This boy had hopes
This boy had fears
This boy followed his father into the military

While this girl was coming out of her shell
This boy was learning survival methods
While this girl was exploring dating
This boy was fathering a baby 
While this girl was experiencing her first failure
This boy was trying to stay alive in the Persian Gulf

This girl grew into a well-educated, mature, but very lost woman
This boy grew into a well rounded, divorced, military father
Shortly after they met, this woman and man pledged their love for each other

This woman fell in love with this man’s confidence, humor, and sincerity
This man fell in love with this woman’s beauty, compassion, and wit
This woman and this man vowed to spend the rest of their lives together

This man made promises
This woman believed in him
This man made more promises
This woman began to doubt him

This couple communicated well
This couple shared deep truths
This couple was honest with each other,
but not with themselves

This couple had good intentions
This couple loved their family
This couple lived beyond their means
This couple began to perish

This woman had lost her husband
This man had lost his wife
This couple was determined not to lose their friendship
This couple was focused on the happiness and well being of their children

This couple would not simply “go through the motions”
This couple would be honest with each other and themselves
This couple would work as a team for the first time in their lives
This couple would be happy living apart

This couple would always love each other

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Ray of Light


Ray of light
Shining bright
Help me feel 
Beyond the steel
of the compassionless face
Lacking grace

Ray of light 
Ignite the flight
of the innocent child
Whose carefree wilds
Embody the dreams 
of grown-up means

Ray of light
Hold him tight
Embrace his laughter
For ever after
Promise his plight 
Will be made right

Ray of light
Help me fight
Show me how
To unfurrow his brow
To contain the rage
Help him better gage
How to express
Without excess
His honest feelings;
their true meanings

Ray of light
Bring to its height
His true potential
Its value; exponential
Never again, shall he know
The cruelty, others show
Not understanding
Why they were branding
Him a freak

Details | Bronwen Balmos Poem

Full Circle

I left the corporate world with the hopes of giving back
Returning to school to earn my teaching degree was my plan of attack

Such a diverse group of fellow students I encountered in grad school
We all had hopes of someday making it into the teaching pool

Student teaching helped to solidify it for me
How truly rewarding a profession could be

Exhausting and emotionally draining work, for sure
But, making a positive impact in even one life, was the allure

With certificate in hand, I began to look for a teaching position
Eager for my dream career to come to fruition

Three failed interviews later, led me to substitute teaching
Two and a half years without a steady paycheck left me reaching

Financially, I was drowning, having already cashed in my IRA
I didn’t have a relationship with God, but still I began to pray

I left it in his hands to lead me
Through my faith, stronger than ever would I be

Finally a steady paycheck came my way
Still it wasn’t enough to stave off bankruptcy day

But wait, God wasn’t done
He would ensure that I could take care of my loved ones

Full circle, back to the corporate world I once knew
God would not leave me alone to stew

His guidance was golden
To him, I will always be beholden

For now, I am looking forward to my first paycheck
To help me climb out of this mountain of debt

Supporting my family is my primary goal
With God’s help I will dig my way out of this hole

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Get Out of These Shoes

It’s been a long day and it’s not over yet.
What’s up next?  Try not to fret.
Cuz all I want to do is get out of these shoes!
All I want to do is get out of these shoes!

I walk through the door and what do I see?
My starvin’ Marvin cat staring back at me.
I hear my boys fighting
My time, I’m just biding
Before I walk more 
To see what’s in store
A sink full of dishes
What happened to my wishes?
Cuz all I want to do is get out of these shoes!
Yeah, all I want to do is get out of these shoes!

Next thing I see, staring back at me
My worn out man, holding out his hand
As I approach his chair, 
He quietly shares,
“We’re out  - of  - milk”
Back to the car I go
Only to discover the gas is low

Out come my boys
With a boisterous noise
“Mommy, mommy, stay!”
“We want to play!”
“We missed you all day!”
I look at their beaming smiles and what do I do?
I join them inside and get out of my shoes!

The milk can wait.

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Headstrong and Defiant

“NO! I WON’T”
“YOU CAN’T MAKE ME!”
Watch as I change your “do” to a “don’t”
How bad can the punishment be?

No video games?
So what!
No treat tonight?
Is that all you got?

You are the worst mom in the world!
The truth hurts, I know.
Just listen as my insults continue to unfurl.
I hate you, from your head to your toes!

I’m not holding back any blows.
I’ll show you that I can get my way.
No matter how much you oppose.
I’m the T-Rex and you’re my prey.

Don’t walk away from this fight.
I’m not done telling you how wrong you are.
And how I am so right.
Don’t try to tell me I’ve gone too far.

This is serious business.
You can’t possibly expect this of me.
My brother is my witness.
Finish all of my peas?

You know, I can’t eat anything green!
Unless, it’s mint chocolate-chip ice cream.

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Maternal

I fell in love with you both from the first moment I saw you
You were both so full of life, although his was brand new
You had such confidence
While he was still learning how to be in existence

You made promises; such beautiful words you spoke
In his amazing smiles my heart awoke
Was it all too fast?
Is that why it wasn’t meant to last?

I thought I had put my dreams on hold
Or was the real dream the one he told?
Without you, he would not be
For that, you will always mean everything to me

A greater gift you could not have given
Perhaps our road just wasn’t properly driven
Our destination was the gift
But our path, created the rift

Why did I put so much pressure on you?
You’re only human, doing your best to be true
He was perfect in my eyes
Even through his cries

I accepted him for who he was
But you, I chose to judge
So different love can be 
Between a mother and son, or you and me