coming back to this poem over 7 years later and i still cried like it was the first time. So appreciative of her talents, she was one of the driving forces for why i started writing & doing spoken word.
The part that had me was when she said "I'll tell her to never regret loving in permanent ink" and at the end when she said "I hope my daughter never bares her soul at a poetry showcase, with her first love sitting in the audience knowinh that the hands she'll use to applaud her with Will be the same hands that will never hold her again"
Jennah Moss a classic I even I had tell boyfriend either we can't make through like a dead pan stereotype special ed class making a stuttering cause,okay?
Dear ex lover, I promise I'll stop chasing your memory in my dreams. I'll stop bringing your name up over cups of coffee. muffins, and loneliness. I will marry a man, and I will lay my heart on his chest, like red roses on mahogany caskets. And I'll have his daughter. And she'll have eyes reminding me that God still believes in second chances. And if she ever decided to date a woman, I will love bravery down her spine. I will be reminded of all the times where we loved like there were expiration dates tattooed on our inner thighs. If she ever comes home with eyelids like cracking levies, bruised kneecaps, and a heart full of question marks, I will hold her like my mother never held me. I will clasp her face in my palms like the New Testament on judgement day. I'll tell her that love is the passion that allows you to do the right thing. And no woman can play coaster to half-empty heart. And if she ever feels as if she's alone, As if she is not a hand-me-down fabric pulled out of the depths of mommy's closet, I'll remember your name and I'll mumble it under my breath. And when she asks me what did I say, I'll tell her that I know what it's like to drag a woman out of a cold war, And then being too worn to clean up the battle field that it has made of you. I'll tell her that your heart sounds like gun shows tripping over battered cement. I'll tell her I know what it's like just to want somebody to remember you. And that some women are as foul as expired men in produce aisles. And that apologies are like oxygen masks on hijack planes. Forgive yourself before you ever forgive the person that's sitting next to you. I'll tell her to never regret loving in permanent ink. And that scars only give your stretch marks something to gossip about. And that hearts and stop signs are fraternal twins, Lost in open roads and hollow chests. If my daughter's mirror is ever unfamiliar and she is too embarrassed and prideful to run into mommy's arms, I'll pray that she has friends with hearts filled with thousands of fireflies. Who are not too cool to pray with her. Who will tell her to stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and find God in the darkness. If my daughter ever walks in my house like shattering class, I'll tell her about you. I'll tell her that we hurt like C-Sections birthing dead babies. And that we cried together. And that we prayed together. And that we laughed like our smiles were the only ones that mattered in this world. And that we hurt, Like women who loved women, Who loved people that did not love us. Dear Ex Lover, I hope my daughter never knows what a goodbye kiss feels like. I hope she never knows what "I'll see you later" really means. I hope she never memorizes the dial tone of a last conversation. Because a broken heart feels like poisoned butterflies taking their last flutters in the pit of your stomach. Dear Ex Lover, I hope my daughter never bears her soul at a poetry showcase, With her first love sitting in the audience- Knowing the same hands she'll use to applaud her with, Will be the same hands that will never hold her again.
My God this woman can make you cry. Her voice, the soul behind it all is what brings tears to my eyes, I can't help relate to such dreary lines, reminding those of who hurt us so much, such ingrates and their lies.
The final lines of this poem really hit me so hard because I did that! I read a poem about a guy that absolutely shattered me, at a poetry reading with him sitting in the FRONT row, knowing that that would be the last time I ever feel his arms. This poem is so real! Thank you!
This poem has still made me feel all warm inside and teary eyed . I discovered Jasmine Years ago and this is the poem that made me fall in love with her craft !
All the 100's of times that I watched this video I felt & completely understood her pain but never once did I cry until this very moment idk why it made me cried but I did Update: still watching this video 2 years later & I feel the same exact way
Wow!!! She just ETHERED her ex lover!!! Her ex lover left her for whatever reason, shattered her but Jasmine survived and she is reborn as a result! She became powerful, a vessel, a testament of rebirth, a messenger to her someday daughter. She "will hold her like her mother never held her, she will clasp her face in her palms like the New Testament on Judgement Day" Powerful!!! I wonder if her "Ex-Lover" knew she was about to get body bagged in the audience when she went to see her ex perform this night. She took her ex and put her and a body bag and put the body bag in a body bag!!! Applaud her Ex Lover... without you we might never have discovered Ms Mans... so applaud her!!! It's probably because of you she discovered her gift... but it was God that instilled it in her, you just woke it up, so applaud her but you can't hold her ever again.
She is the one in the body bag, not her ex. This is not a poem of victory and joy, it is a poem of death and sorrow. I know what it feels like to love a woman but know that you could never make the choice to live in her arms. I know what it feels like to fear never finding love again because the truest love you have ever felt came with a vagina, and shame, pain, sin. I know what it is to feel like you are slapping your God in the face everytime you touch her, kiss her, go to bed with her, love her. I know what it feels like to say no to love just so you can say yes to God. I know what it feels like to die.
Liza Luther I'm glad you clarified that cause I was confused for a minute.....I thought the poem was about what Jasmine went through from breaking her Ex Lovers heart or something like that. lol! Please share any insight you might have on what Jasmine's poem meant cause I would love to hear your take on it. Now shade to the brother or sister who originally posted their take. I don't always get the right perception on what certain poems mean either.
When she came to the university of Missouri she did this poem and I have thee honor of having it recorded on my phone. Jasmine Mans is my liberation. BEAUTIFUL WOMAN!
This had me in tears and this has helped me with my past situation that just seemed so hard to get over. My heart just felt so weak and bitter always a smile on my face but inside a freezer. I just want to thank you for allowing me release my tears that I have always bottled up inside. Giving me the chance to show my insides and not my outsides. I just have to say you have a gift and that god specially created you lots of love.
AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL ... God bless the the wounded fruit of this world... And please keep your armor of protection around this nation's nurturers for we are all your children...Mold us into what you want us to be... Amen..
Oh god. I have long been searching for a poem that has made me have goose bumps this way since "Just Friends" and "For Colored Girls" and I think... Part of my heart died with her and part of it revived with her. Just all the snaps. Everything about this makes me want to stand and applaud you.
Jasmine Mans, Jasmine Mans... how do I always end up at this poem. I've never felt every ounce of a poem before until this one. Years later, I feel it even more.
I held my breath during the whole poem ... This poem is EVERYTHING " I know what its like to drag a woman out of a Cold War and then being to worn to clean up the battle field it has made of you"
I heard this poem almost a decade ago and it always broke me the emotions she puts in her spoken word my goodness..glad ive healed. Such a talented woman!
I remember hearing this when I was broken. When I couldn't with my own life. I was barely 18. I cried and cried and after 12 years I rewatched but this time I cried out of happiness. Ohhhh lord how beautiful has life turned out to be. I've fallen in love with her words
This is one of the most beautifully uncomfortable and personal things I have ever seen. I love how she let's us in. One of my favorite poems of all time. Thanks Ms. Mans.
Dr Frank can make your ex come back to you for a second chance. He was the one who helped me restore back my broken relationship of 3 years by bringing back my ex Also Dr Frank always keep up with his words I strongly Advise you to seek help from him
I'm forever grateful to Dr. Lucky on RUclips channel for the successful love spell he cast on my husband who left me with our 3 kids for 1yeasr with the help of Dr LUCKY my husband is home with us now we living happylee as one.. I'm forever grateful Doctor 🙏🙏
I cried from when she said "dear ex-lover" all the way to "the same hands that will never hold her again" and then i listened to it another 200 times.. what an amazing poem
Wow this was amazing! Reminds me of my last relationship. Although I'm over the situation, this reminds me of the pain of that situation. I truly hope no one experiences it. To love too deeply is to allow yourself to come undone.
Every time I hear this poem, watch this performance, it makes me feel. This woman makes me feel, and she makes me think, and she makes me believe, in women, and truths, and a truer idea of God than the one I grew up learning about.
Dear Ex Lover, I promise I’ll stop chasing your memory in my dreams. I’ll stop bringing your name up over cups of coffee, muffins, and loneliness. I will marry a man and I will lay my heart on his chest like red roses on Mahogany caskets and I’ll have his daughter and she’ll have eyes reminding me that God still believes in second chances. And if she ever decided to love a woman, I will rub bravery down her spine. I will be reminded of all the times that we loved, like there were expiration dates tattooed on our inner thighs. If she ever comes home with eyelids like cracking Levis and bruised kneecaps and a heart filled with question marks I will hold her like my mother never held me. I will clasp her face in my palms like the new testament on judgement day. I’ll tell her that love is the passion that allows you to do the right thing, and that no woman can play coaster to a half empty heart. And if she ever feels as if she is alone, as if she is a hand-me-down pulled out of the depths of mummy’s closet. I’ll remember your name and I’ll mumble it under my breath and if she asks me what I said; I’ll tell her I know what it’s like to drag a woman out of a cold war and then being too worn to clean up the battlefield that it has made of you. I’ll tell her that your heartbeat sounded like gun shells tripping over battered cement. I’ll tell her that i know what it’s like just to want someone to remember you and that some women are as foul as expired men in produce isles and that apologies are like oxygen masks on a hijacked plane. Forgive yourself before you ever forgive the person sitting next to you. I’ll tell her to never regret loving in permanent ink, and that scars only give you stretch marks, something to gossip about and that hearts and stop signs are fraternal twins, lost in open roads and hollow chests. And if my daughter’s mirror ever looks unfamiliar and she’s too embarrassed and prideful to run into mummy’s arms I’ll pray, that she has friends with hearts filled with thousands of fire flies, who are not too cool to pray with her, who will tell her to stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and find God in the darkness. If my daughter ever walks in my house like shattering glass, I’ll tell her about you. I’ll tell her that we hurt like c-sections birthing dead babies, and that we cried together, and we prayed together, and we laughed like our smiles were the only ones that mattered in this world. And that we hurt like women who loved women, who loved people that did not love us. Dear Ex Lover,I hope my daughter never knows what a goodbye kiss feels like… I hope she never knows what “I’ll see you later.” really means. I hope she never memorizes the dial-tone of a last conversation, because a broken heart feels like poisoned butterflies taking their last flutters in the pit of your stomach Dear Ex Lover, I hope my daughter never bears her soul at a poetry showcase with her first love sitting in the audience, knowing that the hands she’ll use to applaud her with, will be the same hands that will never hold her again. genius.com/Jasmine-mans-dear-ex-lover-annotated
I adore this poem with all my heart. Found it many many years ago when I was so young and still an aspiring poet & although I don’t write poetry anymore, every now and then I remember this poem and I just have to come and listen in awe. So beautiful and sultry, so soulful and powerful.
Jasmine is a breath of fresh air!! She speaks for me like we are long lost soul mates finding ourselves in word!!! Because "God still believes in second chances"
Every time I hear this poem, I think about my first. Their is nothing like a first love nothing. And their is nothing like a women's love. To the me they both are the most powerful things in the world.
I haven't been this moved for year. I sit here crying because I can actually feel your pain not just hear it but feel it. I can feel the healing behind your words and I only wish to adopt them. thank you.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I am now 26 and when I say this poem still sticks with me I was 15 when I discovered this and man oh man
Wow Same. We have the same timeline
Sameeee
Same I was 12 (I'm 20 now, time really does fly by ❤️)in a difficult childhood and know what I didn't want from this
It's amazing to see how these words touched us as teens an now transition into womanhood
" Stop looking for light at the end of the tunnel and find God in the darkness " Wow I love that part. This poem is so heartfelt.
Call Her Red yes that line was dope! One of my best lines
Call Her Red Yassss!
Call Her Red m
Yes, that line struck me most.
¨Dear Ex-Lover, I hope my daughter never knows what a goodbye kiss feels like." powerful
coming back to this poem over 7 years later and i still cried like it was the first time. So appreciative of her talents, she was one of the driving forces for why i started writing & doing spoken word.
*NINE YEARS LATER AND THIS POEM STILL GIVES ME CHILLS
2022 still hittin
2022 still listening
12 years later, still makes my eyes water 💕
The part that had me was when she said "I'll tell her to never regret loving in permanent ink" and at the end when she said "I hope my daughter never bares her soul at a poetry showcase, with her first love sitting in the audience knowinh that the hands she'll use to applaud her with Will be the same hands that will never hold her again"
Jennah Moss a classic I even I had tell boyfriend either we can't make through like a dead pan stereotype special ed class making a stuttering cause,okay?
Every time I watch it it's Like my first time watching. . She's amazing
Dear ex lover,
I promise I'll stop chasing your memory in my dreams.
I'll stop bringing your name up over cups of coffee. muffins, and loneliness.
I will marry a man, and I will lay my heart on his chest,
like red roses on mahogany caskets.
And I'll have his daughter.
And she'll have eyes reminding me that God still believes in second chances.
And if she ever decided to date a woman,
I will love bravery down her spine.
I will be reminded of all the times where we loved like there were expiration dates tattooed on our inner thighs.
If she ever comes home with eyelids like cracking levies, bruised kneecaps, and a heart full of question marks,
I will hold her like my mother never held me.
I will clasp her face in my palms like the New Testament on judgement day.
I'll tell her that love is the passion that allows you to do the right thing.
And no woman can play coaster to half-empty heart.
And if she ever feels as if she's alone,
As if she is not a hand-me-down fabric pulled out of the depths of mommy's closet,
I'll remember your name and I'll mumble it under my breath.
And when she asks me what did I say,
I'll tell her that I know what it's like to drag a woman out of a cold war,
And then being too worn to clean up the battle field that it has made of you.
I'll tell her that your heart sounds like gun shows tripping over battered cement.
I'll tell her I know what it's like just to want somebody to remember you.
And that some women are as foul as expired men in produce aisles.
And that apologies are like oxygen masks on hijack planes.
Forgive yourself before you ever forgive the person that's sitting next to you.
I'll tell her to never regret loving in permanent ink.
And that scars only give your stretch marks something to gossip about.
And that hearts and stop signs are fraternal twins,
Lost in open roads and hollow chests.
If my daughter's mirror is ever unfamiliar and she is too embarrassed and prideful to run into mommy's arms,
I'll pray that she has friends with hearts filled with thousands of fireflies.
Who are not too cool to pray with her.
Who will tell her to stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and find God in the darkness.
If my daughter ever walks in my house like shattering class,
I'll tell her about you.
I'll tell her that we hurt like C-Sections birthing dead babies.
And that we cried together.
And that we prayed together.
And that we laughed like our smiles were the only ones that mattered in this world.
And that we hurt,
Like women who loved women,
Who loved people that did not love us.
Dear Ex Lover,
I hope my daughter never knows what a goodbye kiss feels like.
I hope she never knows what "I'll see you later" really means.
I hope she never memorizes the dial tone of a last conversation.
Because a broken heart feels like poisoned butterflies taking their last flutters in the pit of your stomach.
Dear Ex Lover,
I hope my daughter never bears her soul at a poetry showcase,
With her first love sitting in the audience-
Knowing the same hands she'll use to applaud her with,
Will be the same hands that will never hold her again.
Wow.Speechless.Haunting
Tijahnae King wow
Tijahnae King thank u
Tijahnae King : im cryin a lot
Tijahnae King hu
My God this woman can make you cry. Her voice, the soul behind it all is what brings tears to my eyes, I can't help relate to such dreary lines, reminding those of who hurt us so much, such ingrates and their lies.
The final lines of this poem really hit me so hard because I did that! I read a poem about a guy that absolutely shattered me, at a poetry reading with him sitting in the FRONT row, knowing that that would be the last time I ever feel his arms. This poem is so real! Thank you!
I performed my first poem in front of the ex it was about too. Strength has no words for it
This poem has still made me feel all warm inside and teary eyed . I discovered Jasmine Years ago and this is the poem that made me fall in love with her craft !
EXACTLY. still relevant.
Still gets me everytime.
"I'll tell her about you."
All the 100's of times that I watched this video I felt & completely understood her pain but never once did I cry until this very moment idk why it made me cried but I did
Update: still watching this video 2 years later & I feel the same exact way
"I hope my daughter never knows what a goodbye kiss really feels like." got me, but then the last minute shattered me.
listening to this while in a relationship vs. going through a breakup is an experience. damn.
"Apologies are like oxygen masks on a hijacked plane, forgive yourself before you ever forgive the person sitting next to you"
*to
Love this line
+Chance Epps me too!!!
Much love hun x
❤️❤️❤️
Wow!!! She just ETHERED her ex lover!!! Her ex lover left her for whatever reason, shattered her but Jasmine survived and she is reborn as a result! She became powerful, a vessel, a testament of rebirth, a messenger to her someday daughter. She "will hold her like her mother never held her, she will clasp her face in her palms like the New Testament on Judgement Day" Powerful!!! I wonder if her "Ex-Lover" knew she was about to get body bagged in the audience when she went to see her ex perform this night. She took her ex and put her and a body bag and put the body bag in a body bag!!!
Applaud her Ex Lover... without you we might never have discovered Ms Mans... so applaud her!!! It's probably because of you she discovered her gift... but it was God that instilled it in her, you just woke it up, so applaud her but you can't hold her ever again.
She is the one in the body bag, not her ex. This is not a poem of victory and joy, it is a poem of death and sorrow. I know what it feels like to love a woman but know that you could never make the choice to live in her arms. I know what it feels like to fear never finding love again because the truest love you have ever felt came with a vagina, and shame, pain, sin. I know what it is to feel like you are slapping your God in the face everytime you touch her, kiss her, go to bed with her, love her. I know what it feels like to say no to love just so you can say yes to God. I know what it feels like to die.
Liza Luther I'm glad to know that even with the pain that came with it you chose Him and I'm sorry it had to hurt.
Liza Luther I'm glad you clarified that cause I was confused for a minute.....I thought the poem was about what Jasmine went through from breaking her Ex Lovers heart or something like that. lol! Please share any insight you might have on what Jasmine's poem meant cause I would love to hear your take on it. Now shade to the brother or sister who originally posted their take. I don't always get the right perception on what certain poems mean either.
Liza Luther that was beautiful
Please let me know what you would like more clarification on and I will be happy to share.
I will love bravery down her spine! DAMN!
finest line too
Ronnie Gabriel I love that line! #yassss
Back again ! I still play this poem to help me through . Thank you
This poem never gets old .
no matter how old the video gets, her words refresh me everytime I come back. I love J.M. with everything in me.
This still gives me shivers, regardless of how many times ive watched this.
I needed to hear this. I can totally relate to this. in tears:(
I know what its like just to watch someone to remember you
When she came to the university of Missouri she did this poem and I have thee honor of having it recorded on my phone. Jasmine Mans is my liberation. BEAUTIFUL WOMAN!
Every time I watch this. I get chills.
Same
that very last part always gets me
I’ll always come back here. Happy national poetry month
Every TIME!!! Almost 11 years laters and I'm teary eyed!!
This had me in tears and this has helped me with my past situation that just seemed so hard to get over. My heart just felt so weak and bitter always a smile on my face but inside a freezer. I just want to thank you for allowing me release my tears that I have always bottled up inside. Giving me the chance to show my insides and not my outsides. I just have to say you have a gift and that god specially created you lots of love.
AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL ... God bless the the wounded fruit of this world... And please keep your armor of protection around this nation's nurturers for we are all your children...Mold us into what you want us to be... Amen..
Oh god.
I have long been searching for a poem that has made me have goose bumps this way since "Just Friends" and "For Colored Girls" and I think... Part of my heart died with her and part of it revived with her. Just all the snaps. Everything about this makes me want to stand and applaud you.
who is "Just Friends" written by?
I listen to this about 10 years ago, it is a nice poem. I still come back, years and years. ❤
"Stop looking for the the light at the end of the tunnel and find God in the darkness" Such a powerful statement
I watched this a year ago, I watched it again, and I still have the same feeling. Jasmine, you are an amazing poet.
Listened to the poem for 12+ years and today I finally felt the words in my life.I’ll miss that lady and love her forever 🥹💔
this spoke volumes to me. I just cried. no poem has ever made me cry.
Years later and this still is and will always be my favorite piece of art.
I've probably watched this 100 times and it still affects me emotionally. Amazing talent!
I can watch this over and over again and still shed tears
Wow I'm speechless totally speechless. A million word can't explain how I feel about this poem...
This makes me cry every time man, she has a beautiful way with her words.
Jasmine Mans, Jasmine Mans... how do I always end up at this poem. I've never felt every ounce of a poem before until this one. Years later, I feel it even more.
I held my breath during the whole poem ... This poem is EVERYTHING
" I know what its like to drag a woman out of a Cold War and then being to worn to clean up the battle field it has made of you"
Whenever I need to be inspired I come and listen to this.... Thank you Jasmine!!!!
I love and understand Jasmine Mans. She is one of my favorite poets. WOW!!! Still crying.
Have watched this a million times!!! And till this day I still love it just as much as I did day one !!!!! 😩
I heard this poem almost a decade ago and it always broke me the emotions she puts in her spoken word my goodness..glad ive healed. Such a talented woman!
" Your poem doesn't start until you tell the truth " #SpeakYourTruth *Poet4Life
I remember hearing this when I was broken. When I couldn't with my own life. I was barely 18. I cried and cried and after 12 years I rewatched but this time I cried out of happiness. Ohhhh lord how beautiful has life turned out to be. I've fallen in love with her words
2021 and I'm still crying my eyes out because of this
This is one of the most beautifully uncomfortable and personal things I have ever seen. I love how she let's us in. One of my favorite poems of all time. Thanks Ms. Mans.
This video makes me cry everytime I listen to it... So powerful!
This is one thee best pieces i have ever heard. I sent this poem to friends of mine that were not into poetry and they loved it also!!!
Dr Frank can make your ex come back to you for a second chance. He was the one who helped me restore back my broken relationship of 3 years by bringing back my ex Also Dr Frank always keep up with his words I strongly Advise you to seek help from him
Wh@tsApp him for help.
±19177227027⏯⏯⏯⏯⏯
±19177227027⏯⏯⏯⏯⏯
I'm forever grateful to Dr. Lucky on RUclips channel for the successful love spell he cast on my husband who left me with our 3 kids for 1yeasr with the help of Dr LUCKY my husband is home with us now we living happylee as one.. I'm forever grateful Doctor 🙏🙏
I cried from when she said "dear ex-lover" all the way to "the same hands that will never hold her again"
and then i listened to it another 200 times.. what an amazing poem
Wow this was amazing! Reminds me of my last relationship. Although I'm over the situation, this reminds me of the pain of that situation. I truly hope no one experiences it. To love too deeply is to allow yourself to come undone.
I crieddddd when I first heard this.! Heartbreak HURTS
"A broken heart feels like poison butterflies taking their last flutters in the pit of your stomach."
Amazing.
I've watched this poem so many times. Powerful so amazing. Love.
2018 and i still listen to this.
Lord Sandwich same
2019❤️
Nothing absolutely nothing like this performance right here. I come back to it so often and cry everytime.
In tears. 😭😭😭 This is so heartfelt. So much soul into this.
amourlashai ppl
This poem still feels like the first time I heard it
jesus. that was one of the most powerful things i've ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Found this poem my freshmen year and ever since then I loved it and I still cry listening to it.
I listen to this every couple of months and have memorised it to the word. It will always feel just as haunting as the day I first heard it.
Every time I hear this poem, watch this performance, it makes me feel. This woman makes me feel, and she makes me think, and she makes me believe, in women, and truths, and a truer idea of God than the one I grew up learning about.
My God so feel this right now!!! My "Dear Ex-Lover" was male but pain and lost is the same it just hurts!!! Still I rise.
2017 and still craving over this poem
I downloaded the entire strivers row poetry collection off iTunes & this one stays on repeat love her!!!!
I listen to this every morning, when I wake up it is on repeat as I get dressed and prepare my daughter for her day...
no woman can play coaster to an half empty heart! Deep! snaps
What exactly does this line mean?
+Alexandra banda it means no woman should be loved by the left over part of a heart. basically don't half love ppl. imo
Felicia Redmond xxx
WOW is all I can say! She is truly amazing and I must find her!
Dear Ex Lover,
I promise I’ll stop chasing your memory in my dreams.
I’ll stop bringing your
name up over cups of coffee, muffins, and loneliness.
I will marry a man
and I will lay my heart on his chest like red roses on Mahogany caskets
and
I’ll have his daughter and she’ll have eyes reminding me that God still believes
in second chances.
And if she ever decided to love a woman, I will rub bravery down her spine.
I will be reminded of all the times that we loved, like there were expiration dates tattooed on our inner thighs.
If she ever comes home with eyelids like cracking Levis and bruised kneecaps and a heart filled with question marks
I will hold her like my mother never held me.
I will clasp her face in my palms like the new testament on judgement day.
I’ll tell her that love is the passion that allows you to do the right thing,
and that no woman can play coaster to a half empty heart.
And if she ever feels as if she is alone,
as if she is a hand-me-down pulled out of the depths of mummy’s closet.
I’ll remember your name and I’ll mumble it under my breath and if she asks me what I said;
I’ll tell her I know what it’s like to drag a woman out of a cold war
and then being too worn to clean up the battlefield that it has made of you.
I’ll tell her that your heartbeat sounded like gun shells tripping over battered cement.
I’ll tell her that i know what it’s like just to want someone to remember you
and that some women are as foul as expired men in produce isles
and that apologies are like oxygen masks on a hijacked plane.
Forgive yourself before you ever forgive the person sitting next to you.
I’ll tell her to never regret loving in permanent ink,
and that scars only give you stretch marks,
something to gossip about
and that hearts and stop signs are fraternal twins,
lost in open roads and hollow chests.
And if my daughter’s mirror ever looks unfamiliar and she’s too embarrassed and prideful to run into mummy’s arms
I’ll pray, that she has friends with hearts filled with thousands of fire flies,
who are not too cool to pray with her,
who will tell her to stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel and find God in the darkness.
If my daughter ever walks in my house like shattering glass,
I’ll tell her about you.
I’ll tell her that we hurt like c-sections birthing dead babies,
and that we cried together, and we prayed together, and we laughed
like our smiles were the only ones that mattered in this world.
And that we hurt like women who loved women, who loved people that did not love us.
Dear Ex Lover,I hope my daughter never knows what a goodbye kiss feels like…
I hope she never knows what “I’ll see you later.” really means.
I hope she never memorizes the dial-tone of a last conversation,
because a broken heart feels like poisoned butterflies taking their last flutters in the pit of your stomach
Dear Ex Lover, I hope my daughter never bears her soul at a poetry showcase with her first love sitting in the audience,
knowing that the hands she’ll use to applaud her with, will be the same hands that will never hold her again.
genius.com/Jasmine-mans-dear-ex-lover-annotated
2016 and still love this
yyyaassss
2017 and stil loving this
Jillian Thornton same
I remember adoring this piece during heartbreak in my teens, so beautiful ❤
Listening to this still and I’m hearing this is 2020!! Almost 10 years later.
she is amazing. a beautiful soul. this touched me so much. i nearly cried after the last line...
dear jasmine,
this poem helps me during my times of heartbreak.. and im sure it helps hundreds of other people too. Thank you
This poem gave me goosebumps.. That's how good it was...WOW!!! It's beautiful.
I adore this poem with all my heart. Found it many many years ago when I was so young and still an aspiring poet & although I don’t write poetry anymore, every now and then I remember this poem and I just have to come and listen in awe. So beautiful and sultry, so soulful and powerful.
Jasmine is a breath of fresh air!! She speaks for me like we are long lost soul mates finding ourselves in word!!! Because "God still believes in second chances"
I watch this every single day. Multiple times. I lobe it so much.
"Stop looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, and start looking for God in the darkness".... I LOVE that
Every time I hear this poem, I think about my first. Their is nothing like a first love nothing. And their is nothing like a women's love. To the me they both are the most powerful things in the world.
I wish I could like this more than once !!
I don't know if I should tear up from the feels or give a loud clap that wouldn't be heard by anyone but myself.
That was so deep it brought me to tears. I really felt that.
The feeling in her voice is unbelievably powerful. I could not stop crying.
Speaking the truth ! Love this poem I have showed it to all my sister !
" scars only give you stretch marks, something to gossip about"...........really love this poem
beautiful!!! she painted each word so vividly that I felt as if they were coming out of my own mouth.
2017 and I'm still getting chills from her words
Just can't stop listening... Wow no words. Thank you for sharing your heart and soul on stage... Thank you!!!
I've lost count how many times I've watched this video. But everytime I do, it gives me chills -3.
Jasmine is DEEP!
I can watch this poem over and over again and everytime i find a new part that i just LOVE or can relate to! Thank you for sharing.
I haven't been this moved for year. I sit here crying because I can actually feel your pain not just hear it but feel it. I can feel the healing behind your words and I only wish to adopt them. thank you.
I so need this poem right now.
This has got to be my favorite poem I've heard the emotion in her voice brings it to a whole new level.
This was beautiful brave and empowering Jasmine. Keep sharing your truths.
i heard this and cried.... God bless u, I know what you were going thru