Push-Pull!

By CM

Push! With all your force and your might
Push! With all your strength, you must fight
Push! And pray to conquer the night
Push! And pray for peace when in plight.

Pull! And show no fear when you’re scared
Pull! Your burdens bound to be shared
Pull! Persistence shows that you care
Pull! Your family’s free ‘cause you bled.

Push! And use the wind on your back
Push! You have no time to relax
Push! Relief, it comes with a tax
Push! In time, the strife will retreat.

Pull! Its fields of hope that you till
Pull! Values instilled with your will
Pull! Slowly survive this ordered
Pull! There’s a pasture over the hill!

Reach beyond your grasp, you’ll surely gain more,
Pull away from your past and push yourself forward.

49 Comments

  1. Chuck on November 16, 2020 at 4:50 PM

    I really like the use of Push! and Pull! to start the stanzas, and the fact that the “work,” which is mostly internal, also feels very physical. A really fine poem that expresses your thoughts and feelings so clearly. I appreciate your view of things. Thanks!!

  2. Cameron on November 17, 2020 at 11:03 AM

    CM,

    Thank you for this poem! I love how hopeful and determined this piece is. No matter what you have gone through/are going through, you can push or pull once more to get to the “pasture over the hill.” This has definitely given me the courage to keep pushing forward to achieve my goals. Thank you for sharing, and I can’t wait to read more!

    -Cameron

  3. Brittani Forman on November 17, 2020 at 8:16 PM

    Hi CM! I love the poem! Very nice repition to show feeling and meaning.

  4. Kalvin Yang on November 18, 2020 at 10:16 AM

    Hey CM,

    This poem really reminds me of my high school years when we would sing the school’s alma mater, it also gives a fight song vibe. I like the fact that you made a rhyme scheme which gives a little rhythm to the poem. I can relate to this poem so much because of how you worded it and by reading this poem it has made me realize that my dreams have not been accomplished yet and to keep going no matter the cost. This is a great poem for those that have almost given up on hope and can be used for motivation through hard times.

  5. Hannah Cameron on November 18, 2020 at 11:29 AM

    This poem exemplifies a lot of determination from the author. I love the alternating of the push and pull and it reminds of someone doing manual labor and telling themself that they can get through the struggle they are in with a little bit of push and pull.

  6. Madison on November 18, 2020 at 2:18 PM

    Wow, how true is this! “Pull away from your past and push yourself forward.” I love that! It is so incredibly true. How often do we dwell on the mistakes of the past instead of the possibilities for the future? Keep pushing and pulling

  7. Justin Lambert on November 19, 2020 at 3:30 AM

    This is seriously inspiring, I honestly really needed this with how hectic my classes are getting. Please don’t stop sharing your voice!

  8. Jillian Eberson on November 19, 2020 at 9:38 AM

    This piece really spoke to me as I think it says a lot about perseverance, which is more important now than ever. As someone who has struggled to move on from the past, enjoy the present, and not worry too much about the future, this poem meant a lot to me. I really like the metaphors used to relate life to this continuous push and pull motion as well.

  9. Lexie on November 19, 2020 at 7:29 PM

    Hello! I think this poem is so powerful and I really loved several aspects you included in it! I think the back and forth repetition between the words push and pull really add to the mood of the piece, and I think the inclusion of both add to the feeling of the poem as well. My favorite part of this poem is the ending, it was so powerful, the moment you broke away from the repeating pattern I felt it matched perfectly with the themes of your poem! Great work! 🙂

  10. V. B. on November 20, 2020 at 9:09 AM

    Thank you for this wonderful poem. I appreciate how descriptive and energetic your words are. I also enjoyed the optimism in your poetry. I like how you wrote that relief comes with a tax because it does take hard work to be able to engender an environment in which rest and relief exist.

  11. Clifford on November 20, 2020 at 4:22 PM

    Very emotional piece of writing. The intense emotion was spectacular.

  12. beth on November 21, 2020 at 12:53 PM

    CM,
    I really liked your perspective on the push and pull of personal growth. It illustrates how difficult it is for people to seperate themselves from their past to create a better future. Your use of repetition creates a really powerful feeling, mimicking how the journey of self-betterment is long, difficult, and full of ups and downs, like a push and pull.

  13. Aish on November 21, 2020 at 1:49 PM

    Wow, I loved this poem! The rhythm is gorgeous and fit really well. Final line is well said. Great work!

  14. Anneliese on November 21, 2020 at 8:20 PM

    CM, I really enjoyed reading your poem! I love how, at the end, you said “Reach beyond your grasp, you’ll surely gain more,” because if you do not push yourself you are not going to get as far as you otherwise could have.

  15. Sarah Canady on November 22, 2020 at 9:31 PM

    I love the contradiction and the imagery that you bring to the piece with the use of the words “push” and “pull.” My favorite lines are the last two. This poem is motivational in a way that you know the writer has had their own struggles and made it to the other side. Continue to write and produce poems like this! You have a gift

  16. Jescie Roberts on November 24, 2020 at 3:50 PM

    Hey CM! I love the analogy here between pushing and pulling in your life. I think it shows both the struggle of stress and weight of life while also giving somewhat of encouragement to keep moving forward. I really love the message here and I think it shows a great story while also captivating the audience into your poem! Keep up the good work! 🙂

  17. Nadia on November 25, 2020 at 7:22 PM

    Hey CM

    Im about to start college and Im really scared. lol But I really like your poem and Im going to print it out because Thats what I need a push to keep moving forward. -Nadia

  18. Stephanie R Folkner on November 30, 2020 at 7:09 PM

    I love this message, your style of writing is so powerful. I loved the wording and the message of your poem. Push yourself forward and pull away from the dark past, this is how you heal and have a better future.

  19. Cy Maceda on December 1, 2020 at 3:51 PM

    This is very inspirational to read especially for people who are stuck with the baggages of their past. The imagery is very clear and I love that I’m captivated by every line.

  20. Lyndsay on December 3, 2020 at 5:08 PM

    I absolutely love the rhythm in this poem. It is very catchy and encouraging. My favorite part about this is each stanza alternating with Push and Pull. I think that is very clever.

  21. Justin Lambert on December 5, 2020 at 1:48 PM

    This was something I needed to read in these trying times. Sometimes I feel like all the will in me has been completely sapped and that all is lost. Thank you so much for this!

  22. Keyana on December 7, 2020 at 11:51 AM

    This poem resonates with me a great deal! In life it can feel like we are pulled and pushed in several different directions. It is important to try to your best to keep pushing towards the future as you said in the poem.

  23. Maggie on December 8, 2020 at 12:14 PM

    I loved the way this poem used repetition of the words push and pull to help emphasis its point, as well as the inspiration it leaves people to keep moving forward!

  24. Joyce on December 8, 2020 at 2:57 PM

    Dear CM,

    This is a great poem! I love the repetition of Push! and Pull!, it’s unique and powerful. I like that you write the poem in the less common second person point of view, directing your message at the reader. The content of your poem is so strong and motivating — by referencing the subject’s force, might, strength, and bravery, you encourage them to embrace these characteristics in themselves. You beautifully contrast fear and hardship with bravery and hope. I love the “pasture over the hill” imagery. Thank you for this amazing message!

    Sincerely,
    Joyce

  25. Ken on December 10, 2020 at 2:37 PM

    This poem was very well written. You did a very good job about going back and forth on your thoughts. Your wording was very good and it made the poem very intense! Keep up the good writing!!

  26. Tashayla Hawkins on December 11, 2020 at 12:14 PM

    Never give up! Even though things may seem hard and may seem like things will never get better, continue to push and remember that anything can happen as long as you put your mind to it.

  27. Samantha on December 17, 2020 at 10:14 PM

    CM,

    Oh my word, was this inspiring! I loved the rhythm of this poem, and how you started each line with “Pull!”. I was moving along with the rhythm of this poem as I read it. Thank you for your motivation and inspiration through your words. What a triumphant, resilient poem this was…I enjoyed every moment of it.

    Best,

    Samantha

  28. Anna Rowell on December 19, 2020 at 10:27 AM

    I love this poem! It’s important to look at the future instead of dwelling on the past. You’re gonna do great things, I believe it!

  29. Virginia on December 21, 2020 at 12:00 PM

    Dear CM,
    I think this is a beautiful poem. I love the repetition of “Push!” and “Pull!” and the rhyme scheme you used. It really paints such a vivid picture in my mind as I see the movement of the different forces that pull us and push us through success and struggles. I especially love the lines about the “fields of hope that you till” and the “pasture over the hill.” It’s a poem that acknowledges how hard life can be, and how our struggles are both individual and shared throughout our communities and with the people who have gone before us. But then it also serves as a great call to action, urging us to keep going, keep going, keep going. That message of hope is so powerful. Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing left to fight for, but our poem is a reminder that there can always be hope for the future.
    Thanks so much for sharing your work.

  30. Jordan on January 18, 2021 at 11:33 AM

    Hi CM,
    Thank you for sharing your empowering poem. I loved the message that your poem conveyed about reaching for the stars and your dreams and letting go of the past and the things that hold us back! I think a lot of people, including myself, need to hear this every once in a while for encouragement and motivation. Thank you for sharing your talent and I hope that you continue to write poetry!

  31. Natalie D. on January 25, 2021 at 12:38 PM

    Hey CM,

    Powerful poem! Every line is one motivating affirmation after another. This is the type of poem I would have hung on the wall in my bedroom or bathroom as a daily reminder to simply conquer the day, despite the odds. I will always remember to Push in times that I need to persevere, and Pull in times where I need to be willful for the betterment of me. Thank you for this poem!

    Natalie

  32. Joe Fargo on March 25, 2021 at 11:34 PM

    Dear CM,

    Thank you for sharing this poem. I appreciate your repetition of “Push” and “Pull,” as it reflects the physical work that goes along with the mental/emotional work towards bettering oneself. Your use of the pen is empowering, and I hope you continue writing and doing well.

    Best wishes,
    – Joe

  33. Ayzhiana Basallo on March 29, 2021 at 10:57 PM

    At first I did not realize what you were trying to get at in the poem but as I kept reading I started to understand more and more. The last line of your poem really hit me hard. It made me think about my own life and how I can do better everyday. Your poem did not just inspire me but it gave me motivation to actually keep doing better.

  34. Zach Phelps on March 30, 2021 at 1:44 PM

    Wow, I loved the contrast of push and pull. Each line had a new powerful meaning creating an impactful, meaningful, and motivating poem! I loved the descriptions and imagery you used. I really liked the line “ Push! There’s a pasture over the hill”. This line was filled with hope and it made for an inspiring and happy end to the poem. I also loved the rhyming you did throughout, it made the poem flow really well and helped make it even stronger! This piece was really well written and I loved every second of it. It brought many emotions to mind and made me think and reflect on the words I was reading! Thank you so much for sharing this, it was amazing!

  35. Ashlen on March 31, 2021 at 6:41 PM

    CM – Thank you for your poem! My favorite was the ending – I felt so motivated! It also ties the poem together really nicely and shows how much thought you put into your words. I hope you keep on writing because you are really talented!

  36. Anna on April 16, 2021 at 3:53 PM

    CM,
    This poem is motivational. I think it is so easy to give up when things get hard but this poem is a reminder of hope and to push and pull when things get hard. Thank you!

  37. Maria Griffin on April 18, 2021 at 9:38 PM

    CM,
    My name is Maria Griffin, and I am a second-year student at Wayne State University in Detroit. This semester, I am taking a class whose goal is to engage with the community, beyond the university and corporations.
    Your poem, “Push – Pull!” is a very great poem. I resembles change, determination, future, hope, resilience, and struggle all in one! The use of verbs like “push” and “pull” organized into their own stanzas and in a pattern give the poem organization which helps the reader understand it better. Also, the rhyming of each stanza adds to the organization and the flow of the read. Also, the addition of the last stanza that does not go with the rest of the patterns of the poem is a great addition because it leaves the reader with something to think about. Great job, CM! Keep up the good work!

  38. Jay on April 29, 2021 at 11:52 AM

    Your poem drew me in from the start with the use of “Push!” in the lines of the first stanza. My eyes were pulled to the exclamations and I think that they helped drive your messages that came immediately afterward. While reading I felt encouraged to focus on the future and all of the things that I know I can accomplish. In life we will all experience situations where we need to push or pull in order to grow. You ended strongly by summarizing your thoughts and telling the readers that it is possible to push away from the past and move onward. Keep up the great writing.

  39. Billie Marcheva on May 6, 2021 at 11:06 PM

    Hi CM,

    The repetition creates such a great framework for this piece. I am so proud of you for all of the strength and resilience you’ve built up with a life time of the push and pull. I wish you good luck.

  40. nisha on October 17, 2021 at 4:15 PM

    Hi, each line you started off felt stronger and stronger. You show how it’s important to move from the past and preserve. It is motivating and encourages us to keep going.

  41. Dhara on October 17, 2021 at 6:33 PM

    Hi CM,
    Great use of repetition of the words “push” and “pull.” The overall message from the poem is really helpful and relatable. Everyone definitely goes through ups and downs in their life but we should use the bad things as an experience to learn and grow.

  42. Julia on November 9, 2021 at 9:22 PM

    Hi CM,

    I would be really interested to hear your poem put to music since it has a wonderful rhythm and flow.

  43. Julia on November 18, 2021 at 1:30 PM

    I absolutely love this poem! It has a theme of determination and fighting through hard times for you and your loved ones. It made me feel the struggle this person is having and seeing them not back down was amazing. I love how descriptive this poem is, because it makes the reader feel something. Thank you so much for sharing.

  44. Andrew F on April 7, 2022 at 8:45 PM

    CM –
    Love how your structure this around “push” and “pull” starting each line in alternative stanzas. It really forces the reader to imagine themselves doing arduous labor as reading about why the struggle is so essential to continue. The author is not reflecting from a comfortable chair, he is in the grind at the moment and urging himself on.

    Great read!

  45. Oshane on November 16, 2022 at 4:27 PM

    Hi CM ,

    Thanks for sharing your poem with us. I like the message behind your writing : Push, Pull !

    I like that you encourage us to “Pull away from the past and push ourselves forward”.

    I feel this message is for me as I am going through a some difficult life changes and transitions right now where it makes me think that i wont be able to pull through. Hence, your poem is now motivating me and reminding me that “I have no time to relax” and “relief comes with a tax” . My interpretation of this to myself is that seeing I am on a journey that resulted me to leave my country to pursue higher education I need to push and complete my degree, I have no time to relax and my reward will be at the end.

    I wish you peace and to hope.

    Do keep writing I’d like to hear more from you.

  46. Nora on December 6, 2022 at 2:40 PM

    The use of Push to show stepping ahead and moving to the better and the use of pull to challenge convention is a creative move. You can feel the power of your conviction in each line. Conviction you use to inspire others.

  47. Oshane H on January 29, 2023 at 9:31 PM

    Hi CM,

    very powerful and inspiring reminder of the importance of pushing and pulling in life. I like that you used the imagery of pushing and pulling to emphasize the need to strive for success and to never give up. Thanks for encouraging us to push ourselves to the limit and to never give up, even in the face of adversity.

  48. Andrew on February 12, 2023 at 9:03 PM

    The repeating words emphasize the importance of work and perseverance. It conveys a message to continue working despite the struggles and promotes a strong will. Very well written!

  49. Jazmyne on February 13, 2023 at 9:20 PM

    This is so inspirational! What I thought was unique was the way you have the poem structured. Beginning the lines with “push” and “pull.” It is a relatable message to all. Each one of us has dealt with the battle of growing and conquering more goals. It’s remarkable how much strength and power this poem holds! I hope to read more of your beautiful work!

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