Poems That Grip The Heart

Published: October 2020

Many people feel alone in hard times, and these poems will grip your heart and make you feel like someone has heard your cries.

Relatable Poems That Will Make You Feel Understood

1 - 14 of 14

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1. We Wear The Mask

Famous Poem
- By Paul Laurence Dunbar
in Famous Sad Poems

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
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A wonderful poem Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote many years ago, after slavery was abolished.
How it must have hurt to know his parents had been slaves...

Imagine the pain that slavery...

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2. The True Meaning Of Life

Top 100 98
- By Patricia A Fleming
- Published: July 2017
What's Important In Life

in Meaningful Poems

The years have passed by
In the blink of an eye,
Moments of sadness
And joy have flown by.

The years have passed by
In the blink of an eye,
Moments of sadness
And joy have flown by.

People I loved
Have come and have gone,
But the world never stopped,
And we all carried on.

Life wasn't easy,
And the struggles were there,
Filled with times that it mattered,
Times I just didn't care.

I stood on my own,
And I still found my way,
Through some nights filled with tears,
And the dawn of new days.

And now with old age,
It's become very clear;
Things I once found important
Were not why I was here.

And how many things
That I managed to buy
Were never what made me
Feel better inside.

And the worries and fears
That plagued me each day,
In the end of it all,
Would just fade away.

But how much I reached out
To others when needed,
Would be the true measure
Of how I succeeded.

And how much I shared
Of my soul and my heart
Would ultimately be
What set me apart.

And what's really important,
Is my opinion of me,
And whether or not
I'm the best I can be.

And how much more kindness
And love I can show
Before the Lord tells me
It's my time to go.
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I couldn't have said it any better than Patricia Fleming. This is exactly how I feel. I've gone that route where I would buy things in the hope that I would feel better, however, it never...

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3. My Everything

Top 500 112
- By Dean Coombes
- Published: February 2013
How Much I Love You

in Sweet Love Poems

You're my love, my life,
The air that I breathe.
You're my soul, my happiness,
The all that I need.

You're my love, my life,
The air that I breathe.
You're my soul, my happiness,
The all that I need.

You're my light, my dark,
The stars in the sky.
You're my ups, my downs,
The reason I try.

You're my strength, my weakness,
The love from the start.
You're my heartache, my pain,
The beat of my heart

You're my tears, my joy,
The love that you bring.
You're my world, my galaxy,
You're my everything.
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I loved a boy. I saw him and I had never felt it before. It was a lightning bolt through my heart and soul. His hands were warm, and his smile was warmer, and his kiss melted me. But he hurt...

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4. Can Anybody Hear Me?

Top 500 153
- By Katie M. Elliott
- Published: February 2016
Poem About The Hurt Of Being Isolated And Alone

in Hurting Poems by Teens

I want someone to hold me,
But I'm the only one here.
I want someone to listen to me,
But I'm the only ear.

I want someone to hold me,
But I'm the only one here.
I want someone to listen to me,
But I'm the only ear.

Can anybody hear me?
Does anybody care?
Does anybody even know
I'm dealing with despair?

There are voices in my mind
Saying I should die.
Will anybody even tell me
They're only just a lie?

Does anybody love me?
Would they shed a tear?
Would anybody even care
If I were to disappear?

The ones who preach friendship
Have left me all alone.
The ones who are not here
Promised not to let me go.

Can anybody see me?
Does anybody care?
Does anybody even know
The burden that I bear?

I've built up this wall
To hide who I am,
And now that I need help,
I'm alone behind it all.

Can you see the real me?
Will you even try?
Can you even tell I need
A break in the wall tonight?

I'm crying all alone,
Not sure what to do.
Please just let me know
That at least I still have you.
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I've been the same way, but you are never alone. God is there for you, Your friends and family care, even if they don't know the best way to show it. People are there to help you; you just...

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5. Demons Of Darkness

Top 500 185
- By Olivia B
- Published: September 2015
Poem About Demons Inside

in Depression Poems

She stood on the bridge
In silence and fear,
For the demons of darkness
Had driven her here.

She stood on the bridge
In silence and fear,
For the demons of darkness
Had driven her here.

They cut her heart
Right out of her chest,
Making her believe
That the demons knew best.

They were always there,
Sometimes just out of sight,
Waiting in the background
Till the time was right.

These demons were destructive,
Knocking down the life she knew,
Hating everything about her;
She hated herself, too.

These demons can't be seen,
But they're far from fairy tales.
They live inside your mind;
Their evilness prevails.

So on the bridge she stood,
About to end the fight.
Then she stopped and thought
I'll fight them one more night.
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This is such an inspiring poem. I am a seventh grader with depression and it is because of my loving boyfriend that I am still alive. Please, anyone who is depressed, know that there is...

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6. Nobody Knows

Top 500 216
- By Azumi Zaima
- Published: May 2016
Poem About Longing For A Lost Love

in Hurting Poems

Nobody knows it's empty,
The smile that I wear.
The real one is left behind in the past
Because I left you there...

Nobody knows it's empty,
The smile that I wear.
The real one is left behind in the past
Because I left you there...

Nobody knows I am crying.
They won't even see my tears.
When they think I am laughing,
I wish you were here...

Nobody knows it's painful.
They think that I am strong.
They say it won't kill me,
But I wonder if they are wrong...

Nobody knows I miss you.
They think I am all set free,
But I feel like I am bound with chains,
Trapped in the mystery...

Nobody knows I need you.
They think I can do it on my own,
But they don't know I am crying
When I am all alone...
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My girls left me for their dad and his wife. They felt they had to or they’d lose him. Kids are resilient? They just push it all down. It still wounds them. Who would think it would only...

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7. Wretched Monster
- By Shattered Mirror
- Published: September 2017
Self-Hate And Suicidal Thoughts

in Depression Poems by Teens

What should I say, how should I feel?
Wretched Monster, tell me what's real.
Can you not see you're causing problems?
No matter what you do, you can't solve them.

What should I say, how should I feel?
Wretched Monster, tell me what's real.
Can you not see you're causing problems?
No matter what you do, you can't solve them.

I stare into your eyes; you stare back at me.
I hate you and love you; I want to be free.
You hold me captive, Wretched Monster, why?
I tear up, but you tell me not to cry.

Wretched Monster, you say I'm nothing.
You leave me in the dark, screaming and cussing.
You beat me down every day without fail,
But I just turn my pain into a tale.

Just turn it into art; that'll fix things.
Wretched Monster, I'm a puppet on strings.
I know you hate me, but I know you're always there.
I look into the mirror and I know that you care.

I want to escape you, but I know what that means.
I'll escape everyone else and leave everything.
I'll grab a blade and my life will be done.
Wretched Monster, that's tempting, but I'll always think of my one.

You ask me what I mean when I think of my one.
I mean my one reason to keep moving on.
I think of "this song;" I think of his pain.
"This song" is my one reason to keep being brave.

"This song" gave me life when you had none to give.
"This song" hugged me tight and told me to live.
Wretched Monster, I love you, but I can't quit.
I'm sorry I disappoint you, but your voice can't win.

I try to smile back even though you point and jeer.
I try not to hate when I see you in the mirror.
I know you're just trying to get through this life,
But I can't live with you when you give me a knife.

Yet I can't let you go, Wretched Monster, you're me.
I can't give you up and continue to breathe.
So let me be happy, and stay far behind.
Stay out of the mirror and out of my mind.

What should I say? How should I feel?
Wretched Monster, you can't tell me what's real.
Because of "this song," I know that you lie.
"This song," unlike you, thanks God I'm alive.
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8. The Boxes In The Hall
- By Adrian Baillie
- Published: December 2008
Goodbye After Divorce Poem

in Goodbye Love Poems

In every room of our time together there is a box
Of memories we shared.
Now is the time to pack away
With sadness and with care.

In every room of our time together there is a box
Of memories we shared.
Now is the time to pack away
With sadness and with care.

The first is a simple smile,
Whenever I thought of you.
Neatly folded into four,
It's the best that I could do.

Next are all the memories
Of the times when we were two,
Wrapped with love one by one,
Sealed with tears as glue.

And then there are the butterflies
I had when you were near,
Now in a cage of sadness
And locked up with a tear.

Next are the times we kissed,
Each one wrapped with a sigh,
Placed next to a rolled up list
Of all the times I've asked myself why.

Now to pack are the pieces of my heart,
Gathered in a pile.
Each one wrapped up tenderly
And placed next to a distant smile.

Finally all the shattered wishes,
Placed in softly so no more can break,
Covering them over trying not to cry
So they would not all ache.

Lastly walking round each room,
Closing each and every curtain,
Shutting each and every door,
Leaving behind each and ever pain.

Gathering up the memories we shared,
Making sure I've got them all,
Packing them softly because I cared,
Leaving them in the boxes in the hall.
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I know that this poem is intended for divorce but when my father died my Mum wanted a poem that summed up her feelings. They had been separated for 25 years but they stayed married. Still...

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9. And The World Carries On
- By Amy O Connor
- Published: August 2020
in Short Poems

The plates will still shift
and the clouds will still spew.
The sun will slowly rise
and the moon will follow too.

The plates will still shift
and the clouds will still spew.
The sun will slowly rise
and the moon will follow too.

Life’s beauty will continue
to flourish all around,
but now you are gone,
these birds have no sound.

And my heart does not beat.
It is still inside my chest.
My tears keep on falling
and my head will not rest.

But I have no choice only
to move through this life.
Endlessly attempting
to fill this longing that is rife.

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This poem is really so good. I feel this poem; it's just amazing.

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10. False Identity
- By Erin
- Published: February 2016
Poem About Creating A False Identity To Cover Up Hurt

in School Poems

Sometimes
I wish that you could see
This scared girl inside of me.
I'm not really as I seem.

Sometimes
I wish that you could see
This scared girl inside of me.
I'm not really as I seem.
I'm not tough, strong, or mean.
That isn't me.

This isn't the real me.
I fight by day,
Yet cry at night.
No one can see through
My false identity.

I've been hurt,
As you can see,
So I created
A fake me.

No one ever tries
To get through my shield.
All I want to be is me.

How do I show
What I've kept hidden for years?
How do I show
All the silent fears?

What would you think
If I showed you me?
What would you say
Without my false identity?
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When I first came into public school, I realized how cruel the world could be. This mask I've created is suffocating me! I can't breathe and the false life that I've created is holding me...

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11. Not Good Enough
- By Imza
- Published: October 2009
in Hurting Poems by Teens

I help you through hard times, as you do for me,
But you really don't know how much I hide.
Even though we are the best of friends,
I really don't think you can understand.

I help you through hard times, as you do for me,
But you really don't know how much I hide.
Even though we are the best of friends,
I really don't think you can understand.
I can't bear the hurt; I can't stand the pain,
A feeling of numbness I can't explain.

This is a life in which I walk alone,
Full of hope shattered and broken,
Always angry for no reason at all,
Constantly wanting to end this brawl.
Fighting with myself again and again,
Sometimes I want this life to end.

Mom's depressed but chooses to hide,
Takes out her anger on those by her side,
Doesn't understand I try to help.
She shuns me out and hates instead.

Grandma's enduring an unstoppable fate.
Sickness has gotten her on the plate.
It's sad to see such an innocent person
Become another cancer victim.

Too many friends are hurt as well
Thinking that their life is hell.
Too many friends wanting to stop,
Thinking suicide is the only option.

But inside me is the worst of all.
I don't know how long I can stand tall.
Memories of happiness are shooed away,
But horrible twisted thoughts to stay.

Nothing I do can make her proud.
There's no silver lining on her clouds.
I'm a rainstorm filled with dark black skies
And a haunting rainfall full of lies.
I only wish I could make her see
I'm trying hard so I can be
Someone she that can trust and love.
Instead, she tells me I'm not good enough.
Everything I do is a wrong decision.
She constantly tells me I'm not living
The path that she truly wishes I'd take,
But I'm only one big mistake.
If I could I'd erase myself from here,
I wouldn't have to live this fear.

I also wish I could be skinny
And always happy, fun, and pretty.
Instead, I look at myself in the mirror,
Disappointed in the reflection that appears.
It's hard to live when you don't love who you are,
Wishing that you could change it all.

Every day I make a mental note.
How much would I miss if I decide to go?
And how much hurt makes me lean towards the edge
Is slowly creeping up the hedge.
How much longer can I last
Before my life becomes one of the past?
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For a dad, it's really hard when you’re unable to heal her most precious heart. I read a poem so it can give me ideas on what else I need to say, but what can a dad do if his daughter is...

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12. Cracks
- By Mina Milad
- Published: September 2016
Falling For A Friend

in Betrayal Poems

With her loneliness she couldn't cope,
And so she tore us apart,
Diminishing all hope;
I should've seen this from the start...

With her loneliness she couldn't cope,
And so she tore us apart,
Diminishing all hope;
I should've seen this from the start...

Her smile wiped my troubles.
Her eyes gave me chills.
Her beauty made me humble.
Her love made my heart fill.

I saw her true cracks
As I saw her weep.
I wanted to put her pieces back,
But I was afraid I'd fall too deep.

I was slowly being sucked
Into her beauty, imprisoned,
But I was out of luck;
This love was nonexistent.

While helping her heal
I fell through the cracks,
And as the cracks sealed.
Into the darkness I was trapped.

I gave everything to her,
Only to be betrayed.
I fell in love with her,
But in another bed she laid.

She had her flaws
I was willing to accept.
The most beautiful she was,
But again she slept.

With her loneliness she couldn't cope,
And so she tore us apart,
Diminishing all hope;
I should've seen this from the start...
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13. Empty
- By Hayley
- Published: November 2011
What Depression Feels Like

in Hurting Poems by Teens

Her thoughts bob under the surface,
Her lost dreams circling around her in clouds.
Every fake smile, fake laugh,
Only feeds the emptiness inside.

Her thoughts bob under the surface,
Her lost dreams circling around her in clouds.
Every fake smile, fake laugh,
Only feeds the emptiness inside.
She's lost the ability to cry,
Surrendered it to the numbness
So she no longer has to feel.

The thick, black cloud overcomes her,
Smothering her till she suffocates.
She gasps, while inside her,
Everything is torn apart.
Her heart ripped to shreds,
And repeatedly stabbed,
With a rusty dagger.

Her soul screams as the demons rip into it,
Those horrible monsters.
No. They're her demons,
Her horrible monsters.
She's her own monster.
The guilt's eating her alive,
As she slowly kills herself...

From the inside out.
She seems fine on the outside.
The same laughing, smiling girl she's always been.
The scars she keeps hidden are the only sign.
A silent scream,
But no one notices,
Or do they just not care?

She's so alone.
She's always been alone.
Ever since the shadows ate her essence,
Sacrificed herself to the cold tendrils of sin.
False promises tempting her away from the Light,
And into the barren Darkness.
She's always so LOST...

Inside her own body...
It seems her hands have a mind of their own,
As they slice her arms,
Her ankles,
Her thighs.
With the blade she's always kept as a close companion,
The same rusty razor.

She watches the blood as it leaks out,
Down her arms and thighs.
Her release from the never ending cold.
But it's not enough.
It's never enough.
Not when she carries the weight
Of the world on her shoulders.

But she knows what is enough.
She stares at the bottle of pills,
Knowing this is her escape
From the Darkness that surrounds her.
I'd be quick,
Painless.
She's already slowly killing herself.

Destroying her soul.
No one can help,
They've tried before,
And they helped...
For a while.
But then she was back to faking her joy
With the mask that became her best friend.

She began starving herself.
She could never look good enough,
She found joy in each ache of hunger.
It meant it was working,
She was going to be skinny,
But it was never enough.
How could it ever be?

When she couldn't resist food, she'd stuff herself,
Then made a point of throwing up.
She pushed everyone away,
Stuck in her solitude.
Her shadow her best friend,
But soon the shadow was her.
A forgotten ghost...

Just a piece of who she was,
Who she used to be.
Left behind as she slowly killed herself,
She's only a shadow,
A wisp in the wind.
Never finding happiness.
She lost herself.

With no hope of being found...
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I'm not sure if I'm depressed. Sometimes I feel wrong saying I am. Only because nothing terribly bad has happened to me. I haven't been through a close relative dying, I haven't been scarred...

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14. Untamed
- By Caitlyn Collins
- Published: June 2011
Poem About Being Abused

in Poems about Teen Life

Sitting in a corner, so scared and afraid,
He's standing there yelling at me,
and he's the one to blame.
Marks across my face,

Sitting in a corner, so scared and afraid,
He's standing there yelling at me,
and he's the one to blame.
Marks across my face,
From where he had hit me.
People always say that I've got it easy.
Bruises on my back,
The blood courses through my veins,
In this dark old room,
There is something untamed.
Scared to say a word,
Just one word to come out,
For no one knows what happens when the beast has made his rounds.
People always stare at me.
I now know what they say,
For all these scars left on my wrist,
The past has been revealed.
I do it one last time,
So no blood runs through these veins.
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1 - 14 of 14

Poems That Grip The Heart

Relatable Poems That Will Make You Feel Understood

1. We Wear The Mask

2. The True Meaning Of Life

3. My Everything

4. Can Anybody Hear Me?

5. Demons Of Darkness

6. Nobody Knows

7. Wretched Monster

8. The Boxes In The Hall

9. And The World Carries On

10. False Identity

11. Not Good Enough

12. Cracks

13. Empty

14. Untamed