I saw the TV glow when I was younger,I slowly increased the brightness. But my mom made me promise to never let it glow and my grandma always wanted a girl and my grandparents are very religious.
So I tried to turn the TV off.
But I could always see the dim light in the background. I started to turn up the brightness of it. But my mom made me make the promise again and I saw some of my families opinion on the TV glowing, especially with people my age.
So I tried to turn it off, but it wouldn't turn off.
It would just keep flickering sometimes. I started to let it stay on since I realized it wouldn't stop. I'm afraid to turn the brightness all the way up because of my family and some of my friends.
But it is on and I can't turn it off.
Sometimes I forget about the TV, but other times I can't help but stare at the person on the other side. Maybe one day I can turn the brightness all the way up.
Maybe there is still time.
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138,517 Literary Works • 672,147 Reviews
Heyo! I'm Zayin and I'm here to review this lovely piece of work! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و
This poem is a tender and deeply evocative exploration of identity, inner conflict, and the pressures of familial and societal expectations. The metaphor of the glowing TV is both inventive and poignant, capturing the struggle to reconcile self-expression with the fear of judgment.
The repetition of trying to turn the TV off, only for it to persist, mirrors a universal truth about how some parts of ourselves can’t be silenced, no matter how much we try. This piece beautifully conveys the complexity of balancing authenticity with the need for acceptance, a theme that resonates with many readers.
The raw honesty in the narrative invites empathy, allowing the reader to feel the weight of the poet's journey. The closing lines, with their tentative hope for a brighter, more self-assured future, leave a lingering impression of resilience and possibility.
It’s a touching and thought-provoking poem that stays with you, encouraging reflection on the courage it takes to embrace who we are. I really enjoyed reading and reviewing your work, I can't wait to see more from you! -ZK
the whole tv flickering in the night thing actually happened to me once, i saw a kid who was not my brother jumping on the couch and it might be me adding it to the memory but i think there was giggling? creepy.
This is interesting. I mean, really, it is.
I didn't think anything of it at first, it was a bit confusing in the beginning and I felt that mentioning the religion and the want for a girl was off topic, but looking back on it, it fits in just right.
What really caught me was the ending. A person in the TV? That had me curious. Other than that, it's a real decent poem, I enjoyed it, and if it were published I would recommend it to others.
Good job!
~Taost
Hai :3
Oh my gosh, this is SUCH an evocative poem!! I love how you’ve used the TV as this extended metaphor ~~ Like, it’s so clever and layered!! The way the narrative dances between light and suppression feels so intimate and haunting, like it’s grappling with something deeply personal but still universal. There’s this beautiful tension in the writing, like you’re balancing between wanting to reveal everything and holding back, and it makes the whole piece so captivating!!
I absolutely loved the film this is based on as well, so I am even more fond of this!! As someone who is queer, I think the trend is beautiful.
!!! Jumping right into it!!
The way this sets the tone is incredible!! The imagery of the TV glowing feels so simple but has so much weight behind it, especially with the way you tie it to family expectations and religion. It feels so loaded, like the glow of the TV represents something forbidden but also deeply personal and uncontainable. That juxtaposition is great. The mention of the promise your mom made you keep and your grandma’s expectations is such a subtle but powerful way to show generational pressure!!
Later, the way the TV keeps glowing is such a vivid metaphor for persistence. Identity refuses to be ignored. I love how you bring in the family’s opinions here; it creates this added layer of conflict, where the glow isn’t just something personal but also something under constant scrutiny. It’s SO relatable and heartbreaking ~~ Like, the way you describe the repeated promises adds this cyclical feeling, like no matter how hard you try to dim the glow, it’s always there.
This ending is stunning!!!
This imagery is everything!! It feels so introspective, like you’re staring at yourself and what the glow represents, trying to find clarity. I love the connection to the film here too!! I love how you’ve tied this deeply personal journey into something that feels almost universal. It’s so intimate and vulnerable, but it's still something that people now and before you have felt. Anyone in your shoes who has watched the film understands this feeling, and it's so real!!
Though, maybe you can flesh out the emotional stakes a little more. Like, what does the TV glowing mean specifically to the narrator? I know how the film uses it, but you don't dive into that as deeply as you could. You give us such vivid hints towards identity and gender, but I think if you leaned into that more, this could be more powerful!! That said, this is amazing as it is!! ^_^
- Payton
Thank you! yes I love the film and I have been thinking of editing this poem and adding more detail
Hey L0ca1Tes1a! My name's Atticus, and I'm dropping by for a review today. It's been a while since my last review, so please pardon my dusty reviewing skills lol.
I'll start by saying that I loved the movie I Saw the TV Glow, on so many levels. My favorite part by far was the scene where the phrase, "There is still time", is written in chalk on the sidewalk. It gives me goosebumps. I love that trans media is centering the idea that it is never too late to transition, or to accept yourself, since that's a common idea in society. For that reason, I thought the way you ended this poem was a great note to end on, and a way to tie everything together. I like that it ends on a hopeful note, as well as a final nod to the piece of media that you've referenced throughout the poem.
I think structurally what you have is a great start. You start at the beginning of the experience, move the reader through the conflict in the story, and then end on a note that shoes some hope but also creates some suspense (since the plot point is not fully resolved). That being said, I feel like each point could be told in more detail. For example, rather than saying, "I saw the TV glow when I was younger", perhaps you could say "The first time I saw the TV glow, I was 8. My mother bought me a pink, frilly dress. At her insistence, I put it on. As I looked at my reflection, sparkly and pretty just like the Disney princesses on all my toys, the television across the room began to glow." Adding more description and detail pulls the reader into the world you've created and strengthens the emotion and feeling that a reader experiences while reading your work.
Of course this is just an idea of how I think this could be made more impactful! It's perfectly fine to just keep this as a reflection or a small idea, so feel free to remember what was helpful and discard the rest!
And on a personal note, there is always still time <3. I hope some day you're able to turn the brightness all the way up. I did, and it's been very worth it.
Best,
Atticus
Thank you! I was really hoping that I found people who had watched the movie and could relate to it. I did think about going into more detail but a lot of my memories from I was younger or kind of blurry but I can piece together some of it. and thank you for saying there is still time.