Don't
call me
honey, sweetie,
buddy,
boss
big guy, dude,
slugger,
champ
scooter, chief,
captain,
sport
tiger, partner,
daddy,
dude
If you
can't bother
to learn
my name
Don't call me
anything
The Power of What’s Not Said
This poem was written with restraint from the beginning.
I didn’t want to explain everything or weigh it down with emotion. I wanted the silence to do some of the speaking. The list of names, the clipped lines, the absence of reaction—all of it is intentional. Sometimes, not naming the emotion lets it resonate more.
This kind of writing isn’t flashy. It doesn’t lean on metaphor or flourish. But it can still carry weight. Restraint invites the reader to lean in, to notice what’s missing, and to sit with that tension.
I’m still learning how to use that silence well—how to let form and omission speak for themselves. I don’t claim to have mastered it, but I believe it’s worth practicing.
Try It:
Write a poem that doesn’t say everything. Let repetition, brevity, or absence do the work. Don’t describe the feeling—show the gap it leaves behind.
If you’re willing, share your poem or a link in the comments. I’d love to see how you write what’s unsaid.