I am tossed into a wretched life
(after John Clare)
I am tossed into a wretched life
where all my friends have forsaken me
and you whom I loved are only found in memory
while senses and sensibility is all at strive
and yet in this nothingness I am still alive,
but from hardship I am never free
and its only darkness that around me I see
but once you were my beloved wife
and now all my aims and esteems
are shattered, broken to pieces,
even our love, our joy and happiness
are swept away like broken dreams
while the darkness, the destruction increases
and people treat me with a kind of aloofness.
[Reference: “I am – yet what I am none cares or knows” by John Clare.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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My Friends Have Left Me
(after John Clare)
My friends have left me,
they do know me not
and at times I am struggling with my sanity
but there are still some words that I have got
while the sense of nothingness
envelops all of my world
and to everything I have a strange aloofness
while I am trying to hold
onto some kind of meaning
as my life under the whip of destiny bends
but it's at the edge of disaster that I am leaning
and it feels as if everything somehow ends
while instinctively I know
over the edge at a time I have got to go
[References: 'I am - yet what I am none cares or knows' by John Clare.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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I Am
I am: yet what I am none cares or knows,
My friends forsake me like a memory lost;
I am the self-consumer of my woes,
They rise and vanish in oblivious host,
Like shades in love and death's oblivion lost;
And yet I am! and live like shadows tossed
Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,
Into the living sea of waking dreams,
Where there is neither sense of life nor joys,
But the vast shipwreck of my life's esteems;
And e'en the dearest--that I loved the best--
Are strange--nay, rather stranger than the rest.
I long for scenes where man has never trod;
A place where woman never smil'd or wept;
There to abide with my creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept:
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie;
The grass below--above the vaulted sky.
poem by John Clare (1865)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Who and what I am no one really knows
Who and what I am no one really knows
and the things in my mind
at times like a tornado blows
for a place of escape to find
into a world of bewildered noise
where my esteem and memories are lost
in a place without comfort or joys
where in shattered pieces my words are tossed
where even a whole religion spreads gossip and lies
while I try to walk with the creator God
they try to destroy my integrity, my humanity dies,
and friendless on uncharted ways I have to trod
while my own loved ones know me not,
do not even comprehend the thoughts that I have got.
[Reference: “I am – yet what I am none cares or knows” by John Clare.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Written in Northampton County Asylum
I am! yet what I am who cares, or knows?
My friends forsake me like a memory lost.
I am the self-consumer of my woes;
They rise and vanish, an oblivious host,
Shadows of life, whose very soul is lost.
And yet I am—I live—though I am toss’d
Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,
Into the living sea of waking dream,
Where there is neither sense of life, nor joys,
But the huge shipwreck of my own esteem
And all that’s dear. Even those I loved the best
Are strange—nay, they are stranger than the rest.
I long for scenes where man has never trod—
For scenes where woman never smiled or wept—
There to abide with my Creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept,
Full of high thoughts, unborn. So let me lie,—
The grass below; above, the vaulted sky.
poem by John Clare
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All The Kings Horses
Broken pieces, broken people
Everywhere I go
How d'ya get to be so broken
It's only God who knows
What d'ya have to listen to
In the early years
Pierced by many sorrows
filled with many tears
What d'ya have to witness
In the darkest night
Your soul it took in everything
despite your eyes shut tight
You're ten thousand broken pieces
Which no one else can see
How ya gonna fix your soul
that's longing to be free
All of the kings horses
And all of the kings men
Could not put the pieces back
back together again
You must gather up your pieces
and come before the throne
Kings and Princes cannot help
Your help's in God alone
He will take what's shattered
the pieces in His hand
He'll undo all the sorrows
so you once more can stand
Now that which once was broken
and filled with many tears
stand's whole before the throne of grace
despite the locust's years
All the years the locust ate
He now restores to you
The darkness of the endless years
replaced with skies so blue
poem by Frank McEleny
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Everybody Is Broken
I'm looking around,
But, it's like everybody is broken!
Suffocation-no breathing!
We all seem to be choking
Spread on the ground
Just like shattered glass
Oh, to be free-
Free of this place now, at last!
Life, that is-
The Journey, the test.
This GOD forsaken battle...
We understand it less and less
Yes, all the broken people
Never asking to be here
Filled with nothing but-
The most intense despair
We fall down to our knees
We beg to find salvation
Ringing through the air
You can hear our desperation!
I try to look away
My eyes I try to close
Because, we ache so much inside
But, it's like it doesn't even show
The Darkness invades
The Dark-it surrounds us
We're bound and we're gagged
And, no light is around us!
We run, and we hide
We then beg for a chance
But, that drug it is sly
And, it takes us at first glance
I want to scream out loud
But, instead I sit here choking
Why are we so lost?
Why are we so broken?
Never really knowing
What to do or say
Never really seeing
The road that is the way
And all we see is darkness
So again we try to hide
But then we cannot find
A way now back inside
So where do all the people go-
When they've become so broken?
How can we prevent the death...
When they sit there choking?
© copyright 2010 Nicole Settimi/Dark Lyric Poetry
Dark Lyric Poetry by The Dark Artist Nicole Settimi
poem by Nicole Settimi
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Since I Lost You
It seems in a moment, your whole world can shatter
Like morning dreams they just disappear
Like dust in your hand falling to the floor
How can life ever be the same
Cos my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since youve been gone
Its all too easy to take so much for granted
Oh but its so hard to find the words to say
Like a castle in the sand the water takes away
But how can life ever be the same
Cos my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since Ive lost you
Oh now youll never see
Oh youll never know
All the things I planned for you
Things for you and me
Held your hand so tightly
That I couldnt let it go
Now how can life ever be the same
Cos my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since youve been gone
Cos my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since Ive lost you
Cos my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since youve been gone
song performed by by Genesis
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Shattered
Darkness enveloped me
Pain and darkness filled my heart
Deepened by emotions
Tormented from the very start.
Fear left unspoken
Shattered by betrayal
Innocence is broken.
Its all just broken.
Uncontrollabler anger
Promises of pain
Burning with such heartache
And still he reigns
Painful memories so deep
Traumatic price to pay
Leaving me hurt.
And left to bear the scars.
Sadness has engulfed me
Bitter to the end
Pieces of my innocence
Shattered by a friend.
poem by Amy Louise Kerswell
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Deep down in the darkness.
Way down deep deep in the darkness.
A broken soul does lie all alone.
Alone and near beaten.
She's is frightened and alone.
But tries to face the world alone.
But deep down in the darkness she cant make it on her own.
She is destined to be alone.
Deep down in the darkness she sits in her corner.
Her body covered in scars it's the only way for her to feel alive.
The cuts and scars they run so much deeper.
Deeper in to her broken fragile soul.
She has no goals.
Deep down in the darkness,
She knows she can not win this fight.
It's all been show to her.
Like a present of the future.
She can not win she can only lose.
Deep down her darkness,
She's all alone coping on her own.
She cannot win only lose.
Deep ibn the darkness of the guttet,
Lays the broken girl with her broken soul.
May she have eternal rest.
poem by Amy Louise Kerswell
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Parker Clare
To a forgotten culture perhaps he now belongs
The man who could sing over a thousand songs
The father of the famous poet John Clare
Even in his own time people like him were rare.
The ballad singer of the Helpston countryside
Hundreds of the old songs he sung with him died
So little of the oral tradition now remain
Forever lost not to be found again.
Two hundred years ago one of a dying breed
Poor Parker Clare he could not write nor read
Yet through his son his name lives on today
A memory lost but yet to fade away.
He came from an oral tradition that is forever gone
Yet memories of what was still living on
And at a time when great change was happening in his English countryside
Most of the songs he sung with Parker died.
A fading memory that won't fade away
And through his son his name still lives today
Still a genius in his own right the thresher Parker Clare
And even in his time his type were quite rare.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Crash
Shattered glass
Broken dreams
A nightmare it seems
To miss a boy you loved so much
To sit at his grave and wish to hug
A shattered car is all we have
Broken hearts all around
Sit by his shattered car and frown
A cross left on the side of the road
Reminds us that time is old
Lessons learned and lessons fought
Broken dreams torn apart
Sadness holds strong in our heart.
poem by Melanie Dickie
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Arguably John Clare
In the English language the greatest poet of Nature is arguably John Clare
Many of his bird and animal and insect poems are gems beyond compare
Yet he died in Northampton mental asylum where he had lived for many years
He penned such marvellous poetry though his life was full of tears.
His Nature poems of the nineteenth century are relevant to today
The Badger and The Landrail, The Fox and Clock a Clay
The Pettichap, The Cuckoo and The Thrush's Nest
When Writing about Nature Clare was at his best.
In death the poor shepherd poet from Helpston has come into his own
His poems poetic classics around the World are known
The greatest Nature poet of England as many would agree
A poet for the ages from a life of poverty.
As a boy amongst Nature in the fields of Helpston he knew of happiness
But sad to think one like him in life did not know of success
With any English Nature poet he favourably does compare
The legendary one of Helpston the reamarkable John Clare.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Warchild ('78 Demo)
Warchild, your heart is broken
Your mind is breakin', it's such a shame
Warchild, your body's broken
Your woman's taken, it's not a game
People once shared your wisdom
Shared your memory, shared your dreams
Now your thoughts have all been shattered
What once was rhythm are now just screams
Warchild, I used to love you
The whole world loved you, we used to care
Warchild, your mind has been emptied
So all you do now is just sit n' stare
People once shared your wisdom
Shared your memory, shared your dreams
Now your thoughts have all been shattered
What once was rhythm are now just screams
Your lady's waiting, she's hesitating
Not knowing why
Warchild, the pain you're showing
The pain is knowing that you're gonna die
People once shared your wisdom
Shared your memory, shared your dreams
Now your thoughts have all been shattered
What once was rhythm are now just screams
song performed by by Def Leppard
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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tribute to John clare
Tribute to John Clare.
Love lies beyond.
The tomb, the earth which fade like dew.
I love the fond
the faithful and the true.
John Clare 1793 = 1867
A glosa
Love lies beyond
all of our dreams old and new.
The silken bond
which binds me to you.
Fair Rosamonde
The tomb, the earth which fade like dew.
No magic wand
can make me forget you.
I must respond.
There’s nothing else that I can do.
I love the fond memories
that I cling to.
I have donned
sackcloth garments and ashes too.
For you have gone.
The faithful and the true
poem by Ivor Or Ivor.e Hogg
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Dark Light Dark
Living nightmare awake
Solitude unyielding
Forsaken forgotten
Cannot sleep
Cannot dream
Reprieve darkness
Praying sleep
Praying dream
Awake prisoned darkness
Time passes never light
Darkness consuming
Broken lost
Waiting sleep
Waiting dream
Light draws near
Light appears
Shineth deliverance
Warm glimmer hope
Darkness retreats
Happiness surfaces
Thorns gone
Pain fades
Shelter amidst light
Dream envelopes cherish
Dream breaks shattered
Awaken again darkness
Scream pain again
Darkness spinning ruling
Light blackened
poem by GMS Pinafore
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Now It's More Than Seven
So maybe I thought that I could be satisfied
I assure you, I tried
But my heart would not corporate
Even though I have yet to even recuperate
From old scar and old pain
My heart still throws itself every which way
I seek a peace I cannot attain
Because the evil of my heart is becoming my master this day
It tries to lead my life and my soul
It tries to lead me again as a whole
Because giving into darkness is natural
Because there's a piece of hell
In the innermost parts, locked away, locked- but not secure
Locked because there's no cure
Striving for light is what is learned
Striving for light should have turned
My darkness into that light
But instead I'm overtaken by more darkness- blackness of night
Darkness, that can be felt, darkness that can speak
I've found the opposite of what I seek
And now it's more than seven
And I feel farther from heaven
Now I've almost lost count
I no longer know that amount
My heart is like a mirror
First darkened and filled with horror
And then shattered into pieces
And each piece only a fraction of who I once was, if that was anything
Criss crossed and broken heart? no more
Shattered
poem by David Knox
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Broken (work in progress)
falling into the sullen
gray slumber of
my broken dreams
to the off-key melody
of my broken guitar
echoing the sound
of my broken heart
i yearn for glue
with which to mend
my broken home
that shattered along
with the pink guitar
both, when whole,
held beautiful music
but now i have only
scars as my token
of a life that lies
in hell, alone and broken.
(alternate ending. w.i.p.)
so i gathered all the pieces
though sharp edges
drew my blood
and fashioned a new heart
with holes to let love in
for i refuse to stay
alone and broken.
(2010)
poem by Rafe Chanteloup
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Shattered Dreams
My dreams are shattered
My life is empty
They took my dreams away
Ripped them out of my heart
Now I'm left with this void
This void that will never be filled again
They want me to be lonely
They want me to be depressed
They want me to be hated
They want me to die
No one cares that I'm alone
No one cares if I'm miserable
No one cares if I die
They had to take her away from me
They told me that its for the best
They took her away from me
Now my heart is shattered
No one can glue my heart together again
Because once its broken it can't be mend
They shattered my dreams
When they told me she doesn't exist
(1-15-05)
poem by Brandi Young
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The Peasant Poet
He loved the brook's soft sound,
The swallow swimming by.
He loved the daisy-covered ground,
The cloud-bedappled sky.
To him the dismal storm appeared
The very voice of God;
And when the evening rack was reared
Stood Moses with his rod.
And everything his eyes surveyed,
The insects in the brake,
Were creatures God Almighty made,
He loved them for His sake--
A silent man in life's affairs,
A thinker from a boy,
A peasant in his daily cares,
A poet in his joy.
poem by John Clare
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Blown With The Wind
You have taken my heart in your hands...
At first you were very gentle with it
But now you have left me with absolutely nothing
Nothing but a broken heart and shattered promises
Every commit you made had been broken
The wind is my sole witness...
For they carry with them all your lies and false dreams
Now I don't know if I could ever trust you again
For so long I waited and kept you in my heart
I never thought you would do anything to cause me hurt
I thought you loved me, at least that's what you claimed.
Then why am I sitting here all by myself?
And why am I having to put the broken pieces back?
Now you tell me if you want another chance...
How can I trust you again, to be true and sincere
You took me in once, twice, thrice, but let me go...
We were in love at least that's what it seemed
If that is what you think love is then, I don't want it!
Yes I loved you, I still do and I always will
But your love isn't unconditional like mine
You seem to fall in and out of love easy, at least you did with me.
So how do I know if you will carry my heart
Like it is fine china that you cherish?
You did really good at breaking my heart the first time
Then the second, then the third...I lost count
I've yet to collect pieces bit by bit
Can you put the memories back to make me complete?
*This is a narrative poem better off said than written, I wanted to convey its message, wanted it flow freely without minding the technical aspects...that's what we called, expression.
However, I experimented on rephrasing the poem with a more poetic touch. See it for yourself on the poem 'Swept'
poem by Cynthia Aluning
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