Author’s Note

Some people assume that because I write confessional poetry, vulnerability comes naturally to me.

It doesn’t.

My first instinct is almost always to make a joke.

If something hurts, I’ll reach for humor. If something feels too exposed, I’ll bury it beneath a cartoon reference, a comic book nod, or a punchline that arrives just before the truth does.

This poem is about that instinct.

It explores the strange contradiction at the center of my writing: I’m willing to confess almost anything—as long as I can disguise it first.

The title, 5:01, marks another early morning when my thoughts were moving faster than I could organize them. And “Pull the Punchline Back” became my way of describing what happens when I realize I’ve hidden behind humor for just a second too long.

Sometimes the joke protects me.

Sometimes it prevents me from saying what I actually mean.

This poem lives somewhere between those two realities.

— Rowan Evans

5:01 (Pull the Punchline Back)
Poetry by Rowan Evans

5:01—
the morning comes
and my thoughts run,
like a marathon.

You see—
most the time
my thoughts move quick,
like a sprint—
Usain?

No, insane.

I bolt when I feel
I care too much—

here the vulnerability comes,
so where’s the joke at?
I got to hide that—
pull the punchline back.

I put a brave face on—
they call me Courage,
even though
I’m a cowardly dog.

Isn’t it funny?
I’m a confessional poet,
but I hide the confession
behind a wall of jokes—

and cartoon references—
can’t forget the comic books.

The page is a phone booth,
I go into to change—
but I’m not trying to be a hero here,
there’s no S on my chest.

I’m just here for those
that are stressed and struggling.

And this is my problem,
I’ve got my own problems,
then I take mo’ problems,
they were yo’ problems—

now I’m juggling.

The sad thing is—
the whole time
this is what my mind
has been running from.

It’s incredible—
how fast I Dash,
gone in a Flash,
like I ran to the past
to escape—

everything I want.

Connection.
Reflection.

So I keep my feet moving
until I get where I’m going,
and I’m not showin’—
no signs of slowin’.

Journey into the Hexverse…

[I’d Rather Try]
Anyone can promise they’d die for someone. But love isn’t built on one dramatic moment—it’s built on showing up, trying again tomorrow, and proving your words through consistent action.

[Tots, Rocks and All]
What begins as a surreal collection of tater tots, rocks, comic book references, and runaway thoughts slowly reveals something much quieter: a poem about creativity, vulnerability, and the simple hope of finding someone willing to hold your heart.

[Ocean Waves (1, 4, 3)]
What begins as a surreal collection of tater tots, rocks, comic book references, and runaway thoughts slowly reveals something much quieter: a poem about creativity, vulnerability, and the simple hope of finding someone willing to hold your heart.

[L Words & Heart]
A playful, self-aware poem about love, longing, loyalty, and the quiet ways another person can reshape our inner world. What begins as humor slowly reveals a heartfelt confession about affection, imagination, and the faces that linger in our dreams.

[No You and I, Only Us]
A hopeful free verse poem about empathy, borders, and imagining a world where humanity matters more than division.

If you’re interested in more poetry, you can find it here → [The Library of Ashes]