In a star-crushed night
something rammed the side of my flanks
woke to an impish leak
trying to suckle the life out of me.
Then there was a black water silence.
It's not like bad karma to suddenly drift away,
so beneath my leaking float
the rammer will probably stay.
Early morning was spent bailing and patching
luring the silver shoals of hope within range
bailing and patching
nibbling and napping
obsessing
prodding the sharkness away-
Quiet day
no breeze-not even one little wave
a hot brain day
missing my chatty gull friend today,
maybe I was supposed to be its sacrifice.
Launched the final flare at a fancy yacht mirage
filled with cheap bikinis and plush caviar-
I rolled over the dream breakers, into the yellow morning
Quite late for work.
Can't see that wrinkle you're obsessing over.
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
At dawn,
you graze my face
tracing my jawline with your thumb to say:
“It’s nice to have someone here for once.”
I should know better than obsessing over men
whose attention doesn’t need begging
stitching myself into bedsheets
meant to be left half empty
but I guess you just get me.
If home is a body,
I already sense aftershocks
self-inflicted eviction setting in
slipping away half asleep
dreading the inevitability of leaving.
I know making you less perfect
won’t make me any better
yet I can’t help it
I fabricate your flaws in my head
as if it would make my own disappear
almost as if ruining you
made me any better
…
almost as if making you imperfect
made me as perfect as you
—maybe I should learn to love my flaws instead of obsessing over yours
When you're lonely and exposed.
Blood, shred and tears.
And after all this time that you still owe.
And after all the blood that you still owe.
After lie, after lie.
Nothing, nowhere.
You're still a good for nothing, I don't know.
And my world, it drifts apart.
I know that inside of me, it's a ing ghost town.
This empty shell is like a noose around my neck.
Beg for the rest of my life.
You're killing me, killing me.
I want to be free from these chains.
And I'm staring at the walls again.
Obsessing over you this way.
I'm so damaged beyond repair.
Leave before you love me.
Through the crystal glass, you gaze at me.
Here’s an extra-large thank you to Israel and Ukraine
who have fought the West’s wars for them
holding Iran and its proxies, and Putin’s Russia at bay
Imagine if Putin was now attacking the Baltics or Poland
or if Jerusalem and Israel, Iran had overrun
Of course, then the West could stop obsessing about gender and race
as criminal regimes spat missiles and drones in her soft, fleshy face
A cavalcade of savage singing lights
whip worshippers of ultraviolet;
Indulging the most hedonistic threat
they raise hooks to meritorious heights;
DJ’s entourage being read last rites
at the end of that set they won’t forget;
A cavalcade;
The swollen witching hour synthetic bites
direct reckless dancers to a sure bet;
Inarticulate’s the best you can get;
Obsessing over complicated fights,
a cavalcade.
Love jones, love jones. I’ve got a love jones for that guy.
Obsessing over him both day and night am I,
Visualizing him with me, we’re flying in the sky.
Effervescent I’d be feeling (were it true). I’d be on a high!
Jazzy music playing – we’d next be dancing slow,
Only he and I together in a sensual tango.
No one else is on my mind. Oh, I want him so!
Every little thing about him makes my fondness grow.
Sugared kisses from that sweet boy - how I wish I’d come to know.
Mama’s Thanksgiving plans went awry.
Football lovers might understand why.
Mama called for the blessing.
Everyone was obsessing
over touchdowns. Mom uttered a sigh.
“Keep the food warm till two,” Daddy said.
A huge turkey leg glanced off his head.
To the table, all scurried,
for they’d grown rather worried
Mama might next be hurling the bread.
Balance to me means to try and be less Type A
To stop obsessing over things I cannot change
Balance to me means not to play all weekend.
I am so Type A during the week that I feel I deserve it.
Balance is something I do not do well.
I am obsessive and compulsive, so balance would be fantastic.
But it is something I have to try too hard to do.
I fail at it miserably, being Type A.
Stop analysing
No need to dissect
Stop labelling
No names just accept
Stop obsessing
No need to overreact
Stop complicating
Keep simple and intact
4/3/22
Can't stay gloomy
Or think looney
Because the outcome will be puny
It's nothing new to be
All this tomfoolery
Won't ever be cool to me
The same can be said for obsessing over jewelry
Or boards of Charcuterie
Been doing it differently and beautifully
Not the same as when you went to school with me
You're still soft and quick to turn rotten like a blueberry
I would've gone for it, but you never wanted unity
Meanwhile continual scrutiny
And lunacy
As well as an occasional mutiny
If I'm speaking truthfully
Before it's my eulogy
I got to do it with ingenuity
Relatable
Likable yet hateable
No need to be debatable
Don't you quit
I don't got all the answers or blueprints
Still going through it
Working toward true grit
Watching out for any new tricks
Does no good to stay clueless
And always foolish
Otherwise you'll lose quick
Regardless of if you are a Buddhist
Time has shown and proved this
I obsess over nothing,
I obsess over all,
I obsess over the smallest things,
I obsess over the big things too,
I obsess over the things out of place,
I obsess over what I could have done,
I obsess over what I can do,
I obsess over what I can’t do,
I obsess over the food I eat,
I obsess over the things I touch,
I obsess over actions that affect others,
I obsess over consequences of every action I make,
I obsess over doing things the right way,
I obsess over never making a mistake,
I obsess over anything that doesn’t go my way,
I obsess and I obsess and I obsess
And I can’t stop obsessing
Obsession is a regular thing for me
So I guess I’ll keep doing what I know
Written on March 21, 2021
He goes through each day
obsessing over how to
increase his earnings.
Times are hard.
He's drowning in debt;
his bills gradually piling up.
Creditors bug him so much,
he feels like screaming;
soon landlord will come knocking.
He consolidated his loans;
it hasn't made much of a difference
He asked his boss for overtime,
nothing doing.
He applied for a second job,
no dice. He's still waiting for a call back.
He wants to start a home business,
but doesn't enough start up cash.
Desperation is gradually setting in.
He's put unneeded clothes
on consignment,
he's holding garage sale,
rationing food,
clipping coupons,
exercising for free,
shopping in thrift stores,
bicycling to work
and he's cut cable television
down to basic. Anything...
to decrease his spending.
Date written: 03/09/2021
Words on a page
That only mean something to me
But these thoughts inside my brain
Have me losing so much sleep
So many hours I lay there awake
Eyes open in my bed
My head replays every mistake
I wish I could let things go
And finally get some rest
But I always get so restless
When I start to feel depressed
I can't smile or laugh
I barely eat
My head spins in circles
Like tires on an icy street
My family tries to help me
But I won't take their advice
The only thing that makes me feel okay
Are these sad words I write
I can't express my feelings
When I'm talking face to face
I wish I could slow my mind down
I'm a broken record tape
If only I could turn it off
All these thoughts could go away
I could finally fall asleep
Instead of obsessing over
Words on a page
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.