Who Are You Today?



Very soon you will be gone,
So who are you today?
A brilliant soul or silhouette
Of conscience on display,

The bridge between the hopes and dreams
Of those who call you “Friend,”
A drop of rain that sings the pain
Of sweet, sweet Summer’s end,

The naked eye that stops to cry
Then searches ever more,
The distant ear that strains to hear
The waves upon the shore,

The traveler bound from town to town
Who marks upon the road,
The loving heart that seeks to see
Compassion is bestowed,

The canvas for the golden ink
You scribble line by line,
The darkness of the rapid blink
That lasts for all of time,

The orange of October
And the purple of the sky,
The wonder in a child’s gaze
That makes him question “Why,”

The joyous tears and daunting fears
Of cowards and the brave,
The dreamers and the destinies
Of those you wish to save,

The perfectly imperfect lot
Of stones upon the ground,
The permanence of all that’s lost
In everything you’ve found,

The answers to the questions
That are woven in your mind,
The setting sun for which you run
But always fall behind,

The sober drop of honest truth
You taste upon your tongue,
The bloody passion in your veins
That pleads your song be sung,

And have you held your precious gifts
Or given them away?
For very soon you will be gone,
So who are you today?

About this poem

I was supposed to go out with my friends one random Friday night. Instead, I stayed in and wrote this at 2am. Hope you enjoy.

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Submitted by salkinjt on May 10, 2023

1:28 min read
1,868

Quick analysis:

Scheme aBxb xcxc dexe xfxf gxgx xdxd xhxh xixi xjxj xkxk xbaB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,345
Words 296
Stanzas 11
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Discuss the poem Who Are You Today? with the community...

30 Comments
  • delano
    Thank you. Had me thinking about who i am
    LikeReply18 days ago
  • nahidha2008
    Oh gosh.. I love this
    LikeReply24 days ago
  • BadPenBadPencil
    very cool! also nice flow
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • beesora113
    I have never read something this beautiful.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • andromedaaa
    this was a very interesting and thought provocative read! as a young person, your poem made me reflect and think on not only who I am, but what kind of person I want to be, against all odds of existing. thank you! 
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • Shocam
    Really inspiring and as a piece of literature, it is something to learn from and look up to
    LikeReply3 months ago
  • mayonde
    Is this about Eve22?
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • Kfoxy1411
    This is a beautiful, inspiring piece. I really enjoyed reading it and feeling it. Thank you.
    LikeReply6 months ago
  • mitchellmichelle63
    Great read, really enjoyed it
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • Mrs.Showem
    Definitely well deserved. Congratulations on your win and such a beautiful poem. I love it so much indeed.
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • Lynda
    Love this Jordan!
    Well written and thoughtful
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • luisestable1
    We do not know why this person soon will be gone. But only the attitude before it. It makes one questions this, will you go with a frown or with a smile so to speak. It is an excellent poem with many good things such as the rhyme-scheme and the situation it raises. One can see why it was chosen as the winner and well-deserved.
    Good read! 
    LikeReply9 months ago
    • JokerGem
      l believe the ‘you’ the poem is directed at is the reader (in a rhetorical manner) such that, whichever stanza’s conditions may apply to YOU, you may identify with most. You decide for yourself which ‘you’ you may be or become while you can. 
      LikeReply8 months ago
  • Symmetry60
    Beautiful poetry here, Jordan. Well earned for sure. Congratulation, Sir.
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • DougHaberman
    Congratulations! Wonderful poem!
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • robertrad2021
    Beautiful.
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • npirandy
    Well Jordan. It looks like you've won the hearts of the masses. Congratulations! I wish I had the ability to write in such beautiful poetic language!
    LikeReply 19 months ago
  • Philipo
    I don't know how they choose these poems. Even though this your work made sense to me, I still don't think it is the best of the lot in the twelve. Congrats from my heart.
    LikeReply9 months ago
  • CarmiPhilander
    Although I have probably not accurately pinpointed the meaning of your entire poem, I actually like it
    LikeReply10 months ago
  • MandaaCohen93
    This is such a beautiful gathering of precious, touching words that all come together so perfectly! After reading this I felt so calm & peaceful. It gave me such a passion in my soul for my love of writing and it's obvious you as well have quite the love, skill & talent for writing poetry! Wonderful work! 
    LikeReply 21 year ago
  • angieliana
    That was very beautiful and has inspired me in my writing!
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • Mickeydenisegrandma
    Very good and makes you think
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • npirandy
    I feel obligated to give a nod to several of the entries to this month's contest. I found several to be worthy of recognition. The quality of work was above a beyond the norm. This poem did get my vote though. To take first place among these entries is truly an accomplishment! Well done. 
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • lovingempath
    "The canvas for the golden ink", pretty much says it all for me; but wait! There's more!! The other visuals, along with the rhythm and rhyme; all the way through; without any forced words to meet the need for a word that rhymes meet all of my personal specifications for the perfect poem. AND...it was dripping in emotion. I think I took a shower in it! Congratulations!! 
    LikeReply 31 year ago
  • mmocanu73
    In my opinion, this poem sincerely expresses a fundamental question that synthesizes the need to remain in the present and to understand that today is all we have and what defines us. Also, rhythm and rhyme are built inspired, the poem has melody and color. Congratulation to the author! 
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • Dread
    Besides the good meter and rhyme, there was a poignant melancholy in this work for me. I often reminisce about the days of my youth and contemplate diminishing days. This poem give cause to reflect on what purpose our lives have served. 
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • npirandy
    I found the rhythm and rhyme of this poem to be smooth and rather soothing. The message behind it led to a moral conclusion. Well done!
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • Risingwerdz
    I chose this poem because it is the closest out of the bunch to perfect. It is deep with vivid imagery as well.
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • tbishop11
    This poem spoke to me on many levels!
    LikeReply 11 year ago
  • Váli
    Not overly complex for no reason. Uses words in a way that flows with the overall poem and gets its point across, and not just trying to rhyme. It's a poem I feel that everyone can relate to. It was lovely to read and digest. It was a hard choice but I feel like this poem deserves my vote. 
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • JokerGem
    This is also ’woven’ together quite nicely and certainly pulled me in....l hope this places in the show
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"Who Are You Today?" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 Dec. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/161421/who-are-you-today?>.

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