Defeat

Why didn't it work for me today?

AI Artwork

Defeat

I sit at my desk,

put pen to paper,

try to write what I feel,

try to channel the emotion

down through my hand.                     

The hand sweats.                   

It tightens.                  

Grips the pen in a fist.

Starts to slash!

Slash, slash, slash!     

Rents in the paper.                 

Shredded paper.                     

Gouged desk.             

Smashed desk.

In defeat,        

it viciously hurls                    

the pen at the wall.

Inspiration

For years, writing poetry was how I made sense of the things going on inside my head. Then one day I sat down, pen in hand, waiting for the words to come... and nothing happened. It was an oddly concerning experience, and this poem was born from that frustration.

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© Catherine Knee 2026. All rights reserved.

AI Declaration

AI was used solely to create the accompanying artwork.
No AI was used in the writing of this poem.

Defeat is a poem by Catherine Knee exploring writer's block, creative frustration, artistic expression and the emotional struggle of losing the ability to write.