RJ Walker - I Do

[@quartzmaya]

> sees title > oh maybe this one will be a nice happy one about marriage! > "How ironic it is to die in the living room" > my mistake

[@brookeburbridge1108]

LITERALLY ME

[@Kat-bc1wv]

LMAO same

[@rjwalker4622]

Honestly, this is probably the hardest poem I ever did. It really prepared me to do those hard poems like Deciet & I. There was a time when I forced myself not to have feelings about the things I saw and did working in EMS, and I want to thank all the people who have supported me in overcoming that. As a suicide survivor myself this piece became dear to me. There's a quote from the book Dogs of Babel, "Suicide isjust a moment... For just a moment it doesn't matter that you've got people who love you and the sun is shining and there's a movie coming out this weekend that you've been dying to see. It hits you all of a sudden that nothing is ever going to be okay, ever, and you kind of dare yourself." I think about the kid I describe in this poem, and it helps me realize in my darkest times, that there is more than just this moment. Thanks everyone. If you'd like to support me, audio of this poem as well as others are avaliable for Pay-What-You-Want as well as books on www.rjwalker.bandcamp.com

[@phoebeashwood9406]

Heya, i found your poem today and it is truly incredible! ive just been laying in bed with it on repeat! keep at it xo

[@madelinebarber1008]

As a suicide survivor and a poet myself, thank you so much for sharing this piece of yourself with us. Thank you so, so much.

[@Starshoot555]

Is this piece published in a book of yours?

[@abringley1083]

Where did you get that shirt you were wearing lol

[@rjwalker4622]

Chauncey Koulibali Yeah! www.rjwalker.bandcamp.com/merch it's in Anatomy of an Overdose.

[@kieleyevatt2232]

Thank all the EMTs for going out and having to view sights like this, so that they can save others who are still able to be saved. This was beautiful

[@jasminnicole5293]

RJ Walker is one of the most powerful and memorable poets I've ever come across. Every poem is the aftermath of a bomb.

[@resilientwriter]

"Every bullet hole I've ever seen looks like it's trying to mouth the words "I'm sorry", and I've never seen a bullet hole smile except for that one, and it scared me." Chills down my spine. This poem killed me. So powerful and heartbreaking. Some of the things EMTs/Paramedics/Firefighters/Police see are absolutely awful, thank you all for serving. Side note: I really like his shirt!

[@isis5888]

Jesus, RJ really knows how to hit where it hurts.

[@jdlcaswell8489]

"I wonder if God in heaven has a box of halos that will never be worn." Chills.

[@ellawasincredible]

sticks and stones may break my bones, but YOUR poems will make me cry. Amazing poem!!

[@johnbutler4130]

Man...17 year Medic here. He's speaking the truth.

[@joshwah4838]

Anyone else get La Dispute vibes from this? Really powerful poem.

[@devinlacy4914]

I've seen this so many times I mouth the words along with him

[@melissaduvall3347]

oh my god my soul.

[@johnbutler4130]

RJ I've learned to swallow it.....The nightmares. The sitting and dwelling on things I couldn't change.

[@lavhayez]

This is so incredible. I'll be thinking about this for a long time.

[@frommywindow180]

Wow. That poem. RJ is definitely one of my favourites poets.

[@delaneyrose9180]

I have no words...

[@peppermintpearl]

What an extraordinary story teller, I'm going to be thinking about this poem for a long while

[@ReneMullen]

Still one of my favorite, and most emotional, poems. Thank you for sharing!

[@venatrix1298]

Thank you for putting these feeling into words, it helps more than you may ever know

[@joshuaaldrin5663]

My man....This was amazing. Thank you for this brother!

[@artemissharp1227]

I'm crying man, this was so powerful

[@caffeinatednation8885]

Wow. Beautiful.

[@nayeliramirez5185]

I'm crying 😭😭

[@siennanotes]

Such a well-written and powerful poem. ♥

[@ferrandsamantha]

Wow. Just wow.

[@libbyheins7832]

this had me going oh shiiit to myself at 2 in the morning

[@kissofchaos8459]

I love your shirt and your poem.

[@elizag100]

amazing poem. moving

[@ishaqa3569]

Powerful.

[@nata713namakobo8]

Deep ♥️

[@JayrFrancis]

That's heavy!

[@Marie-gt2we]

Damn boy

[@jennakinnear9]

wowza

[@ColtsFan2016]

don't do this to me

[@Josie-6]

GO WESTMINSTER SLAM!

[@daddymarx9445]

Wow.

[@savanahhernandez9705]

The first line...😨

[@calistamarjorie]

this hit too close to home fuck..

[@MKMSxSIN]

Where did you get that shirt?

[@82ndarmy]

wow

[@anna46792]

the end

[@eleveneightyseven4165]

DUDE, enough, we get it, you can write.

[@abigailroundy8496]

How ironic they call them sirens, the song that leads men to there graves. Wtf man Yas

[@antjr6929]

Kid sounds like he read too much carter album, that new Orleans boogie