Strife Life
By AB aka Strife
Pain and strife, I’ve known for half my life,
Pain and strife, I’ll never quit the fight,
Pain and strife, it’s a warrior’s life,
Pain and strife, a lot of tears shed at night
Pain and strife caused me to sleep with a knife,
Pain and strife, the struggle is real in life,
Pain and strife, a lot lost the fight
Pain and strife, made me pray to God at night
Pain and strife, made me want to give up on life
Pain and strife, I finally won the fight
Pain and strife, I finally changed my life…
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The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.
Dear AB, your poem speaks to all of us who have overcome something hard in life. Pain and strife may permeate your life, but the progression in your poem until you reach a point where you overcome it is truly inspiring. Taking what we are given and making active choices about it is one of the best ways to have agency over our lives, and I see this in your writing. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to reading more of your work. Best, C
Thank you for sharing your poem! I like the repetition at the start of each line, it sets up a rhythm from the get-go, which draws me into the poem.
I also loved the change of tone of the last two lines. From a more somber theme in the previous lines, the last two lines keep the rhythm and attract attention to a more positive direction and uplifting future. They also help demonstrate there is a silver lining to the Pain and Strife.
Can’t wait to read the next, keep writing!
I really liked the growth throughout the poem. Despite the beginning being repeated, the poem goes from being defeated and scared to winning the fight and changing one’s life. I think the poem is a great example of how one can grow and learn from their pain despite the pain always continuing.
It’s good that even despite such hardship you managed to make a bit of a change! I’ve gone through my fair share of rough times as well and while I don’t know the details of your struggle, I’m glad you were able to find the light in the dark and make a change!
I like how the poem sounds like a song, which makes it memorable and encourages readers to remember the poet’s words. The storytelling was great!
I love how you let all your feelings out into this poem and let your thoughts roam free. Sometimes it’s good to get feelings and thoughts out on paper. I love how you started from the beginning talking about difficulties and then finally in the last line really let out that you have come out above all the difficulties.
Hi,
I love this poem. It really touched me. Thank you for sharing your experiences through poetry. I am glad to hear things are looking up! God bless!
-Shelby
Your verses encapsulate the profound journey of resilience, struggle, and eventual triumph over pain and strife. The repetition of the words emphasizes the enduring nature of your battle, and the raw emotions are palpable throughout the poem. The imagery of sleeping with a knife and the struggles faced at night vividly capture the depth of your experiences.
However, the powerful turn in your poem is the victorious declaration at the end. The acknowledgment of finally winning the fight and changing your life showcases incredible strength and determination. Your words are a testament to the human spirit’s ability to endure, evolve, and emerge stronger after enduring immense challenges.
Thank you for sharing this deeply personal and inspiring piece, reminding us all of the strength that resides within us, even in the face of overwhelming pain and strife.
Hi AB, I think your poem is so creative and raw. I got a true sense of emotion when reading this. Your words are so powerful, and are truly inspiring. The poem is structured in a way to tell a very powerful story in a creative manner. Keep up the great work, and thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of art.
The use of repetition here heavily contributes to the feelings you are trying to convey. I love how you started every line with “Pain and strife”, as it emphasizes the feeling of constantly facing new struggles and having no choice but to push through. You have displayed lots of strength and perseverance in this piece, and the high note at the end is a pleasant surprise and excellent use of reversing the meaning of “pain and strife.”
What a play on words that’s catchy and tells a story with a happy ending! I am so happy that you were able to persevere and see the light at the end of what seems like a pretty dark tunnel. I particularly liked the part where you talked about praying to god then followed up with wanting to give up on life. It seems to me that maybe your prayers were not answered right away but you stuck with it and now you are living a better life you created for yourself.
Letting out feelings onto a page is so relieving. It lets you for a second let go of what you are feeling. I can feel your vulnerability through this poem and the struggles that you are fighting through right out. I love the way you repeated pain and strife. It makes it so much stronger. Can’t wait to hear more!
Woah truly such a concise yet powerful piece! Continue to use your pain and strife as motivation and create the life you want for yourself!
AB,
Changing in the face of adversity is a massive challenge to overcome. The overwhelming majority never change or do anything better for themselves. I’m glad that your priorities are finally straight, and I appreciate your thoughts in this poem.
I really enjoyed your poem. You greatly demonstrated the idea that life is not always easy. Everything happens for a reason and if we keep pushing it will be worth all of the struggles. I like how you displayed that life can be bad and good. Your writing was very eye opening. Keep working!
Hi AB aka Strife,
Starting each line with “Pain and Strife” keeps the reader very engaged and in the same headspace as you the author. As each line indicated a different outcome it shows the endless possibilities that having pain and strife can bring about. The poem itself felt like a journey as it started rough and ended with positive solutions such as winning the fight and changing your life.
This poem is very impressive. The emotion you bring by repeating pain and strife really brings home the severity of how much hardship can affect a person. In so many ways, you have dealt with this struggle, and I find that very admirable if not heartbreaking too. It made me happy to read your ending that you’ve won the fight and changed your life 🙂
I really enjoy the repetition of the phrase “pain and strife” in your poem. It established the rhythm you are choosing to create through this poem but also in a way mimics the thoughts of the human brain. I love the theme you chose for this poem but especially the ending line. Although you’ve experienced all this “pain and strife” and it has caused you to do and feel several things, it changed your life and I believe that it has changed it ultimately for the better. I think you’re an incredible writer and that this poem was incredible and you will continue to do great things!
AB, this is wonderful! I love your use of repetition with “pain and strife,” as well as your use of rhyme. It made the poem so capturing and powerful. I can feel your pain through your words, however, I also feel your fight and I am so glad you have that in you. Keep up the good work!
I love the way this poem flows. I like that every sentence and line is started with pain and strife. It shows that you fought through something in your life that wasn’t easy for you to get through and you made it out on the other side stronger and a better person. Saying “The struggle is real in life” I feel sticks out and causes many people to relate to your poem on a personal basis.
Very encouraging! Like you said, never quit the fight. Life may knock you down, but God will never leave your side and He will lead you to your true calling as a son/daughter of His kingdom. Sometime He calls us to be the light in situations where there isn’t much light to bee seen around us. You are uniquely made and so valued! So happy you have won the fight!!!
Hi AB aka Strife,
I love your use of repetition. It illustrates how inundating and burdensome this pain and strife has been on you, and the words that follow further showcase that. But amongst the pain and strife is also a feeling of transformation, highlighted in the final two lines. I am so glad that you finally won the fight.
The repetition used “Pain and strife” is truly powerful for emphasizing what you are going through!
I hope that whatever your going through gets better and you get outcomes in your life that are positive.
Hello! I really enjoyed reading your poem. Using “Pain and strife” at the beginning of each line is very deep and impactful.