Hey everyone,

I’m currently taking part in a poetry writing workshop, and this week’s challenge was to write a poem inspired by a piece from a reading list we built ourselves. The piece I chose gripped me from the start—it was rich, vivid, and emotionally raw. The kind of writing that lingers long after you've finished reading it.

From that inspiration came my own poem: “What He Carries.” It’s a piece that leans heavily into imagery and emotion, exploring the quiet weight people carry, especially the kind that goes unseen. The accompanying image above captures the same atmosphere I tried to channel through the poem: quiet pain, silent strength, and a resilience that holds together even when cracked.

I’d love for you to read it and let me know what you think. Feedback is always welcome and appreciated—it helps me grow as a writer and keeps me motivated to keep showing up to the page. I’m hoping to write and share more often, and this workshop has been the spark I really needed.

Thanks so much for stopping by—and I genuinely hope your day has some light in it.

Much love,
James Basch

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What He Carries

by James Basch

                                     He reaches out, clinging to anything,                                     

But keeps getting cut by thoughts too sharp.

 

Wrapped tight in pressure,

pulled in every direction,

He drops to his knees—

tired, worn out, used up.

Once a steady light,

now just melted wax on the floor,

burned down from helping everyone else.

His eyes were empty, but still deep,

beautiful in a quiet, broken way.

He looks strong,

But there's a softness in the cracks.

And still, he keeps going:

So others won't have to feel

The kind of emptiness

He knows too well.