The Quiet Collapse Poem by Katherine Witherspoon

I used to fight the rising tide,
To stand up tall, to swell with pride.
But now I let the waters climb—
What's the point in wasting time?

I've worn the mask, I've played the part,
I've poured out pieces of my heart.
But nothing grows in salted earth,
And truth be told—I have no worth.

The sun still shines, but not for me,
Its warmth is something I don't see.
The world moves on, it doesn't care
If I am gone or breathing air.

They said, "Hold on, you're not alone."
But silence echoes through the phone.
The mirror shows a hollow shell—
A ghost who's learned to smile too well.

No cries for help, no desperate plea,
Just quiet, soft complicity.
I've made my peace, I've played my role,
And now I fold into the whole.

Let others climb and chase the flame,
I'm tired of losing at the game.
Not every tale ends with a rise—
Some fade beneath the heavy skies.

So here I stay, no need to mend,
A weary heart that will not pretend.
Not broken now, but finally still—
A shadow shaped by loss and will.