Tag: Shayne Rich

I Made It Out Alive – 19th June 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 13 Comments

You found something in my lithium eyes

The leather belt left more than marks on your neck

As you buried yourself in bourbon and stink

Bonded by our death-wish

You would laugh as I would cry



Your mask was much stronger than mine

Mine as fragile as wet paper tissues

You love with the back of your hand

Waiting for your trophy wife to appear

You blame the powder and I blame myself



Grab your beers and go

I’ll call the ambulance myself

One last hug, I beg

As the apartment door slams shut

I’ll call the ambulance myself



And when you called and cared again

I bowed down to do anything, again

You came – you came and then left

Again, I called every day

Until you found your reason to make me stop



I made it out alive

Leaving behind the forsaken wasteland

That was your life, not mine

I made it out alive

Leaving you behind

This poem was inspired by a piece originally written by Shayne Rich on SubStack
Shared with dVerse OLN #410

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

Stay Focused On The Present

The big picture can be overwhelming
And it’s better to get up close
Every step becomes compelling
And now will satisfy and engross

He Is, She Is – 28th April 2026

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

She:
Maybe the world
didn’t revolve
around your plans?

He:
Because liars succeed only
where there are men
who want to believe.

She:
Borderline loving –
enough to fuck,
not enough to be loved.

He:
He guides her fall from the curb,
sheds one happy tear for his good luck,
and feels better.

She:
She grew up too soon –
Her plastic pets left in the garage
My dusty little ponies

He:
He can only fall in love
while he’s already in love,
having no idea what love is.

She:
Her next steps are secrets.
Then again, maybe the world
doesn’t revolve around her plans?

The world has a thousand ways of not loving women

Written for GloPoWriMo 2026 Day 27:
Write your own poem in which all the verses contain the same number of lines (whether couplets, triplets, quatrains, etc.) and in which you give the reader instructions of some kind.
But I forgot to include any instructions, although you can read them between the lines.
This poem also includes several borrowed lines – all linked in the text – from A Kings (paraphrased), Ashley Guzman, Shayne Rich (paraphrased), Brendon Holder, Deanne Dee Daydreams. All on Substack.
The second stanza, I came across in Penguin’s The History of Lies but I forgot who said it! And the last line was taken from somewhere/someone that I have also failed to note! If it is you (or maybe it’s a famous quote), please let me know.
Oh yeah – the title is taken from the Mission of Burma song of the same name.

Today’s Daily Stoic poem:

Want Makes You A Servant

Others’ power exists due to our wants
If you can change that, then you’re free
If chasing money is your response
They’ll insist on how you must be