Poem Expert

Here we have collected poems about sports and healthy lifestyles. A selection of poems about sports, health, and physical education for children. Being healthy does not mean making a muscle, proving to everyone around you that you are the strongest. It means to lead an active lifestyle, eat right, and take care of the regime of the day. Poems about sports and physical culture will help you to make sure that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body.

«A Boy Juggling a Soccer Ball» by Christopher Merrill

after practice: right foot

to left foot, stepping forward and back,

to right foot and left foot,

and left foot up to his thigh, holding

it on his thigh as he twists

around in a circle, until it rolls

down the inside of his leg,

like a tickle of sweat, not catching

and tapping on the soft

side of his foot, and juggling

once, twice, three times,

hopping on one foot like a jump-roper

in the gym, now trapping

and holding the ball in midair,

balancing it on the instep

of his weak left foot, stepping forward

and forward and back, then

lifting it overhead until it hangs there;

and squaring off his body,

he keeps the ball aloft with a nudge

of his neck, heading it

from side to side, softer and softer,

like a dying refrain,

until the ball, slowing, balances

itself on his hairline,

the hot sun and sweat filling his eyes

as he jiggles this way

and that, then flicking it up gently,

hunching his shoulders

and tilting his head back, he traps it

in the hollow of his neck,

and bending at the waist, sees his shadow,

his dangling T-shirt, the bent

blades of brown grass in summer heat;

and relaxing, the ball slipping

down his back. . .and missing his foot.

He wheels around, he marches

over the ball, as if it were a rock

he stumbled into, and pressing

his left foot against it, he pushes it

against the inside of his right

until it pops into the air, is heeled

over his head—the rainbow!—

and settles on his extended thigh before

rolling over his knee and down

his shin, so he can juggle it again

from his left foot to his right foot

—and right foot to left foot to thigh—

as he wanders, on the last day

of summer, around the empty field.

***

«After School, Street Football, Eighth Grade» by Dennis Cooper

Their jeans sparkled, cut off

way above the knee, and my

friends and I would watch them

from my porch, books of poems

lost in our laps, eyes wide as

tropical fish behind our glasses.

Their football flashed from hand

to hand, tennis shoes gripped

the asphalt, sweat’s spotlight on

their strong backs. We would

dream of hugging them, and crouch

later in weird rooms, and come.

Once their ball fell our way

so two of them came over, hands

on their hips, asking us to

throw it to them, which Arthur did,

badly, and they chased it back.

One turned to yell, “Thanks”

and we dreamed of his long

teeth in our necks. We

wanted them to wander over,

place deep wet underarms to

our lips, and then their white

asses, then those loud mouths.

One day one guy was very tired,

didn’t move fast enough,

so a car hit him and he sprawled

fifty feet away, sexy, but he was

dead, blood like lipstick, then

those great boys stood together

on the sidewalk and we joined them,

mixing in like one big friendship

to the cops, who asked if we were,

and those boys were too sad to counter.

We’d known his name, Tim, and how

he’d turned to thank us nicely

but now he was under a sheet

anonymous as God, the big boys crying,

spitting words, and we stunned

like intellectuals get, our high

voices soft as the tinkling of a

chandelier on a ceiling too high to see.

***

«An Athlete’s Prayer» by Sandy Dow Mapula

It was right before the big one and the football player said,
“Excuse me guys for just a sec while I go bow my head.”
And in the quiet of that room
The football player prayed,
“Oh God if nothing hear me now
I know that fate is made.”

“So help us Lord to win this game,
It’s the big one, man, you see,
If we lose this game that’s it for us,
Please do this, Lord, for me.”

And as his body knelt in prayer,
He looked up to the sky,
“And while I’m here, and have some time,
I need to ask you why?”

“They say you never help teams wind,
Just do it once I pray,
We will pay you back in kinder deeds
Or in another way,”

“The reason why I can’t help you win,”
The Lord just then replied,
“Is as you’re asking me to win,
So is the other side.”

“I’m everybody’s father and
I must not take one side,
So games are played all on your own
Or they would all be tied.”

“But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pray,”
He answered him with care,
“You can pray that players don’t get hurt
And that all the calls are fair,”

And while the player heard this voice,
He bowed his head in prayer,
“I pray for fairness,” said the boy
“And for your tender care.”

“You shall be blessed,” the Lord replied,
“Your team and you the same,
And now will you excuse me boy,
I cannot miss this game.”

***

«At the Pool» by Glen Martin Fitch

“You’re wasting your time.”
so leers the jock.
And I glare back.
“My time is mine to waste.”
There’s what and when and how,
and where’s the clock,
and I don’t want
my towel and keys misplaced.
“Go on and play”
the anxious parents plead.
They fear the hesitation
of their child is fear.
Kids know instinctively
they need to watch and test
while data is compiled.
“Get down from there!”
surprised a parent screams.
Look who did what
while waiting out of sight!
Most kids will dare
a studied task,
it seems,
when confident
that now the time is right.
Today’s not ’bout
how fast or hard or more.
My hardest exercise
is my front door.

***

«Athlete» by Mellissa A Smith

It’s game time now, it’s time to win
we’ve worked so hard all year
We’ve made it past some tough game times
and now, the reward is near

Let’s bow our heads and ask the Lord for this last precious win
Let’s make sure he knows we’ve tried real hard and it’s all up to him
“Dear Lord our father, we need this bad, we did all we could do”
we continue on and ask again “Please Lord help us make it through”

A feeling comes from deep inside, it didn’t feel real good
I decided to try it once again, but asking the way I should
“Dear Lord I pray for a fun, safe game, may both teams be injury free,
we have tried real hard and should all feel proud whatever the outcome may be.”

So now we must go and do our best
it’s up to us to pass this test
Whatever the outcome, victory or defeat
I just thank you Lord for making me an ATHLETE!

***

«Basketball» by Erika Johnson

My heart races as I step on the court
Basketball my favorite sport
The whistle blows to start the game
It’s a feeling I can’t explain
My team is my family
When we work together there’s no boundaries

Pass, shoot, score
Everyone wants more
Time for defense no one gets by
Shot goes up the ball is mine
The half time buzzer blows
Into the locker room we go

Start at half it’s a tie
We need to give it our all to get by
Ten seconds left down by one
We can’t be done
I have the ball I shoot a three
The crowd stands up and cheers or me.

***

«Basketball Is Lots of Fun» by Kenn Nesbitt

Basketball is lots of fun.
It’s my favorite sport.
But I’m so bad that, when I play,
they throw me off the court.

Now hockey is my favorite sport.
The trouble is I stink.
So every time I hit the ice
they throw me off the rink.

Now soccer is the game I like.
There’s just one little hitch;
I kick and run too slow, and so
they throw me off the pitch.

At last I found some sports that I
can play and not get thrown.
I now play soccer, basketball,
and hockey on my phone.

***

«Come on Coach» by Aimee Vey

Come on coach I know I’m a little small;
Come on coach throw me the ball.
My eyes are on the ball I’m in my stance;
Come on coach I just need a chance.
I’m getting better every year;
With a little practice I no longer fear
So coach throw me one I can hit;
I bet I’ll even surprise the team a bit.
With my eyes on the ball and my hands on the bat tight;
The coach threw me one and I hit it hard into right.
The fans cheered as I ran round the bases;
I looked into the crowd to see all their faces.
But the two people who stood out
My mom and my dad and they said with a shout
“Hooray Bailey way to go!”
I hit the ball and now I know;
With a little confidence and some cheers
I’ll get better and better throughout the years.

***

«Dinamita Knocked “Pacman” Out» by Alon Calinao Dy

The world witnessed the year’s biggest bout
When “Dinamita” knocked “Pacman” out.
Marquez got his revenge and fought bravely.
This time around he won convincingly.

What’s next now to our pound-for-pound king?
Will he retire from the world of boxing?
Why did he become reckless in this slugfest?
Is the fight between “Money” versus “Pacman” still the subject?

This boxing match teaches us many lessons in life.
It’s not always about winning.
It’s not about how you lose in a game.
But it’s how you rise again after that painful loss.

I love Manny Pacquiao known as “Pacman.”
But if hanging up the gloves is a better option,
Why consider it now?
Why would you risk your life for a boxing show?

Nevertheless,
I congratulate the winner Juan Manuel Marquez!
He fought a very hard fight tonight.
Therefore, I give you all my respect.

***

«Fast Break» by Edward Hirsch

A hook shot kisses the rim and
hangs there, helplessly, but doesn’t drop,

and for once our gangly starting center
boxes out his man and times his jump

perfectly, gathering the orange leather
from the air like a cherished possession

and spinning around to throw a strike
to the outlet who is already shoveling

an underhand pass toward the other guard
scissoring past a flat-footed defender

who looks stunned and nailed to the floor
in the wrong direction, trying to catch sight

of a high, gliding dribble and a man
letting the play develop in front of him

in slow motion, almost exactly
like a coach’s drawing on the blackboard,

both forwards racing down the court
the way that forwards should, fanning out

and filling the lanes in tandem, moving
together as brothers passing the ball

between them without a dribble, without
a single bounce hitting the hardwood

until the guard finally lunges out
and commits to the wrong man

while the power-forward explodes past them
in a fury, taking the ball into the air

by himself now and laying it gently
against the glass for a lay-up,

but losing his balance in the process,
inexplicably falling, hitting the floor

with a wild, headlong motion
for the game he loved like a country

and swiveling back to see an orange blur
floating perfectly through the net.

***

«Football Mom» by Annissa Worobec

With mouth guard in, and ball in hand
A pass will be made and the crowd will stand.
They will cheer and scream for their home team
And the coach’s face will grin and beam.

The boys on the field will perform a great play
That will bring the team victory
And touchdowns will be made

Flips and slams, turns and fumbles
I see my mom cringe
When it’s me getting pummeled

She hates the violence and the aggression that occurs,
It eats at her stomach, and twitches her nerves
But she waits for me to score for my home team
Then her cheer is the loudest
AND IT’S ALL JUST FOR ME.

***

«Football Uniform» by Rhonda J. Becker

Football Uniform
I remember watching you out upon the field.
In the Seventh grade, you were with a helmet as your shield.
The uniform just hung upon your skinny frame.
The number on the jersey was your only name.

I washed and soaked those football pants time and time again.
I often said a little prayer for our team’s little men.
I hung the jersey out to dry with hopes of victory.
Watching how you were growing now for the entire world to see.

You grew in size physically, as well as character too.
I realized how the time has passed and the years they just flew.
For as I wash your uniform after this game that is your last,
I hope and pray you remember the lessons from seasons past.

Winning is very glorifying and is definitely the most fun.
Sometimes, however, you did everything there was to be done.
Yet the score didn’t’t reflect the hard work and preparation the team put in.
And you had to support each other with compassion without the win.

I stand here proudly staring at your number upon this shirt.
I am wishing for more days that it would be filled with dirt.
My mind will hold forever the picture of my son.
Waiting for his name to be called and on the field he’d run.

My little skinny boy has now become a man.
In life he will go now and do the best he can.
Football has taught him, teamwork and unity.
God, I pray, You help him become the best that he can be.

***

«Game Called» by Grantland Rice

Game Called. Across the field of play
the dusk has come, the hour is late.
The fight is done and lost or won; the player files out through the gate.
The tumult dies, the cheer is hushed,
the stands are bare, the park is still.
But through the night, there shines the light,
home beyond the silent hill.

Game Called. Where in the golden light
the bugle rolled the reveille.
The shadows creep where night falls deep,
and taps has called the end of play.
The game is done, the score is in,
the final cheer and jeer have passed.
But in the night, beyond the fight,
the player finds his rest at last.

Game Called. Upon the field of life
the darkness gathers far and wide,
the dream is done, the score is spun
that stands forever in the guide.
Nor victory, nor yet defeat
is chalked against the players’ name.
But down the roll, the final scroll
shows only how he played the game.

***

«Golf» by Vicki Ryan

Golf is a game played by many,
Clubs, balls and tee’s are your enemy.
Stand at the tee ball up on a stick
bend your knee’s and give a big hit.
Down the fairway out of site don’t
hit the tree’s stay on the grass.
Hazards will find you, water and sand
bushes and tree’s and really long grass.
No time to be chasing a ball that’s
lost so get another and stay in the game.
18 greens to chase down most on a mound
with a flag to find that marks the hole
then putt your little ball into the cup.
Albatross, Eagles, Birdies and Pars get
some of these and they help you to score.
Bogies and bunkers and balls out of bounds
will test and tease you and ruin the round
So when you stand at the ball club in hand
remember that the short green stuff makes
for a great game and you will do it again.

***

«I am a Martial Artist» by Karen Eden

“I am a martial artist.” I see through different eyes.
I see a bigger picture when others see grey skies.
Though many can’t conceive it, I stand…facing the wind.
My bravery, not from fighting, but from my strength within.

I am a martial artist. I’ll walk the extra mile.
Not because I have to, but because it’s worth my while.
I know that I am different, when I stand on a crowded street.
I know the fullness of winning, I’ve tasted the cup of defeat.

I am a martial artist. They say I walk with ease.
Though trained for bodily harm, my intentions are for peace.
The world may come and go, but a different path I’ll choose.
A path I will not stray from, no matter, win or lose.

***

«My Hamster Has a Skateboard» by Kenn Nesbitt

My hamster has a skateboard.
When he rides it, though, he falls.
He takes off like a maniac
and crashes into walls.

He screams, “Geronimo!”
and then goes crashing down the stairs.
He’s good at knocking tables down
and slamming into chairs.

He’ll slalom through the living room
and then you’ll hear a, “Splat!”
which means that he’s collided with
my mother or the cat.

He plows right into cabinets,
and smashes into doors,
I think he’s wrecked on every bed
and every chest of drawers.

It’s fun to watch him ride
because you’re sure to hear a smash.
He doesn’t skate so well but, boy,
he sure knows how to crash.

***

«Not In Vain» by Luis Limon

If you can get an equalizer with 10 men,
If you can take the shot and forget your pain,
not all you went through was in vain,
If you can use the ground to your advantage in the hard rain,
If you can take a hit and smile back,
If you can be the one that leads the pack,
If you can keep your head cool,
while everyone is about to lose theirs.
Become the best out of those that came first,
Not all you went through was in vain,
If you can take defeat on the chin,
If you can celebrate without hurting a feeling,
If you can respond to the singing of the crowd,
If you can give them something to celebrate..
That’s what is all about,
If you can go that extra sprint, that jump, that save,
If you can keep your feet in the ground,
But strike in a flying path,
If you can make the sacred place roar,
and make the ground tremble in furor,
Then I can really tell you that..not all you went through…was in vain..

***

«Our Teacher’s a Football Fanatic» by Kenn Nesbitt

Our teacher’s a football fanatic.
It’s all that he has on his mind.
He listens to games on his headphones,
and frets when his team is behind.

He jumps up and down with they’re winning.
He screams when they fumble a pass.
We know we’re supposed to be reading,
but watching him’s simply a gas.

Our principal walked in on Friday,
and he was too angry to speak.
Our substitute started on Monday.
Our teacher’s been benched for a week.

***

«Perfect Form» by Kamilah Aisha Moon

Walter Scott must have been a track athlete
before serving his country, having children:

his knees were high, elbows bent
at 90 degrees as his arms pumped
close to his sides, back straight and head up
as each foot landed in front of the other.
Too much majesty in his last strides.

So much depends on instinct, ingrained
legacies and American pastimes.
Relays where everyone on the team wins
remain a dream. Olympic arrogance,
black men chased for sport—
heat after heat
of longstanding, savage races
that always finish the same way.

My guess is Walter Scott ran distances
and sprinted, whatever his life events
required. Years of training and technique
are not forgotten, even at 50. Even after being
tased out of his right mind. Even in peril
the body remembers what it has been
taught, keeping perfect form
during his final dash.

***

«Prayer of a sportsman» by Berton Braley 

Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life
I ask but a field that is fair,
A chance that is equal with all in the strife,
A courage to strive and to dare;

And if should win, let it be by the code
With my faith and my honor held high;
And if I should lose, let me stand by the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
Or play any sniveling part;

Let me say, “There they ride, on whom laurel’s bestowed
Since they played the game better than I.”
Let me stand with a smile by the side of the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

So grant me to conquer, if conquer I can,
By proving my worth in the fray,
But teach me to lose like a regular man,
And not like a craven, I pray;

Let me take off my hat to the warriors who strode
To victory splendid and high,
Yea, teach me to stand by the side of the road
And cheer as the winners go by.

***

«Rainy Day in Baseballland» by Joe DeMarco

It was a rainy day in Baseballland
The players were home in bed
One rookie rolled over his eyelids a flutter
With dreams of a stand-up triple running through his head

The cleats and spikes were all on hooks
Along with mitts, bats, and caps
And even Cal Ripken Jr. had settled down
For a long summer’s nap

Outside the rain was pouring down
While puddles drenched the field
But little Eric Hopkins came to play
And his imagination refused to yield

His mitt lay soggy in a puddle
And his sleeves were drenched with rain
As his hands clenched a cold bat with a hope
“That springs eternal in the human brain.”

Little Eric threw the ball up swung and missed,
And the umpire bawked, “Strike one!”
He tapped his cleats, picked up the ball, and reminded the ghost crowd,
“This rain won’t ruin our fun.”

For little Eric loved the game
And he loved the feel of stitched leather in his hands
As he waved to his mom, who sat with his fabricated wife
And his invented kids up there in the fantasy stands

And now the imaginary pitcher holds the ball
And now he lets it go
But little Eric swung and missed again
Which made two strikes in a row

He metaphorically dusted himself off
And picked up the ball once more
For often he wished that instead of three strikes
The batter could get four

But today he realized, it was his day
His wishes were his commands
So as he squeezed the water from his jersey
He raised his finger toward the left-field stands

He was Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr,
and Barry Bonds all together
And anything you said about lightning or thunder
Wouldn’t be getting him out of this weather

For in his head the sun was shining
And the grass was green and dry
And he sent that low and away 0-2 pitch
Like a rocket into the sky

And he arrogantly trotted around the bases
Stepped on third and headed toward home plate
While his mother yelled from down the street,
“Dinner’s cold and you are late!”

***

«Run Every Race as if It’s Your Last» by Lisa Olstein

as you round the bend
keep the steel and mouse-skinned
rabbit front left center
and the track and the crowd
and its cries are a blurred ovation
as you stumble and recover
and then fully fall even if
only onto the rough gravel
of your inside mind or outside
in what is called the real world
as how many drunken grandfathers
holding little girls’ hands
and broken peanut shells go
swirling by why are you racing
what are you racing from
from what fixed arm does this
moth-eaten rabbit run
captive is different than stupid
near dead is different than dead
they call it a decoy but we know
a mirror when we see ourselves
lurch and dive for one

***

«Surviving The Bull Ride» by Becky Reynolds

The bull is in the gate
You lower yourself to rest on his back
He moos a threatening sound full of hate
You nod your out there’s no turning back
He takes off you hold on for life
He twists you follow your body cracking
3 seconds in he’s winning
Your hand is weakening your fingers cramping
5 seconds in your full of pain
Your body says give up
Your mind says I can win
7 seconds in your almost done
Your hand starts slipping
8 seconds in you hear the buzzer
you let go, fall down, stand up
Your legs are weak your body quivering
But you won that silver buckle
On your belt it slides
Another trophy from your
8 second rides

***

«The Biker’s Road» by Daren L. Gardner

Raise the door or just take off the cover,
there she sits just waiting for us to hover.

Our first glance we know she waits,
just as our mind anticipates.

As we sit on the seat, a turn of the key,
we know for sure this is the way it should be.

Pull out the drive and head down the street,
whether we are alone or heading to a meet.

The direction that we take as the wind hits our face,
remember it’s about the joy, not about winning a race.

The curves, the hairpins, or just the straights,
with every lean, there’s just something about the path we take.

It’s the feeling we get as we straddle of course,
a passion and a love upon that steel horse.

So as we roll along and feel the ground,
with every throttle twist taking in the sound.

Be aware of the others as your mind clears the load,
hoping they remember this too is “The Bikers Road”.

***

«The Church of Michael Jordan» by Jeffrey McDaniel

The hoop is not metal, but a pair of outstretched arms,
God’s arms, joined at the fingers. And God is saying

throw it to me. It’s not a ball anymore. It’s an orange prayer
I’m offering with all four chambers. And the other players—

the Pollack of limbs, flashing hands and teeth—
are just temptations, obstacles between me and the Lord’s light.

Once during an interview I slipped, I didn’t pray well tonight,
and the reporter looked at me, the same one who’d called me

a baller of destiny, and said you mean play, right? Of course,
I nodded. Don’t misunderstand—I’m no reverend

of the flesh. Priests embarrass me. A real priest
wouldn’t put on that robe, wouldn’t need the public

affirmation. A real priest works in disguise, leads
by example, preaches with his feet. Yes, Jesus walked on water,

but how about a staircase of air? And when the clock
is down to its final ticks, I rise up and over the palms

of a nonbeliever—the whole world watching, thinking
it can’t be done—I let the faith roll off my fingertips, the ball

drunk with backspin, a whole stadium of people holding
the same breath simultaneously, the net flying up like a curtain,

the lord’s truth visible for an instant, converting nonbelievers
by the bushel, who will swear for years they’ve witnessed a miracle.

***

«The Football Game Is on TV» by Kenn Nesbitt

The football game is on TV.
The chips are in the bowl.
We’re totally excited and
about to lose control.

Our living room has turned into
a huge, chaotic scene.
We’re madly jumping up and down.
We’re screaming at the screen.

My mom and dad are yelling
while my baby brother wails.
My sister’s sitting on the sofa
chewing on her nails.

I’m running all around the room
as if I’ve lost my mind.
It’s not because our team’s ahead.
It’s not that they’re behind.

The reason that we’re shouting
and we’re running all about,
is that the game was tied and then
the Internet went out.

***

«The World’s Fastest Bicycle» by Kenn Nesbitt

My bicycle’s the fastest
that the world has ever seen;
it has supersonic engines
and a flame-retardant sheen.

My bicycle will travel
a gazillion miles an hour —
it has rockets on the handlebars
for supplemental power.

The pedals both are jet-propelled
to help you pedal faster,
and the shifter is equipped
with an electric turbo-blaster.

The fender has a parachute
in case you need to brake.
Yes, my bike is undeniably
the fastest one they make.

My bicycle’s incredible!
I love the way it feels,
and I’ll like it even more
when Dad removes the training wheels.

***

«Victory» by Sherman Alexie

When I was twelve, I shoplifted a pair
Of basketball shoes. We could not afford
Them otherwise. But when I tied them on,
I found that I couldn’t hit a shot.

When the ball clanked off the rim, I felt
Only guilt, guilt, guilt. O, immoral shoes!
O, kicks made of paranoia and rue!
Distraught but unwilling to get caught

Or confess, I threw those cursed Nikes
Into the river and hoped that was good
Enough for God. I played that season
In supermarket tennis shoes that felt

The same as playing in bare feet.
O, torn skin! O, bloody heels and toes!
O, twisted ankles! O, blisters the size
Of dimes and quarters! Finally, after

I couldn’t take the pain anymore, I told
My father what I had done. He wasn’t angry.
He wept out of shame. Then he cradled
And rocked me and called me his Little

Basketball Jesus. He told me that every cry
Of pain was part of the hoops sonata.
Then he laughed and bandaged my wounds—
My Indian Boy Poverty Basketball Stigmata.

***

«You Can Argue with a Tennis Ball» by Kenn Nesbitt

You can argue with a tennis ball
or argue with your hat.
You can argue with bananas
or a broken baseball bat.

You can argue with your locker.
You can argue with your shoe.
You can argue all day long
until your face is turning blue.

You can argue with a pickle.
You can argue with a bee.
It’s a fact that you can argue
with most anything you see.

You can argue with the football field
or argue with the bleachers.
But I’ve found it isn’t very smart
to argue with the teachers.

It would be wrong to say that love is always a beautiful feeling. It makes someone soar on wings, gives core strength to others. But some people get broken or become a slave by love. But in fact, love is a very strong feeling. So it would be strange if poets missed the theme of gone love.

«700 Miles From My Heart» by Sirenity K. Ball

In my dreams you’re right by me
Sleeping through the night beside me,
And when I wake up and it’s a dream,
I don’t have any tears left to comfort me.

I’ve locked my heart away
And I’ve dreamed about the day
I’m carelessly walking someplace
And run into someone just to see your face.

But my heart is broken.
It’s been effortlessly stolen,
And I hope you will forever be holding it,
Fixing the crooked pieces that were bent.

Because the last time I hugged you,
You held me tight,
Loved me as I cried,
And said it would be all right.

Because time is just a number
And sorrow isn’t forever,
And I promise I will always remember
All the good times we have had together.

Because I love you more than words can say
As all my old infatuations fade away.
I wish I could look into the future and see our fate.
Maybe then I could calm my heart rate.

And I think of you every day.
There isn’t a day that I don’t picture your face.
I cry every time it rains
Because I picture our first date.

And I miss the way you laugh
Because it brings me joy whenever I’m sad,
And if I’m with you, life has dealt me a good hand
Because only with you do I realize what I have.

I have a guy who makes me laugh
Who truly cares if I’m sad,
Who makes me smile when I’m mad,
And listens to me when I rant.

So between now and then,
Please don’t forget who I am
Because it has been said
You can forgive but never forget.

So please don’t forget my face
Or how when I’m nervous I pace.
And think of me whenever it rains
So that when we meet again we will be in the same place.

We will be in love without a care
Because what we had is rare.
You’re exactly perfect down to every hair.
Even if there was an error, I would never care.

I love you!

***

«A Lost Love» by Henry Francis Lyte

I meet thy pensive, moonlight face;
Thy thrilling voice I hear;
And former hours and scenes retrace,
Too fleeting, and too dear!

Then sighs and tears flow fast and free,
Though none is nigh to share;
And life has nought beside for me
So sweet as this despair.

There are crush’d hearts that will not break;
And mine, methinks, is one;
Or thus I should not weep and wake,
And thou to slumber gone.

I little thought it thus could be
In days more sad and fair
That earth could have a place for me,
And thou no longer there.

Yet death cannot our hearts divide,
Or make thee less my own:
Twere sweeter sleeping at thy side
Than watching here alone.

Yet never, never can we part,
While Memory holds her reign:
Thine, thine is still this wither’d heart,
Till we shall meet again.

***

«A Lost Love» by Steve Stewart

There’s a pain in my heart that I’m feeling today,
for the love of my life feels further each day.

The sorrow is so much and the pain is so deep.
I’ve hurt her again’ I can’t even sleep.

But I now know the problem, the curse of our love.
It was buried inside me, with no sight from above.

And now that I see it, I force it away.
Yet I fear that I’ve lost her, nevermore can I say

that I love her so deeply and regret all the pain,
and I know it’s my fault; no one else can I blame.

And I search for an answer, somewhere above
and hope she’ll forgive me and remember our love.

For I can’t live without her and could never move on,
for how can one live when what they live for is gone?

Walls are closing around me; I sink slowly each day,
yet I cling to a hope that seems far away

that she will return to me and feel my embrace.
I miss her so badly and the beauty of her face

as she slept there beside me, never knowing the truth,
that I would smile there beside her, and be thankful for the proof

that someone does care, for I have known this angel,
and I’d softly kiss her cheek, the moment so blissful.

And I’d hold her all night and feel so at peace,
yet I never told her these things; now I watch as she flees.

But I know she remembers it, the love that I gave,
and I hope she can forgive me, the cause of her pain.

For like an angel from heaven, she came into my life.
Now I plead one last time, for one last chance to make it right.

Yet I fear it won’t heal; how I’ve ripped us apart,
but I must let her know what’s inside this broken heart.

That I love her so much and I’ve made a mistake,
and I hope she won’t leave because it’s my heart she will take.

We were in love for so long; I know she remembers.
It started three years ago that night in September.

I will never forget how I felt that cold night;
my breath taken away by the beauty of her sight.

I write these words now with tears in my eyes,
for I love her so much; I sit and I die.

I’m so lost without her, don’t want her to go,
not without me saying what I need her to know.

That I’ve always loved her and miss her each day,
yet the hope that she loves me drifts further away.

I just want her to know how I truly feel,
and to know that my words are nothing but real.

And it doesn’t take a special time to make a new start;
it takes only desire and true love from the heart.

***

«A Shattered Heart» by Christi Ybarra

Some say a broken heart is like a shattered vase
Fragile pieces scattered all over the place.
The shattered pieces of broken glass seem to go everywhere
Unlike the pieces of a broken heart that seem to  pierce your soul.

With faith and hope you try to mend the broken heart
Unlike the vase it cannot be so easily replaced.
It takes a while to mend it and then you lock it up
You hide the key and wait to see if someone can be found

A special person who will use the key to unlock the heart
A unique person who will handle the heart with gentle hands,
Who can be honest, truthful and handle it with care.
My heart and I wonder is there really that kind of person out there.

***

«A Simple Smile» by Ralph P Quinonez

A great big laugh, a simple smile.
You came into my life to only stay awhile.

At first glace, I knew it was meant,
But the time with you, I don’t know where it went.

I think about you almost every day.
Try to ask myself how I let you get away.

You had to leave what was meant to be,
Made me see what I couldn’t see.

I’ve grown with you, a better man today.
Once lost, you’ve helped me find my way.

It was what it was that I cannot change.
What a mess I have to try to rearrange.

This place in life that we are at now.
Would have never thought that it would be allowed.

True love was something always on my mind.
Always there but never designed.

To see you again and have it like it was,
Being very close to you just because.

All I have is good times and stories to share.
In my heart I know you will never be there.

There is never a good way to tell you goodbye.
I keep asking myself, “Why, baby, why?”

I know my love is now walking away.
I must let go because tomorrow brings another day.

A simple kiss, a great big smile.
I’m glad that I met you if only for a while.

***

«A Vision» by John Clare

I lost the love of heaven above,
I spurned the lust of earth below,
I felt the sweets of fancied love
And hell itself my only foe.

I lost earth’s joys but felt the glow
Of heaven’s flame abound in me
Till loveliness and I did grow
The bard of immortality.

I loved but woman fell away
I hid me from her faded fame,
I snatched the sun’s eternal ray
And wrote till earth was but a name

In every language upon earth,
On every shore, o’er every sea,
I give my name immortal birth
And kept my spirit with the free

***

«And Nothing Is Ever As You Want It To Be» by Brian Patten

You lose your love for her and then
It is her who is lost,
And then it is both who are lost,
And nothing is ever as perfect as you want it to be.

In a very ordinary world
A most extraordinary pain mingles with the small routines,
The loss seems huge and yet
Nothing can be pinned down or fully explained.

You are afraid.
If you found the perfect love
It would scald your hands,
Rip the skin from your nerves,
Cause havoc with a computered heart.

You lose your love for her and then it is her who is lost.
You tried not to hurt and yet
Everything you touched became a wound.
You tried to mend what cannot be mended,
You tried, neither foolish nor clumsy,
To rescue what cannot be rescued.

You failed,
And now she is elsewhere
And her night and your night
Are both utterly drained.

How easy it would be
If love could be brought home like a lost kitten
Or gathered in like strawberries,
How lovely it would be;
But nothing is ever as perfect as you want it to be.

***

«Deserted» by Harriet Monroe

O Love, my love, it’s over then—
Your heart flies free;
And it’s now no more us two again,
The door on you and me.
And it’s now no more the supper spread,
The stove singing low.
Oh, worlds away your feet are led,
Where wild winds blow!

Oh, seas between and worlds away
Our paths run now.
Go, for more dead than coffined clay
Is love’s dead vow.
Go, may your bread be sweet, your rest
As soft and deep be
As when you slept upon my breast
And gave the world for me.

Go, for my heart cries out with pain,
With joy cries out.
Go ! you’ve unwound the golden chain—
Love’s hope, love’s doubt.
Go! you were mine—now mine shall be
The whole brave world.
My spirit flutters and is free,
With wings unfurled.

Out of my little house of bliss,
O lost love sweet,
Out of my grief and loneliness
Now will I rise to greet
My friend who begs in the street below,
My friend who prays above;
And each will be—oh, well I know!—
You—you, lost love.

***

«Elegy» by David Herbert Lawrence

Since I lost you, my darling, the sky has come near,
And I am of it, the small sharp stars are quite near,
The white moon going among them like a white bird among snow-berries,
And the sound of her gently rustling in heaven like a bird I hear.

And I am willing to come to you now, my dear,
As a pigeon lets itself off from a cathedral dome
To be lost in the haze of the sky, I would like to come,
And be lost out of sight with you, and be gone like foam.

For I am tired, my dear, and if I could lift my feet,
My tenacious feet from off the dome of the earth
To fall like a breath within the breathing wind
Where you are lost, what rest, my love, what rest!

***

«Find Love Again With My Ex» by Brittany Kelley

I gave you my heart
And you gave it back
When we split apart
My heart was a whole of black.

I said I Love You
I meant it with all I had
You didn’t think it was true
Which left me so mad.

April was the end of us
I couldn’t let you go,
I still meant to impress
Hoping it would let you know
That I still need you,
And wanted to be happy.
But you knew
That we both would just end up unhappy.

I didn’t talk to you
For the longest time.
I was so blue
To give a dime.

To me you are someone else I knew
Than other people saw.
I didn’t go with the flow
Ending in me hating you.

Now things have occurred
To where there is no good between us.
Which has become absurd
And much stress.

I just want to forgive and forget
Start over like we never knew one another.
Act like we just met
And one day be close like any other!

***

«I Am Not Yours» by Sara Teasdale

I am not yours, not lost in you,
Not lost, although I long to be
Lost as a candle lit at noon,
Lost as a snowflake in the sea.

You love me, and I find you still
A spirit beautiful and bright,
Yet I am I, who long to be
Lost as a light is lost in light.

Oh plunge me deep in love–put out
My senses, leave me deaf and blind,
Swept by the tempest of your love,
A taper in a rushing wind.

***

«I Could» by Chrys Lea

I could dream of you forever,
But it wouldn’t put me beside you.

I could call your name on end,
But you’ll never hear me.

I could ask a million questions,
But I’ll never get the answer I want.

I could write a hundred poems,
But you would still never understand.

I could have said it before it was time to leave,
But I said it in a little note.

I could try to forget what I feel,
But I’ve pushed too much out already.

I could lie to myself,
But lying exhausts the soul.

I could give up on you,
But too much of me still loves you.

***

«I Want You Back» by Sania Harris

Sitting by the river,
Dreaming through my reflection,
I wonder what has happened.
What has caused this distance?

We used to be together,
Cuddling close to each other.
What came between our beautiful love?
I don’t know, though I wish to.

I can see you now, not alone
You’re holding a hand that’s not mine
Where am I? Why not next to you?
Why am I away? I don’t understand.

You’re smiling to the fullest.
I am not the one making you happy.
You are glancing at someone else.
Why is it not me?

Seeing you after such a long time,
My heart sighs again.
Something inside me growls loud
‘Cause now your hand runs through her hair.

I stand some distance well away,
But the surroundings disappear.
When I look at you, I feel lost inside
I wish you back, my angel.

There you are, holding her hand,
And I am lost, trying to understand.
I want you back, I really do,
Just to hold your hand
And walk with you.

***

«Just Yesterday» by Bern Agustin

yesterday I was crying…
deep pain creeping within
yesterday I was sobering…
such endless grief, left me shivering

we were once colorful and new
in a blissful land of me and you
just yesterday you were holding me tight
same yesterday you were gone out of sight

I’ve lived my life from this memory
kept running away, reality been missed
aches of memories, no future have seen
“could I ever survive drowning in misery?”

just yesterday you were gone without me
tried to ponder whatever reason there’ll be
just yesterday I  was too weak to see
is there any rainbow left only for me?

***

«Last Goodbye» by Dorsa Saa

I sit here waiting
waiting for you to see
that time is running out
come on and save me

It’s not your fault I’m crying
so don’t you think that at all
don’t feel guilty for something you didn’t do
just hug me and don’t let me fall

Your arms are so soft and cozy
The look in your eyes, I can’t forget
I wish you didn’t have to leave
but I know the date is set

I let the tears fall down my face
But you tell me not to cry
And that everything will be fine
I know it’s all a lie

I know you can’t stand it either
That we’ll be so far apart
And sleep all alone each night
Yet I know we’ll still be together in the heart

You give me one last kiss and hug
And wipe a single tear
Wish me luck and say goodbye
For its the last one I’ll hear

***

«Losing The Best Part Of Me» by Casee Llanes

I’m no longer whole
And sadly neither is he
We’ve been locked out by pain
And cannot find the key

We fight we struggle
We kick and scream
Please let us back in
And wake us from this dream

We both need a clue
About what the future holds
Will pain keep us locked out
And see how we do in the cold?

The cold air makes us forget
Forget how to get back in
Fighting and screaming won’t help
Pain wants to see how he will win

After the struggle, the exhaustion takes over
Leaves us both on our knees
It’s clearly too late…
I’ve lost the best part of me

***

«Lost» by Koren Horvath

Lost in the universe, thats more frightening than fear,
Lost in the Earth, where i feel as if nothing is near,
Lost as a person, Lost as man,
Needing to find myself, but i dont think i can.

Lost to all feeling, that is felt inside,
Lost to the sea, and its longing tide,
Lost to the people who really care,
All these people, never lost but always there.

Lost somewhere, all alone,
Lost with the world, and its pityful moan,
Lost in love, lost in hate,
Just waiting for a chance to lead me with fate.

Lost for words, that i should say,
Lost for thoughts, even when i pray,
Lost in mind, lost in hope,
Help me lord, i cannot cope.

***

«Lost Love» by Valentin Savin

Lost love
Whether I loved you or not
Alas, I cannot say anything,
As I never really thought;
But you’ve gone and I am suffering.

I am nearly choking in tears.
My life turned sad and unreal.
And this has gone on for years.
But you’re still in my memory.

You may be happy, who knows,
Or grieving like me alone;
I must bear with it, I suppose.
And drink the bitterness of my own.

If you hear, answer me, please:
Do you have any love to share?
I can’t bear a life like this.
Spare me at least my gray hair.

***

«Lost Love» by Robert B. Wolfe

As I sit and ponder the day away.
I remember the young love I gave away.
I searched for a love like I left behind,
Too young to realize she was one of a kind.

Like a ship in the night,
She sailed away.
The hurt I felt
I still feel today.

For years I walked along a lonely shore,
Dreaming of the eyes I’ll see no more.
The love I felt, I still feel today
For the love of my life that I gave away.

***

«Lost Love» by Marcia A. Newton

Do you remember me like I remember you
and wonder how our lives might be if we had said “I do”?
If I could hear those three little words that made my life complete,
my heart would know what my ears had heard and probably skip a beat.

Ours was a love story to remember
from the cold dark winters to warm summer weather.
Because of you, memories still linger
of the promise ring you placed on my finger.

You needed to find your place in this world,
even if it meant with some other girl.
I knew I had to let you go
even though I loved you so.

Remember our last sad goodbye?
Our hearts were broken. Tears burned our eyes…
So the hardest thing I’ve ever done was to accept we had to part.
But I hope you will remember you’ll always have my heart.

And so we kissed and we embraced,
and then I memorized your face.
You walked away to catch your flight
but not before we held on tight.

We both moved on and found new lovers.
I married one. You live with another.
Life is not always what is meant to be,
but I will hope, and dream, and always believe.

Imagining you lying next to me
is only a dream, a fantasy.
And only God knows how I’d feel
if all of my dreams could turn out real.

You are always with me. 
You live inside my heart.
And there you will always be
and never would we part.

I will always love you
and I will always care.
You changed my life forever. 
You’re my one true love affair.

You always knew how to ignite the fire. 
You’ll always be my one desire.
It is always you I’m thinking of.
You’ll always be my long-lost love.

***

«Love Hate» by David Charlton

Of all the emotions a person can feel,
Love is scariest and hardest to heal.
Excitement and mystery impossible to resist.
Promises of magic perpetually persist.
We long for a connection that is as strong as it is true,
But love always does as love wants to do,
So to the emotion of love, I just want to say,
I’m much better off without you; I’m glad you went away,
‘Cause I’d much rather live with a heart that can sing,
A smile that struggles to be more than a grin.
I might not be happy, but at least I’m not sad,
Holding onto happiness that I never had,
Love’s an impostor, a thief in the night,
Reduces flames to embers that no longer burn bright.
Love captains your emotions and steers your fate.
Love is the only emotion that I truly hate.

***

«Love Seesaw» by Patricia Grantham

Love is like a seesaw that goes up and down
Just like the ferris wheel it goes around and around
Sometimes you maybe happy and at times maybe sad
You played the game of love and lost everything you had

Love can be unsteady and sometimes topsy-turvy
Can be bold and beautiful and also kind of nervy
Here today and gone tomorrow a never ending battle
Will either make or break you until you start to rattle

Love can either break your heart or tear it all asunder
Thrown out and cast aside then left outside for plunder
A seesaw kind of love you see can also be unsteady
Never go for a ride on love unless you’re good and ready

Love can make you a loser and may sometimes let you win
Whatever it takes to keep it try playing again and again
When you have had enough tell the love seesaw goodbye
Give your self sometime to recover and give it another try

***

«Missing Piece In Life» by Abstruse PSYCHE

I’ve lost a piece and it’s impossible to bring it back..
I was too careless.. I was too slack..
I spent so much time thinking about this and that..
I was indecisive and that’s a fact..

such a coward to take the risk..
so scared to get out of my league..
time is fast and before I knew it..
my piece has already taken a leap..

I’ve lost a piece and it’s almost impairing..
the pain is striking and inside I am grieving..
silently I weep to conceal that I’m hurting..
for how long.. I don’t know.. but in sadness I am sinking..

***

«My Blue Butterfly» by Rini Shibu

My blue butterfly has lost its way
It fluttered and flew when trees swayed
Now no more are found around my garden
My blue butterfly’s heart has hardened
It realised that no more
nectar is left with me
Now my cherry blossom is pale
and has lost it’s beauty
My blue butterfly has found a new garden
far away among the blue bells
It flapped the wings at me before leaving
shedding its love
Still I remember the mesmerizing sight
Of my garden
The fragrance once it has spread have been lost
and the air is dry
There is no more breeze to pass by
Everything is gone and all the fun has been lost

***

«My Love For You» by Matthew Dusfim

The Bit by bit and day by day
In such a special lovely way
Do not know why or how to say
But I shall try to… If I may

And thus I shall try to explain
That despite heavy pouring rain
In times of sorrow and of pain
My love for you was not in vain

When I was down and even sad
If I felt angry rather mad
If I was in tears feeling bad
My love for you I did not dread

I was insulted even mocked
My same own life I feel was blocked
The doubts that came and often knocked
My love for you was safely locked

Until the day you came to me
The love in me you did not see
Without you dear how could I be?
My love for you I could not free

And yet you know I still love you
A love that’s strong and oh so true
Wher’ver you go wher’ver to
My love for you will follow too

***

«My Memories» by Graham Chaplin

My memories are sacred of the you I used to know.
I remember all the places where you and I would go.

Time has made me older, and life has made me old.
My bones are thin and brittle; my body feels the cold.

Days when I was younger and warmer in the sun,
Days when you were with me, I was the chosen one.

Years went rolling past us, but I lost you along the way.
I would give all my tomorrows for just one yesterday.

***

«No Such Thing As Happy Endings» by Ernesto Prince

The first night they meet
He knew it to be true
This girl who lied before him
Was genuine and true

He looked into her eyes
The deep browns didn’t lie
She loved him just as much
Or was it all a lie?

The nights turned into mornings
The days went by too quick
His chances seemed to slip away
With every day that went

Then finally the day had come
She said she couldn’t wait.
Time had passed so swiftly
He was far too late

It was then he realized
He made a huge mistake
He let the girl he loved
Simply slip away…

***

«Ode To A Lost Love» by Valerie Dohren

‘Oh sweet breath of eternal life
Dance ever `pon her silent breast
Released from pain and worldly strife
The one I love is laid to rest’

Her flaxen hair, like golden corn,
Fell soft about her lifeless face
And round her shoulders to adorn
As limp she lay in death`s embrace

Still young, the bloom of youth today,
Her life had barely yet begun
But all too soon to fade away
No more to dance beneath the sun

No more to laugh in sweet delight
Nor skip through pastures wild and free
Nor hear the nightingales sing bright
In pure and perfect harmony

‘I`ll ne`er forget her tender smile
Nor yet her face so sweet and fair
Her gentle kisses to beguile
I`ll cherish every thought of her’

The teardrops glistened on his cheeks
Like stars plucked from the darkened skies
He held her hand, no more to speak,
Then gently kissed her still, cold eyes

***

«Realization – Lost Love» by Dr. M. Asim Nehal

The arms of slumber took me to the darkness
where silence dwells, in peace and serenity,
It lets me speak to and inquire about the love
Before I could ask, it left, leaving behind a trail.

The flock of chattering birds chanted gloomy songs
the bees murmur on every flower warily
the waves followed one another unwillingly
and the waterfalls turbulently flowed everywhere.

Restlessness and the state of confusion
Is ubiquitously on earth
The peace is sadly corned
The calmness has gone to take a dip in the sea

The only hope to revive everything
Rests with the LOVE
We disregarded when it was with us
Now we realise what we have lost.

***

«Silent Tears» by Nyasha Bard

The day you said it’s over was the day that I died.
When it became dark, I laid down and cried,
Going over and over in my head on what to do.
I could never find the courage to let you be you.

You called me last night and told me that you still cared,
But when the call was over I was empty and in despair.
You were my first love, someone who knew me so well.
But now that we aren’t a couple, people can hardly tell.

You have moved on with some other girl, I see.
I cry to myself in the darkness, wishing that it was me.
But here and now I hear your name over and over again.
I cover my heart; my heartbeat weakens because of the pain.

***

«Song Of The Desert Lark» by Wilfrid Scawen Blunt

Love, love, in vain
We count the days of Spring.
Lost is all love’s pain,
Lost the songs we sing.
Sunshine and Summer rain,
Winter and Spring again
Still the years shall bring,
But we die.

Love, what a noon
Of happy love was ours!
Grief came too soon,
Touched the Autumn flowers,
Grief and the doubt of death,
Mixed with the roses’ breath.
Darkly the Winter lowers,
And we die.

His torch, love, the Sun
Turns to the stormy West,
Like a fair dream begun
Changing to jest.
Love, while our souls are one,
Still let us sing the Sun,
Sing and forget the rest
And so die.

***

«The Bench» by Emma Marie Etwell

Sitting alone
On a bench that’s made for two,
Only one side is empty,
For that place is meant for you.
As I look out
Onto the beautiful seashore,
Memories overtake me
And wishes of making more.
Do you remember this special place?
And the moments we had here?
You made my life that day,
And that I will always hold near.
I find myself walking,
Not knowing where to go,
But I always end up
In that special place that we know.
I sit down, can’t move,
Waiting for you to show,
And when I feel your hand on mine,
That’s when I will go.
Do you see, my darling,
That this bench was made for two,
And one day in the future,
It will be filled again by me and you.

***

«The Cycle» by Spencer Castro

Why do we feel such strong emotion,
Of complete care and pure devotion.
It seems to bring, just pain and fear,
Along with shame and then the tears.

Though at first, it sure feels great,
As if, almost, it were in fate.
With a smile, we first feel love,
And then we thank Great God above.

Making it last for a while,
Thinking he or she is in denial.
Keeping secrets from each other,
Living lies with one another.

Beating ourselves with jealousy,
Wondering who it is they see,
The warmth that we had felt before,
Begins to fly, right out the door.

Distance then grows the two apart,
Knowing they are not right at heart,
The cycle that they had began,
Finally came unto its end.

***

«The Lost Love» by Frank Romans

My lover’s voice I long to hear,
My heart will race when she comes near.
To see her face and touch her skin,
And hear her words of love again.

Her voice is faint, so far away.
I will not see her here today,
Nor will I get to touch her hair.
I reach to touch, but she’s not there.

I see the image in my mind
Of bygone days and better times,
Of laughter, love, and happy days,
Before we let it all escape

I do not want to be alone,
Growing old, without a home,
Without my love close by my side.
Emptiness, I can’t abide.

If you will have me, I’ll take you.
We’ll start again, with love renewed.
Together always, never to part,
Each holding the other inside the heart.

Be still my mind, it’s just your dream,
A nightmare, really, it would seem.
Pride, you see, precedes the fall.
She won’t be back, and that is all.

I lift my head and raise my glass
And toast those days that are long past.
To memories of love and home,
To days before I was alone.

***

«The Pain Inside» by Robert Vincent

I saw the stars that shine
When I looked into your eyes.
I felt the pain inside
When your head was next to mine.
Come tomorrow I’ll be able
To love you in your dreams,
So when you’re next to him
I hope you’ll think of me.
Will you remember the pleasure
When you look upon the stars?
Go back to the night
You laid your head upon my heart.
Tell your kids a story
Of a love that couldn’t be,
And I’ll tell mine a tale
Of what you meant to me

***

«Thoughts At The Ocean» by Thalia M. Llago

I stand on this soft, white sand.
My feet becomes frozen,
And I have no will to move.
Everything reminds me of you.

The sand reminds me of your touch.
The wind, your words,
The sun, your smile,
The stars, your eyes,
The birds, your freedom.

For a month
I just stood there,
Reminiscing every single prayer, song, poem,
Played over and over
By the cherry lips
I’ve never tasted before.

Every wave
That came by
I called your name,
Sometimes restlessly,
But always in vain.

No matter how tight
My mother pulled me away
From this spot,
And no mater
How tired and worn out I became,
I couldn’t shake the thoughts of you.

Some would see this as loneliness,
But how can that be
If your memories keep me company?

***

«Vagabond Soul» by Lissette Lewis

In the wake of the midnight hour
Left without the power
Of a hope or prayer
Somewhere out there is my love…
Through the shadows of every corner
Lies the promise of tomorrow
Whether happy or alone
Hearts that travel through the valleys
Of past and present
Will never know just how to win
Take me somewhere into the roses
Where all that grows is fresh and new
Leave me only
When the day has started
And I can find another you

***

«Was Lost But Now Am Found» by Chris Clingman

I once was lost but now am found
i feel so safe standing here on the ground
i love to see all the people around
i love the trees because they never make a sound

what does it mean to be truly lost
does it mean to lose yourself with no real cost
to walk around with no real place to go
someone tells you something and you just say ‘so’

if there is one thing I have learned it’s you’re never lost with love
if you have love you will always be found
the greatest love comes from the Lord up above
just embrace the love from your family all around

***

«When Love Dies» by Billy Arends

When love dies,
It ceases to exist.
And the flame that used to be,
Ceases to persist

It feels like a wound that won’t stop bleeding,
Like it’s your last breath you’re about to take,
And it feels like your soul’s watching,
And all you can do is pray you wake.

When love dies,
It’s like everything slows down to a stop
The tears that came rolling down your cheeks
Are taking ages to drop

To the cold tiled floor
I fell onto my knees,
It felt as if the light followed her shadow,
As she slammed closed the door…

Love died,
I know this because my soul died too.
And it was hurting as much
As all the pain I put her through.

When love died
I ceased to exist
The only thing that kept us together…
Ceased to persist.

***

«When Love Is Lost» by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

When love is lost, the day sets towards the night,
Albeit the morning sun may still be bright,
And not one cloud-ship sails across the sky.
Yet from the places where it used to lie
Gone is the lustrous glory of the light.


No splendour rests in any mountain height,
No scene spreads fair and beauteous to the sight;
All, all seems dull and dreary to the eye
When love is lost.


Love lends to life its grandeur and its might;
Love goes, and leaves behind it gloom and blight;
Like ghosts of time the pallid hours drag by,
And grief’s one happy thought is that we die.
Ah, what can recompense us for its flight
When love is lost?

A Mask

I smile, I laugh, I joke around,
but my feelings no one has ever found.
They see me every day with a smile on my face,
but when I get back to this place
I feel as if it’s my own hell,
as if I’m locked in a cell.
The tears run down my face.
I sit in my room, quiet and wondering
if anyone sees the pain I feel
and how it’s oh so real.
Another day comes as I put on my mask and hide.
No one sees the pain I feel inside.
I laugh and I smile,
but inside I’m sad.
I wish someone could see.
I get back to this place I call hell,
where it all began and where I fell.
I take off my mask, but I’m still all alone,
and it kills me that no one will ever know.
I wish I could be the girl
that people think they really see.

By Jordyn Alberts

***

A Prayer By Me

No one knows what I feel today
Or that I’m dying inside.
No one knows the pain I’m in,
For it’s nothing a smile can’t hide.

If I could find the words to tell,
I’d get help in a second.
But there are no words to explain
My pain and my heart that it’s wreckin’.

So I beg thee, Lord God of all
Who sees the struggle I’m in,
To stay by me with your grace
And keep me from giving in.

I promise you that I’ll fight on
And that I will survive,
But every day I lose some hope
That’s been keeping me alive.

I need your help so earnestly, Lord,
And I need your love today.
But I also ask if it be your will,
Please take the pain away.

By Mary Cathleen 

***

Are You There God?

Drowning in my misery
this life is hell it seems to me
and I don’t think I can fight this anymore
Tears of hate of broken hearts
scars from memories they haunt
my existence I plea

God save me
Please
Save me
I don’t wanna feel this anymore
God save me
Please
Save me
I can’t handle myself anymore
please settle my score

Fighting back the whines of sin
regret my past unthankfulness
I don’t want to do this anymore
Scabs from cuts inflicted time
watch the blood drip down my spine
I won’t handle this life anymore

God save me
Please
Save me
I don’t wanna feel this anymore
God save me
please
save me
I can’t handle myself anymore
Please settle my score

Take a knife and scratch my surface
break the skin and see the blackness
it’d be painful I if I could feel it
feeling-less numbness darkness
resides within
break the devil from my existence

God save me
please
can you hear me

God save me
please
Save me
I don’t wanna feel this anymore
God save me
Please
Save me
I can’t handle myself anymore
end this pain

By Matt Clay

***

Behind The Mask

Hiding the hurt, hiding the pain,
Hiding the tears that fall like rain.
Saying I’m fine when I’m anything but.
This ache in my soul rips at my gut.
My skin is on fire; I burn from within.
The calm on my face is an ongoing sin.
The world must stay out; I’ve built up a wall.
My fragile lie will collapse should it ever fall.
Loneliness consumes me; it eats away the years
Until my life is swallowed by unending fears.
Waiting for someone to see I wear a mask
And care enough to remove it; is that too much to ask?

By Melisa Bernards

***

Behind This Face

Behind this calm face there is a raging storm,
Like a war in my head since the day I was born.

Behind this smile there is a lonely sad frown,
Acting oh so happy when really you are down.

Behind these blue eyes is a bright burning fire,
Flames flickering out of control, getting higher.

Behind this laugh when I’m laughing out loud,
There’s a tear like a rain drop from a dull cloud.

Behind these dry eyes is a waterfall of pain,
Trying to plug the leak, but the effort is in vain.

Behind this confident man is a shy little boy,
The youngster from school, so lonely and coy.

Between my ears is a fight inside my head,
Happy against sad or living battling dead.

Behind this big heart it is shattered like glass,
Still not healed from the bully in the class.

Behind the happiness lies sadness deep down,
Swimming against the tide trying not to drown.

By Lee W. Barker 

***

Broken Home

Looking at the night sky,
She wonders why,
Why’d they take her away,
She wanted to stay.

Leaving everything she has ever known,
everything she has ever been shown.
Lets sit here and try, try not to cry,
maybe time will pass by.

Then she can go home,
she then won’t have to roam.
Looking for a place,
that she won’t have to chase.

All the broken dreams lay shattered,
tired of hearing she doesn’t matter.
There’s a place in this world,
where she can twist and twirl.

She will belong some day,
everyone who id her wrong, they will pay.
They shouldn’t have taken her,
she know this for sure.

Lets set this trap,
get rid of this crap.
She will get revenge,
when they see me they will all cringe.

Everything has to do with being adopted,
her house is filled with lies.

As the days go by,
she’s always getting high
Hoping it will get rid of the pain,
so she can dance in the rain.

She doesn’t know what to do,
always lost and so confused.
She feels so used and abused,
wants to get lost in this world.

One, she is just one girl,
sick of all the stuff,
she’s had enough!

Going to run away,
not going to stay!

After everything she’s been through,
she still doesn’t know who?
Who she is inside.

Sick of running to hide,
when she dies,
there will be no more lies.

Dying a happy girl,
her life going to unfurl.

All the shatter times,
all the hating rhymes.
They will not be gone,
so lets wait tell dawn.

By Lacey Grogg

***

Changed Because Of Depression

Where is that cheerful girl I used to know?
I look in the mirror and it’s like I don’t even recognize myself.

I look so down and tired, I don’t see that girl who was so happy so long ago.

What happened to the days I would smile?
Where are the days that my heart wouldn’t break?
Where have I gone?

I see that girl when I look in the mirror, but she’s too far gone.
I can’t bring her back to life, she’s feeling too much strife.

I feel her inside me, but my depression won’t let her come out.
I think the old me is gone without doubt.

By Debbie Brown

***

Cries

I feel the tears fall as I lay here and cry.
Nobody knows that all my happiness is a lie.

You see, I can’t really smile; I haven’t in a while.
It seems like my new style.
   
Inside I cry; everything I say is a lie.
I feel like I’m going to die, but I really don’t know why.

One minute I’m smiling and the next I’m frowning.
I honestly feel like I’m slowly drowning.

For I will shed more tears; I’ll feel this way for several years.
When I was younger this was one of my biggest fears.

Why didn’t anyone tell me life would turn out this way?
I’m crying at night and pretending to be happy by day.

I’m always really sad.
I just pretend that it’s not that bad.

Stop listening to my lies.
They just hide my cries.

By Emily Harstine

***

Curl Up And Die

my pain runs so deep I feel like it is inside of me
running through my veins
carving me up as it goes
I don’t want to feel like this
but does anybody care?
I doubt it
I’m a liability
that’s all
nobody cares
they’ve just had enough of me
so I curl up inside my house
and have people say
come out you’re boring
come see the world
but I don’t want to!
I’m scared.
of what? I don’t know
everything!
I look at the pills
and contemplate doing it
but I’m too scared
so I just curl up and cry wishing I had the bravery to die.

By Terri

***

Dancing In The Rain

You’ve had those feelings… you wish your life was done.
You’re broken, defeated, and overcome.
Each day more challenging than the last.
Moments of weakness…emotions consistently masked.

There is sadness built up, stirring within,
Reflecting on where your life has been.
You feel alone… all you feel is pain.
Each moment a struggle masked by crying in the rain.

The storms of life will thunder, shoot lightning ‘cross your face.
But get up, chin up, and win YOUR race.
You can take charge…refuse to feel defeat.
Just get up, walk out… first step’s to move your feet.

Get out of the trench that you’ve dug for yourself.
Change what you are to improve your mental health.
There’s no shame in admitting that life is harder than you can bear.
That’s what friends are for…to show comfort and to care.

Don’t take the world on all alone; the challenges are real.
Be willing to accept the help you need, friendship, and you’ll heal.
Days will get easier; life will cease to be a strain…
Before you know it, you’ll be DANCING in the rain.

By Juli Nielsen 

***

Darkness

No words for a state that I cannot express
Like gravity just holds me here in this mess
An invisible force stealing my air
A looming dark cloud and no one’s aware
The strength of a lion becomes a small mouse
The whole of my world consists of my house
Feigning my comfort, I internally cry
Rationalize the how and the why

By Erin L. Kampen

Darkness

It’s like a plague that never goes away,
Or an animal and its prey.
It waits…
And waits…
And waits…until you’re ready.
Then closes in and devours you…
From the inside out.
ALL you see is shadows of the ones you once knew.
No more happiness,
No more laughter,
No more love.
It’s like a thunderstorm that blocks your soul.
Your soul becomes a black hole.
Whatever said, heard, or learned
Is forgotten, never brought up again,
No longer does anything matter.
It’s all darkness,
Like a plague that never goes away.

By Cassie

***

Dead Inside

She may seem alive
But she’s dead inside.
How can one live
When the important things died?

You can’t just take it away
If you never even know
The dark things tearing out her soul
That she’ll never choose to show.

She’s dead and alive,
And it’s no way to live,
So the numbness envelopes.
She has nothing to give.

She’s pretending to be all that is real.
Pretending to hurt when she can’t even feel.
Pretending to look when she can’t even see.
Pretending to love when she can’t even be.

By Kerri L. Copeland 

***

Deep Inside

When I smile deep inside I want to frown
when I laugh deep inside I want to cry
when you look into my eyes
You think every thing is alright
But deep inside
I want to die
maybe one day
I won’t feel like this
till then I’ll be happy in the outside
and crying in the inside

By Amanda

***

Demons Inside

It’s hard to explain those
demons inside,
the daily struggle,
the daily ride.

When will they go?
When will they end
these terrible thoughts
that they send?

They make me
hate myself.
They fill my head
with torture and doubt.

I’m tired of crying,
I’m tired of trying,
I wish I could believe
those demons were lying.

It’s a constant battle
between them and me.
I just want to end it all
and be free.

By Aimee Jones

***

Demons Of Darkness

She stood on the bridge
In silence and fear,
For the demons of darkness
Had driven her here.

They cut her heart
Right out of her chest,
Making her believe
That the demons knew best.

They were always there,
Sometimes just out of sight,
Waiting in the background
Till the time was right.

These demons were destructive,
Knocking down the life she knew,
Hating everything about her;
She hated herself, too.

These demons can’t be seen,
But they’re far from fairy tales.
They live inside your mind;
Their evilness prevails.

So on the bridge she stood,
About to end the fight.
Then she stopped and thought
I’ll fight them one more night.

By Olivia B

***

Depression Blues

My head is not right today.
I have no idea why it’s this way.

It switches from one thought to another.
I feel like I am being smothered.

I can’t finish just one thought.
In a group is where they are brought.

I’m under so much stress.
There are things I should confess.

Some people say I am so strong,
But in reality, they couldn’t be more wrong.

The outer part of me puts on that smile
While the inner me has been dying for a while.

I hate this part of my disease.
It literally brings me to my knees.

From a great mood to nasty as hell.
Which it’s gonna be, I can never tell.

Most of the days I can push through.
Today I don’t know what to do.

It comes with no known trigger.
It’s not going away; it’s only getting bigger.

Bigger, louder, and extremely strong.
I wish I knew what was wrong.

I want to cry, but I don’t know what for.
I hate this disease; I don’t want it anymore.

I get these terrible pains in my chest.
Feels like the Lord is gonna lay me to my final rest.

Will these feelings only last for today?
‘Cause it feels like they will never go away.

In reality it will not.
A life sentence is what I got.

The meds that make me manage
Are the same meds that cause me damage.

I could be flying high in the fluffiest cloud.
Then, bam, I crash onto the ground.

I wonder if people truely understand
What really goes on in my land.

How could they when even I don’t?
How could they when they simply won’t?

This not only takes a toll on me,
But it affects my friends and family,

Especially those days I cannot hide
The deep dark depression I feel inside.

Some days I’m just not strong enough.
Some days are just too tough.

But most of the days I seem to manage
To get through them without serious damage.

Well at least to others
Is what I mutter

Things aren’t usually this bad,
But you won’t know which I have had

‘Cause that is what we do.
We pretty it up for you.

I can’t keep that clear though in my head.
I’m done with this crap; I am going to bed

By Tina M. Casalvera

***

Depressions Wing

Here I sit with tortured thoughts; I’ve come to suspect that all is lost.
Alas I’ve seen depression’s wing landing on my shoulder.
I blankly stare into my life, a pessimist at heart, can’t seem to get life right.  I’ve lost the way, can’t seem to climb out of the hole being dug throughout my time.
Left behind that’s how I feel, catching up seems to be a big deal.
Alas I’ve seen depression’s wing landing on my shoulder.
Deep prayers go unanswered, as far as I can tell, I’m convinced I’m all alone and scared as hell, I wonder how much more I can bear.
My wife, she flows like the breeze, the best thing in my life and I want to please,
but all I feel is depression’s wing landing on my shoulder.
So much pain, creativity lost, I want this feeling to go away at any cost, I want to feel depression’s wing flying from my shoulder.

By Maurice Windley
***

Do You Know

Do you know a life of loneliness and one filled with pain,
living a life with nothing to gain,
Surrounded by darkness, overwhelmed with shame.
A life without peace with no one to blame.

Do you know of a place unseen,
A place that holds only shattered dreams,
A place filled with sorrow with no end in sight,
I am given this gift each and every night.

Do you know of a place so cold,
This is the place I call my soul,
A place without hope or comforting dreams, 
A life not worth living wouldn’t it seem.

Do you know of a life that should have never been,
And the feeling that today this life has to end.
One more day of sadness is much too hard to bear,
I am tired of living a life of heartache and despair.

Do you know a person with so much pain inside,
Or the feeling of loneliness when no one hears your cries,
Maybe when the tears are gone and I can clearly see,
The only question left will be…

DO YOU KNOW ME

By  Michelle Boyd

***

Down But Not Out

Depression is real
It zaps your zeal
Weakens the bones
Confuses the tones
Leaves you in dismay
Tries to take the day
Controls the throttle
Wants you in a bottle
It is a bad place to be
Where it’s hard to see
There is help for this
When nothing seems bliss
Talk to a friend
Do not pretend
Rest in the Lord
Read His Word
Start confessing
All the blessings
Joy is near
Do not fear

By Edward J. Dunn 

***

Eternally Alone

where can I go?
how can I begin.
At 20 I’m still depressed
I tried taking my life at ten
I began hurting so long ago
I thought id be numb by now
but it gets worse. it feels
like  salted wounds on the inside.
I cry out to no help!
my family isn’t there for me and
neither are any friends. I cry out
Oh God yet the silence never ends.
why? what have I done?
Oh Lord I take it back starting from day one.
why can’t I be loved, why cant I be touched.
am I jinxed? am I vexed? am I cursed?
I long to die, but they say its wrong
ill go to hell!! so I bleed. I bleed hate, I bleed confusion
I bleed eternal despair.
I have been abandoned and used.
I have been hated and abused.
No father, no friends. no one to depend.
hated my childhood cause I was always alone.
I was shown little affection even now that I’m grown.
I want things to change I don’t know how,
ill die if something doesn’t happen now.
where is my hero?
I need saving from this isolation
will it happen or will I be eternally alone?

By Joshua Lawson

***

Feel Again

Much time I now spend, watching
Watching as others pass by, living
Living their lives
I watch not for care of wanting to know them
Or even so as to learn from what they do and say
I simply watch…and wonder
Wondering why.  Why do I feel this way?
Wondering how.  How have I come to this point?
Wondering when.  When can I ever hope to feel again?
As I watch, I remember
Remember what it was like…
To feel as they feel
To laugh as they laugh
To cry as they cry
To hope as they hope
To hurt as they hurt
To love, to hate, to long, to fear, to yearn…to rejoice…to live
But such is all that I have…memories
Memories which flow before my mind’s eye
Even as the people flow before my gaze
And I, I sit quietly in the shadow…
And wonder

By Jeff Bresee 

***

Feeling Blue

I suppose it’s hard for some to understand.
This is not the way that I had planned.
I don’t know how I’ve let myself get this way,
And sometimes feel like calling it a day.
But then I think of those who are close to my heart.
Ending it all would probably tear them apart,
So while I’m thinking of my dread,
I’ll try and sort out this mess in my head.
Then if I find I still can’t cope,
There’s nothing more I can do than pray and hope
That everything will turn out right for me,
And someday I’ll be as happy as I can possibly be.

By Kt

***

Finding Joy

Have you seen Joy? I have not seen her in so, so long,
I miss her, oh how I miss her and her heartwarming song.

I keep searching and searching and asking why
she went away without saying goodbye.

Many years have gone by. but I envision her clearly.
I love her! “Joy, I love you so dearly.”

I have searched all over, I searched my soul.
If you don’t return, you’ll never know,

How I loved the time we spent with one another.
I showed you off to my mother, my brother.

You were there when I married my wife,
I thought you would be with me for the rest of my life.

Joy, can you imagine a clear dark night without any stars?
This time without you leaves unwanted scars.

I’m hurting inside and losing control.
I’m trying to hide it but it’s taking a toll.

I’m saddened to the point of anger
that you betrayed me. Do you feel my pain? Do you feel any shame?

I wish you could feel the loss I’ve been delt!
That’s when I realized that you have no feelings, but rather are a feeling to be felt!

Because I am losing hope that we will be reunited,
I have to make a choice but remain undecided.

Whether to succumb to this awful feeling of sadness,
or continue on faith, it seems like madness.

In the end I am not afraid, I’ll continue, I must!
Because I also love others, I’ve gained their trust.

And though you left for whatever reason,
the others I love with help bring you back this next season.

To have taken you for granted was my biggest mistake.
Please forgive me, forgive me please for heaven’s sake.

When you return to my arms, whenever this may be,
I’ll never let you go or get away from me.

As for those who took your place when you are gone,
they are not invited; they use me like a pawn.

Making me feel so worthless on this Earth,
I long for your return, to signify my rebirth.

By Trent D. Et

***

From Oppression Comes Light

Depression is oppression.
It’s a deadly hidden message
Defined by self-hate.
It seals its prisoner’s fate.
It holds you captive and throws out the key.
It stabs and jabs just to see you bleed,
Inflicting wounds that scar for life.
Destruction is its mother and death its wife.

You can cry, but it will always ignore your screams.
It terrorizes your soul and haunts your dreams.
It sends you false hope through a bottle or pill.
It destroys your goals and inflicts its will.
You can’t run, nor can you hide.
By its rules you will abide
Until it celebrates that you have died.
Open your eyes, or you will be its prey.
It will blur your vision in the most twisted way.
It will seek your destruction and call for your head.
You will lie and wait but never rest in your bed.

Peace will come to those who want peace,
But as long as you feed him, you will see the beast.
You can’t run, nor can you hide,
But if you conquer the beast, you will survive.
Prayer and hope can lead the way.
Cling on to every word you pray.
Hope is in truth.
Hate is in lies.
Pray for your soul and open your eyes.

By Erik Whitehead

***

Glance

Glance, but don’t stare.
You’re not supposed to see the scars that I bear.

Don’t listen, just speak.
You do not want the answers that you seek.

You smile, I smile back.
Look at the mask, don’t notice the crack.

There’s a monster in there I’m trying to hide,
But she’s nibbling at the ropes in which she’s tied.

She roars at me, forcing tears out my eyes
Then smiles triumphantly, like she’s won a prize.

“Why are you crying?” “I’m fine,” I say.
It’s not like you would understand anyway.

Don’t talk about me, let’s talk about you!
Underneath your mask, is there a monster too?

Does it rip your heart out and wave it in your face?
Find sticks and thorns to put in its place?

No? I’m sorry. I guess we don’t relate.
I’ll shut up now and pretend all is great.

Glance, but don’t stare.
There’s a monster under the mask…enter if you dare.

By Ashley Reyes

***

Gone

I am gone.
I’m so far gone you wouldn’t even know.
So far gone I won’t even show.
I’m so far gone and there’s no way out.
So far gone I just want to shout.
I’m so far gone you could never hear me scream.
So far gone you wouldn’t hear a thing.
I’m too far gone I try and let you see.
So far gone you wouldn’t notice me.
I’m so far gone drowning in quick sand.
So far gone there is no helping hand.
I’m too far gone you can’t help me.
So far gone I tried, begged on one knee.
I wish you could understand how much pain one could withstand.

I try to be brave, yet I have drowned,
I’m in so deep, too deep for you to notice,
to deep for you to care. I’m gone now; nothing’s left.
I should only hope you learn
it was never your fault.
The depression cut me
too deep for you see, too deep for you to feel.
The pain is bigger than me.
I tried to fight.
I’m just gone now.
I’m sorry.

By Alana

***

Hollow

Emotions.
Do you feel them?
She was numb and frozen,
Yet it dimly sparkled like a dying gem.

Broken.
Do you know what that feels like?
Piercing explosions,
Burning afflictions,
Hollers of agonizing cries.
She had nothing left inside.

Eyes closed,
Heartbeat stopped,
Barely alive.

She was a hollow shell.
Into an endless oblivion she fell,
Pitch black and nearly brain dead.
There was nothing in her life ahead.

Passion.
Why is it so strong?
She was deprived from it.
Devils had done her heart way too many wrongs.
Killed was the lust,
Lost was the temptation.

Love.
Why is it so painful?
Once crystal clear and beautiful,
Now a turned poison from what was as pure as golden dust.

She wanted nothing to do with it.
Not long ago it had made her bleed.

Hidden thorns
On her skin that burned.

She was a hollow shell.
Into an endless oblivion she fell.
Pitch black and nearly brain dead.
There was nothing in her life ahead.

Eyes opened,
Tears flowed,
Standing in front of a mirror,
Watching as she wholly became hollow.

By Fathimath L. Ahmed 

***

Hope For A Rainy Day

I am suspended above the sky,
Longing to feel the earth beneath my feet.

I clasp your hand – to hold on tight.
Don’t let me go, don’t let me sleep.

The moon is a jealous lover.
She will not leave; she has no other. 

The sun is my friend, my comfort-giver.
I know you’re there, just a sliver.

By Daniella C. Nowicki

***

Hurting Hearts

No one knows how the heart truly feels inside
Sometimes in pain and agony
it suffers
and makes love have no where to reside

You can see the facial expressions and think everything is going fine
But you can’t see the dreadful pain of the heart that’s so hard to define

So very often we smile, laugh, and talk to people each and everyday
Still from that moment to the next, no one ever knows the obstacles you challenge along the way!

As for the “HURTING HEARTS” and the “DEPRESSED”
souls, my tears go out to you today!
To the mothers, fathers, and others of those hurting hearts…I offer a “PRAYER”!!!

By Cynthia Dassie Chester 

***

I Do Feel Everything

I feel like there is nowhere to go.
I feel like I can’t get out.
I feel like there is no one I can show.
I feel like I can’t shout.

I feel like just giving up.
I feel like I am worthless.
I feel like I am never enough.
I feel like I don’t have a purpose.

I feel like I am locked in a box.
I feel like there is no key.
I feel like I am always in shock.
I feel like no one can hear my plea.

By Jillian J.

***

I Hide

Due to my twisted sense of pride
Having no one in which to confide
Taught to never show the tears I’ve cried
Many times wishing I had died
No one knows just how hard I’ve tried
To not show what’s truly inside
So I hide
I hide behind a mask and a smile
Faking it all the while
Never showing the true trial
Constantly in a state of denial
Feelings of worthlessness, nothing worthwhile
When did things become so hostile
So I hide
I hide behind a guise and grin
Rarely acting on a whim
Afraid of what could’ve been
Letting too much get under my skin
Patience continuously worn thin
Keeping everything within
So I hide

By Nikki A. Bruley

***

It’s The True Me All Along

Tears fell from the sky, hate steamed down my cheek, anger, pain, kept inside.
No one to cry, but me.
Heaven above, hell below.
I looked in the mirror ugly showed.
Living in hell.
Wished I was gone flashed before your eyes,
but why did I say that when you don’t even know I existed.
Left alone tears, anger, hate, what else?
Living in a nightmare.
Can’t end this sleep.
The past will always remain in mind.
Living in the shadows, the glass has shattered.
If everyone felt pain and sadness like I do, that would resemble a scar.
Then who knew.
My heart was stolen from me from all the hatred that I had and have.
Starred, secrets, lies spread.
Nothing to see since I’m blind.
Nothing to feel inside since my heart was stolen from me.
If you listen closely and hear that drip-drop moan for love, who will that be.
If you can hear my voice speak up please.
Because living in the shadows is hell.
Now I know where I stand.
Starring back at the ground.
Seeing my reflection from my puddle of broken dreams.
That I’ve come to figure out there was a seed.
Ready to turn into a beautiful flower soon but, all it needs is love.
And when that seed is ready to get out of the shadows and into some light. You will see what you haven’t been seeing It’s the true me all along.

By Alyssia Elbaor

***

Living A Lie

Walking into a typhoon,
Swimming against the tide,
That’s just how it feels,
When my truth I have to hide.

Pretending you’re really happy,
When inside you want to cry.
Feeling unbelievably low,
But your exterior shows you’re high.

Forgetting how to feel happy,
‘Cause your default is set to sad.
Forgetting all the good times,
Just remembering the bad.

Not wanting to leave the house
Or talk to anyone today.
Walking with my head down,
In my bed I want to stay.

Not seeing a light at the end,
Just stormy skies up ahead.
I can’t see a way out of this.
Maybe I’d be better off dead?!

A feeling of guilt arises,
For two lives depend on me.
My special boys I love so much,
If only they could see…

These dark thoughts I have inside,
The bad things I want to do,
The hurt I cause to myself,
These scares upset me too.

The one wish that I have
Is my kids never feel this pain
Or the feeling of self-hatred
Under dark clouds filled with rain.

As I look into the future,
The old me will resurrect one day.
I’ll then smile a real smile and say,
“I really do feel good today.”

By Lee W. Barker 

***

Lost In Pain

Anger. Pain.
It’s getting harder to hide
All the feelings I’ve built up inside.

It’s hard to explain
Without being considered insane,
So I’ve kept to myself
Until I realized I need help.

Even the weekends seem to be a chore.
Putting a smile on my face as I walk out the door. 

Wanting to run away,
But where can I go?
Around people or not, I still feel alone.

I cry all the time now.
I used to think I was strong.
Now it’s a struggle just to hold on. 

To make it through the day
Without an odd look my way
Or someone asking me if I’m okay.

But maybe it will do me good
To let someone help if they could.
Just one hug is all I need.
Just one person that cares is all I plead.

And then I might get through another day
Of waiting for my anger and pain to fade away.

By Steff

***

Me

Can’t you see
The pain in my eyes?
But this is me
And my life.
If you hold me close
You can hear my heart
It cries more than most
From being torn apart.
After every breath I take,
After every fight I witness,
I ask “why must I awake?”
Will I ever conquer forgiveness?
Can you ever truly
Forgive without forgetting?
I am lonely.
My life I am abandoning.
From pain I am running.
Even though these tears are streaming
I will never look back.
All in all,
I have one question to ask.
Would you still catch me if I fall?
Maybe one day you will see.
This is how I live,
And this is me.

By Sabrina

***

My Daughter’s Tears

Until it affects someone we love,
We don’t even know it’s there.
It’s really not our problem,
So why should we care.

The statistics are quite shocking,
One in four they say
Will suffer from depression
In their lives one day.

There’s not much stigma anymore
For this serious mental flaw.
But no one knows where it will strike,
It’s just the luck of the draw.

No one would choose to live with it,
And some don’t even try.
I see my daughter suffering
And all she can do is cry.

Most people turn the other cheek,
They’ve been doing it for years.
But I must face the pain I see,
In my daughter’s tears.

By Annabel Sheila

***

My Death

A silenty shadow
stalking me in the night.
The doors are open
but I cannot see the light.
The gray mist
into the abyss I fall.
And I do not know
what my life was at all.
I cannot see
the path before me.
As his cloaked hands
bring me to one knee.
And what I see
is not heaven at all.
But a hell much more worse
than nothing at all.

By Adam

***

Prisoner Of My Thoughts

Why do I feel like no one understands?
Is this supposed to be God’s master plan?
Am I supposed to feel so alone?
Feeling like this should not be condoned.

Melancholy has found a permanent home in me.
How do I remove it? Do I just let it be?
I am incarcerated by my own brain.
In my world it forever rains.

There’s no escaping the darkness and gloom.
There’s nowhere to run or hide, I’m doomed!
I see the happiness looming, but it is always short lived.

What more does life want from me? I’ve given all I can give.
No one told me it would be this hard just to live.

By Grace P.

***

Remember Our Daughters

I have often been thin. Not skinny or scat
I’m not overly large… I hate the word fat.
I’m 50 years young, full of vim and vigour,
And this menopause, it’s taking some figure.

Low self esteem invites depression, it seems,
Which differs from depression that brings low self esteem.
The two of them together is quite the mix
And is causing me problems I’m trying to fix.

When depression sneaks up there’s no time to prepare.
You just hit a trigger and then there’s despair.
One more rabbit hole that you’ve just tumbled down.
It’s dark and it’s deep and it’s way underground.

And when you remember you’ve left people behind,
There’s no light in the tunnel; you can’t see, you’re blind.
You can’t tell where you’ve fallen, how far or how fast,
But I’m holding a rope; it’s attached to your past.

Your past and my future inexplicably bound
Held onto the earth by the love that we found.
The pain and the suffering that you’re going through.
The hell and the torment that we’ve got to do.

Feelings you can’t feel but I know they’re there,
And when you get better I know we can share.
Know when I saw you it was love at first sight,
And it’s grown a little every day and every night.

A morning routine of walking and training
Can make so much difference, but not when it’s raining.
It rains in my heart like it does on the roof
And now you’re not eating; you know that’s the truth.

We’ll go to the gym, we’ll eat, we’ll get well,
And then comes a trigger and you’re back in hell.
You look for an exit or someplace to hide,
But I know you’re lucky cause you’ve got a guide.

Someone who’s been in the depths of despair,
Who knows the way in and can pull up a chair
Someone who’s able to lead you to shore,
Returning the favour of more years and more.

I know that we’ll beat this, when it’s all said.
We know it’s important to get out of bed
But after you’re up, well…let’s check out the dial.
Let’s keep our pjs on until there’s a smile.

There are lotions and potions and things you can do.
There are old wives tales and mindfulness too.
There are many things working for others, it seems,
But don’t let them get in the way of your dreams.

There’s a message to be told and we mustn’t balk.
Remember to chat and remember to talk.
Our daughters are going to get to this gate.
We need to prepare them and it’s getting late…

I love you

By Eric

***

Scars

Here on my arm lies a mark that I made.
When I was so low, I cut with a blade
To punish my body for being a mess,
Though here is my testament, I must confess…

That seeing these scars left on my arms, legs, and chest
Makes me realize I was in a place of no rest;
I feel guilty inside for leaving this token.
Now I will see and remember that I was so broken.

But seeing these scars helps me see
That I survived so much trauma and now I am free.
So I ask you now to stand with me and fight,
To show all these demons what they’re doing is not right.

You won the battle of good versus bad.
You are still alive and are no longer sad.
Here on my arm lies a mark of survival.
I got through my hate and beat my self-rival.

By Laura R

***

Silent Screams

Can’t you hear my silent screams?
They are so loud they echo in my dreams.

Behind this face that carries a smile
Lies a dark road that goes on mile after mile.

My silent screams have been going on for years,
But it always falls on so many deaf ears.

How can they hear these silent screams in my mind?
They can’t hear my thoughts if I keep telling them I’m fine.

What can I tell them? These silent screams carry no words.
It’s just feelings of sadness and darkness that come in its herds.

How can I explain so people understand this?
It’s like walking around in a suffocating black mist.

It’s holding on to happiness like holding water in your hands.
It just trickles between your fingers and disappears into the sands.

I can’t explain how this feels; it’s so extreme,
So I hold my mouth shut to cover my silent screams.

By Aaron

***

Sometimes

Sometimes I can’t find the words
That fill my messy head.
Can’t find the effort to smile
Or get out of my silly old bed.

The world just sometimes feels like
I don’t fit and don’t belong,
And even when I make the effort,
A smile just doesn’t last long.

I could pretend with all my might
That I am the happiest I can be.
Surrounded by the world, it seems
Lonelier I couldn’t be.

Not sure what may be the answer.
Not sure if I’m really keen
To spend another day here,
Living this dreadful dream.

But I must find some courage,
Light a fire inside my heart
And find a love for life again,
And I know where I shall start.

I’ll walk among the forest
And feel the crisp sea breeze
And lay among the meadow
And listen to all the bees.

I’ll figure out the mayhem
And gaze at all the stars
And dance at every sunset
With a smile inside my heart.

By Lucy Petersen 

***

Struggling With Depression And Suicide

Days of endless struggle.
More hopeful pills today,
Trying to appear “normal”
In some sort of way.

It seems that the struggle
Is always here with me,
And I wouldn’t be here now
If guilt would leave me be.

I know there’s been many
Who’ve had it worse than I,
But that doesn’t always mean
That I wouldn’t say good-bye.

People say I have a lot going for me.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t see.
I can’t see because my worst enemy
Is not my life but inside of me.

Always on a roller coaster,
Not much consistency.
I’m nothing if I’m not up or down.
I’m nothing if just “me.”

Very little energy,
Wanting to stay in bed,
Wishing to be enthusiastic
Instead of feeling like I’m made of lead.

Wanting to be excited,
Wanting to care for more,
But when nothing makes sense,
It’s hard to focus on the poor.

Cluttered mind, cluttered thinking.
It’s hard to keep in touch
With what is happening around me
And not to worry too much.

I feel that everybody is better than me
And that I can’t do anything right.
This is how I’ve felt my whole dang life;
It didn’t just start last night.

No confidence, no self-esteem.
Everybody else is right.
To speak my mind is to be a fool,
So I just try to “sit tight.”

Any one of these problems
Would be a heavy vice,
But when you have them ALL
Living seems like a roll of the dice.

By  Debbie Lead

***

Suicidal Tendencies

I’ve lost hope lost my faith I got none left
I only hope that when tomorrow comes it’ll bring death

There’s no love in my life no love in my household
This act is starting to get real old

Man its so cold when you in bed alone
Wishing someone was laying next to you, but there is none

There’s nobody there nothing but darkness
No one to touch, hug, or kiss

If you cant look forward to tomorrow what’s the point of today
I want to leave this earth, but something making me stay

Some kind of force is keeping from leaving this earth
The angel of death has been breathing down my neck since birth

and these voices in my head are getting to loud to ignore
What did I do lord? why you gotta do this for

Why cant you jus let me be leave me in peace
All this hatred and sorrow is turning me into a beast

I hate what I’ve become, did god save me as a child?
Or was that the devil the one that answered when I dialed

For a prayer as I laid in the hospital bed
Why did I survive sometimes I wish I had died instead

Of surviving it why did I live why didn’t I pass on to the next life why
Do I go to bed every night with my pillow and cry?

The pain is getting too much to bear
I just wish someone would care

By Tommy B 

***

Taking It Day By Day

Each day I live, the pain consumes
What little sanity I have bloomed,
Like walking in a cloud of fog
Falling down, sinking into smog.

Life just seems grim.
I think on a whim.
Interest lost in everything I do,
But what a life, who really knew?

Depressed to a fault, that’s all I see.
Death just seems like the only way for me.
A waste of time I feel I am,
But that’s its nature, a full mind-jam.

I try and try to ease the pain,
A fallen effort with no gain.
Thoughts begin to eat away,
Makes me want to end it today.

Uncomfortable around others for the way I feel.
I pray and wish this all wasn’t real.
Life just seems more like a prison,
Caged, alone, an abomination risen.

No one could ever understand
Why I would want my death sooner than planned.
It’s not something I want for me,
But to end my suffering this is what has to be.

So I write this all as I fall from grace.
Down to this place, some barren waste.
I know not how much longer I will last,
But all I can do is pray that this will just pass.

By Vincent Ramos

***

Teardrops

The hurt in my eyes is all that has to be said
Sometimes I know I’m better off dead
The pain is the only thing I can feel
Knowing it’s the one thing that’s real
Behind all the games and lies
An emptiness haunts my eyes
A person who I used to be
Worse even though it wasn’t me
Sorrow consuming every thought
Slowly losing everything I’ve got
Darkness closing in all around
Still I don’t make a single sound
Evil fills the void inside
This life’s not one I’ll confide
However deeper someone tries to look
Whatever happens the ground has shook
The dread and hate leaves me in a daze
All around me demons fires blaze
Living isn’t worthwhile if its torture
Yet it’s that to which I’m not sure
Don’t try to understand the words written here
For I’m not the one to fear

By Shianne 

***

The Crowd

All alone I stand still watching from a distance
I scream as the people walk by but no one listens
A shadow different from the rest stares back at me
I try to grasp it but it disappears right in front of me

I’m left standing still as the day turns into night
I look at the crowd and tears begin to fill my eyes
Not one familiar face in a group of many
Not one looks up or notices me

I’m like an old statue that everyone has seen
They all walk past me like they know where I’ve been
Yet no one cares to see where I’m going
Or how I got there or am I hurting

Suddenly I realize that I’m not the unnoticed
While no one looks at me, I’m the observant
At the end, I have stood firm on the ground
While everyone is searching for the peace I have found

By Gisselle Vargas

***

The Daily Battle

It is the darkest, deepest place one can travel to alone,
A solo journey filled with struggles and groans.
Every day is a new battle against the same foe,
But the enemy fights back with psychological blows.
It creeps up on you in your most vulnerable state,
Especially when there’s no one around who can relate.
Thoughts in your mind begin to swirl and swell,
Which drag you into your own subconscious hell.
Figments and entities from your past
Serve as the pain, which you can’t outlast.
Finally sleep always comes as a welcomed friend,
But it the morning the ceaseless battle begins yet again.

By Max S.

***

The Darkness

You would never know it,
The constant pain I feel,
Because in the light of day
It almost isn’t real.

Sure, I’ll play, I’ll laugh,
I’ll sing some songs,
But that pain is always lurking
Because it’s been here all along.

And when the darkness comes
With its all-consuming power,
It slowly takes my soul
Hour by dreadful hour.

But they tell me that I’m strong enough.
They swear that it gets better.
They say, “If you can just hold out
and bear this stormy weather.”

They tell me, “You will be happy one day.
All you need do is fight.”
But what they seem to forget
Is after each day comes the night.

And so I act along.
I play my part
While this crushing darkness
Slowly breaks my heart.

By Dallas E. Krystof

***

The Darkness Of Shadows

The darkness of the shadows
Haunt
Fallow
scared of my own decisions
I cried out
but did you listen?
no
you stood there
starring
watching
observing every move
I have no one but myself
“I can do it”
I try and tell myself
but the cuts tell me different
what am I to do with all these dreams of
death
and tormenting
am I to lock it up and hide my feeling
that seems to be way
but why can’t I be saved again
am I
unsaveable
unfixable
broken with every care in my heart
do I have a heart anymore
can I show love anymore
can I smile without hiding how I really feel
it goes on and on and I have nothing
no one

By Lori Comburn

***

The Ending Start

I’ve written everything I have to say,
But the words, they rot and fall away.
So with a hole in the bottom, I’m stuck in the same boat as before
And slowly sinking just in sight of shore.

I work so hard to make my life worse
Sometimes I think I’m better off in the back of a hearse,
But I know I could never leave her behind.
She’s the one I’ve been searching for all this time.

And though she confesses to me all of her love,
Selfishly I feel that it is not enough.
I know it in my heart, oh I swear,
There is someone so much better for her out there.

I dream about her all day long,
Yet when we’re together, it all feels wrong.
Something isn’t right, and I know it’s me
Because you’re a beautiful, perfect being.

I can never just be what and who I am.
So much discontent I don’t think anyone understands,
I put my feelings into words that rhyme
To give everyone who cares a glimpse of what’s inside.

Why must it be that I’m never satisfied.
I have all I could want; still I lie awake at night
And wish for more.
So much discontent.

It’s the end that I wish was near.
Just the letdown that I fear.

By Ethan Wulf

The Feeling Of Emptiness

I look into a broken mirror,
I seek to see why I am still living.
when I look around all I can see
is darkness and pain…

My chest is tight, I can hardly breath.
I feel empty and broken,
I feel like a monster is trying to escape.
I don’t know which way to go…

I am crying but only dry tears,
dust on my face and sores on my mind,
I do not speak nor do I try,
I have a million times.

When I speak, silence over takes.
I can scream, and still no one will hear.
I am invisible, no one can see,
I have pain inside, please let me free.

Before I save myself,
and death is my way,
not long from today,
I am seeking my way…

By Janieta Lister

The Light

Through darkness and despair,
I can count on you.
Deep in the pits of hell
I can see you,
Beckoning,
Guiding,
Showing me the way.
You grab me by the hand
And take me away
From this darkness.
I was lost in the fog,
But you were there to guide me.
When I put up the wall,
The indestructible wall,
The ghoulish wall meant to isolate me.
You broke it down.
You freed me from its grasp.
When I saw only darkness in myself,
You saw the light.
I opened up to you,
And you let me in.
Most push me away again,
Destroying any chance of trust
To live inside the shell that is me.
This is why
You are my light.

By Jacob Kahn 

***

The Masks I Wear

“You’re always smiling.”
“You’re always laughing.”
“How can you be happy all the time?”

All of these questions get asked of me on a daily basis.
No, I’m not always smiling.
No, I’m not always laughing.
No, I’m not always happy.
Sometimes I’m not even happy at all.

If you see me smile, it’s because I feel sad.
If you see me laugh, it’s because I feel lonely.
If you see me happy, it’s because I’m breaking.

All you really see are the fake smiles.
All you really see are the fake laughs.
All you really see are the masks I wear.

By Evelyn Barrera

***

The Monster

There’s a monster inside of me, eating away at my smile,
He takes all my sadness and makes a file.

These files are all stacked up in my brain.
Now my whole life just consists of pain.

It’s such a problem that I can’t sleep.
Nothing works…not even counting sheep.

When I’m in public I hide my tears.
It’s been this way for several years.
     
I hide my sadness behind a fake smile,
But the pain won’t go away…not for a while.

The hardest part is hiding when I cry.
It makes me feel like I’m going to die.

I feel like I’m slowly going insane,
But I am not the one to blame…
           
Blame the monster.
He goes by the name…Depression.

By Emily Harstine 

***

The Sickness

By Desiree Cantu 

The sickness is back,
I think I need some help.
It just won’t go away,
I feel like I’m by myself.
It all started years ago,
the feeling just won’t fade.
I feel it is all my fault,
a monster is what I have made.
Depression ruins your life,
it sucks the life from you.
It will haunt you forever,
no matter what you do.
I feel I have no one,
I don’t know what to believe.
It feels like this is the end,
I feel this disease will never leave.

***

The War Within You

Confusion sets in.
My mind is a blur.
Overthinking too much,
So hard to endure.

My thoughts go dark.
Personality turns black.
I’m unleashing a beast
I can no longer hold back.

I unleashed a beast within,
Stalking my prey.
As time went on,
My dark personality turned gray.

I conquered my aggression
And cast it aside.
Realized it’s depression
That’s been lurking inside.

The most powerful battle
That one can endure
Is the one with yourself,
Of that I’m so sure.

By Ryann A. Cave

***

Tidal Wave

In our darkest nights and our brightest days,
emotions fill us like tidal waves.

They can drag us down and pull us in,
trying to drown us from within.

They can raise us up or let us down,
but if you don’t know how to swim, you’ll simply drown.

There are storms across my seven seas,
lightning strikes, sharks circling me.

My legs are tired, my chest is tight.
I’m not sure how much longer I can fight.

I gasp for air, I scream and shout,
But these tidal waves try to drown me out.

By Brian L. Barrett

***

Together

So–this is where we are.
After coming so far,
This is what it’s come to.
After all we’ve been through,
We’re still where we started:
Bruised and broken-hearted.

You’d think after fighting this long
We’d become safe and strong.
But as we battle close to death,
We’re still lost and find no rest.
As we wander ’round, asking why,
There’s no tears when we cry.

We’re lost with only each other,
Feeling as a child without its mother.
As darkness nears closer and closer,
We fear our lives may be over.

But I caught, in the distance,
A shimmer of light, so persistent.
I grab your hand, holding tight,
As I try to lead you toward the light.

But now you’ve grown so heavy.
I fear you’re dead already.
I can’t leave you here all alone.
I have to take you back home.

So won’t you please come with me
And believe that I can see
The way out, the way home?
There’ll be no more wandering all alone.

So please, rise and stand.
Follow me and hold my hand,
Because together we can win.
We can find the light within.

By Hannah L 

***

Tomorrow

If another day
Ends without me
And I am not present with you
When the sun will come up
And you will stream tears of blue

I would plead as much
For you to not weep
Think of the happier things
So that you may be in a peaceful sleep

I understand how much you love me
As much as I do you
And with time and time you dream of me
While crying tears of blue

But as I run to escape
A tear from me, a sorrow
For my whole life was a beautiful song
But I will not be here tomorrow

Yet so much to live for
So much you can do
Nothing is impossible
Because I will always love you

Thinking of all the yesterdays
The has-been, the days
When we had the bad and good ones
And we were happy anyways

If I were allowed to relive a time
Just even for a moment
I’d walk right past the place we met
So that I would have never crossed your mind

Now, I can fully see
Now I can realize
That this can never be
For all of the tears in your eyes

And amongst all of the worthy people
Worthy of your presence
I know now what my job is
And that’s to not be with you forever

But I will enter another life
Maybe one with a little light
Hopefully one that will make me smile
Thinking of you every night

And I will profess, “This is truly a great place.”
When I enter the light
Comes into my heart
And appear a smile upon my face

I cannot promise another day
Despite all of the sorrows
I apologize for the tears
And not being there another tomorrow

You, such a faithful soul
So lovely and sweet
I know now what you have
And it is me you no longer need

I will be forgiven
Sometime in the future
But I am just glad to proudly say
At least I knew you

If another day
Ends without me
And I am not present with you
When the sun will come up just remember
That I will always love you

By Chloe Aldecoa

***

Wake Up, Repeat

She looks in the mirror, and what does she see?
Something frail, broken, and unfree.
She sees the pain swollen in her eyes.
She sees the cuts she marked on her thighs.

She looks at herself with an empty stare
With her crooked smile and her messy hair.
Her mind is spoiled with terrible thoughts.
The anxiety she suffers puts her stomach in knots.

Her eyes are stained from countless tears.
Her thoughts corrupted with constant fears.
She grabs the bottle to numb her pain.
She feels as if she’ll never break the chain.

After she cries herself to sleep
And there’s no more tears left to weep,
She’ll wake up, put on that mask and smile.
She’ll walk like it’s nothing because that’s just her style.

People will walk past her and she’ll wave with pride,
But nobody knows she’s actually dying inside.
She’ll go home, and she’ll close her door.
The mask comes off as she lays on the floor.

Again she wipes her tears with her stained bed sheets.
She cries for the night, wakes up, repeat.

By Jamie L. Firestine 

***

Waves

I was just sitting there,
Watching TV,
When a wave of sadness
Washed over me.

There was no warning;
It just showed up.
I tried to swim through it
But had no luck.

My heart was heavy,
And I started to cry.
I just couldn’t stop,
And I didn’t know why.

I finally gave up fighting
And went with the flow,
Praying the sadness
Would soon go.

I walked down the aisle
Of the grocery store
When another wave of sadness
Pulled me from the shore.

I couldn’t stay there,
Not one second more,
So I just left my cart
And headed to the door.

I sat in my car
And started to cry.
I just couldn’t stop,
And I didn’t know why.

What’s wrong with me?
I need to know.
My soul is drowning
With each ebb and flow.

I never know when
The next wave will arrive.
It makes me question
Why I’m still alive.

Is there someone out there
Who can help build me a boat?
So when the next wave comes
I can stay afloat.

Or will I eventually drown
And never awake,
Enveloped by the next wave
Of endless heartache?

By Zorian Alexis

***

When You Feel Like You Can’t Go On

When you feel so lonely and can’t sleep at night,
because everything gives you a fright.
The pain and the sadness takes control,
and once again you’re all alone.
The pain I feel is torturing.
My life isn’t really worth living.
You keep living every day, hoping it might end someway.
You go to sleep and pray to God,
but it doesn’t work… you’re too stuck!

All the tears cooped up inside,
from all the lies that bleed you dry.
Just one tear shows a million emotions.
It’s all mixed and with terror and devotion!
I devote myself to acting happy,
but at night when I’m all alone,
somehow it all spills out
when no one can see and no one can hear
all of the pain and all of the fear.

You go to sleep hoping you won’t wake up,
but when morning comes you have to keep going.
It isn’t easy and you can’t say it is,
until you know just how it feels.
My soul is dying.
Why do I keep trying?
Nothing seems worth it anymore!
I just want to be alone…

This is from the heart of all my feelings and emotions,
something I can’t speak, but one day it’ll all be over.
And I will be that happy person I know I want to be.
But just acting happy is too hard for me!

By Aliysha

***

When You Look At Me

When you look at me,
What do you see?
I bet if you look deep enough
You would see right through me.
If you look deep in my eyes,
You would forget all my lies.
You would tell that I’m hurt.
All you have to do is be more alert.
Do you know what it’s like
To cry silently every night?
What y’all really see
Is not the real me.
I’m broken inside,
Even if you don’t see it,
So look at me again.
What do you see?

By Mary

***

Who Could Ever Love Me?

When I look at myself, I see nothing good.
I see all the flaws that no one else should.
I wear a mask
To hide the pain
That always resides on my face.

They tell me I’m beautiful,
But how would they know
The secrets I have yet to tell?
The guilt that eats me up inside
About the things I’ve done
Each and every night.

They don’t see the things that I hide
Behind the walls inside my mind.
They don’t see the flaws on my skin.
For if they did, they would think I’m a sin.

So, I tell myself, who will ever love me
When no one ever hears my pleas?
Who could understand my broken thoughts,
The hate in my gut that’s like a knot?

Maybe one day my thoughts will change,
But for now, they still seem to reign.
But I will keep fighting each night,
Because if I don’t, then how else can I find the light?

By Miriam Narat

***

Worth

It’s hard sometimes to say exactly what I’m worth.
Sometimes even harder dealing with the hurt.

To feel like no one’s there during all my pain.
I have nothing left to lose and nothing left to gain.

I struggle through the days, with no one at my side,
To find some sort of worth, to save a little pride.

But all my days are dark, stormy, cold and gray,
And emptiness keeps growing as I slowly fade away.

I have no effort left to put into this life,
No helping hand behind me to pull me to the light.

So once again I ask, before I leave this Earth,
Tell me, if you care, exactly what I’m worth.

By Joel

***

You Are My Victim

He traps me like a prisoner.
Never lets me see the light.
Never lets me go.
He keeps me up at night.

Numbness runs through my veins when he’s around.
He’s got me locked in chains and I can’t break free.
He’s got his control pushed into my mind.
He is so close to just killing me.

He beats me constantly and drives everyone away.
He locks me away in my cell, whom size is so small.
I can’t barely move or breathe.
The chains bury deep in my body, and he doesn’t care at all.

Yes he’s like a needle constantly poking into my flesh.
I barely get fed and no-one comes to see me.
My heart is constantly sore and my eyes always so red.
Everyday I try and escape, I search around for a key.

My attempts are worthless just like myself.
The light keeps dimming and my hope is fading.
He leaves me a noose close by.
Suicide is something I’ve been contemplating.

But I won’t because I know that’s what he wants.
The sick man only tightens his chains every time he comes around.
I thrash and scream for help but no-one hears me.
He eventually gagged me so I can’t make a sound.

Now I lay here empty, dying, and broken on this cold, dark, stone floor.
I won’t give up just yet though, I can’t.
He’s a snake tightening his grip.
My heart is wilted just like a dying plant.

He can’t keep me prisoner forever.
I will fight my way out.
I will tear these chains away and turn on the light.
I will no longer be a victim to his doubt.

This man, the in prisoner, once told me his name.
He came forward one day and whispered it low.
“My name is depression.”
That’s when I knew I couldn’t tell him no.

By Red G. 

***

You Are Wrong

Do you think I like feeling this?
Afraid to look in the mirror and see a complete and total stranger?
Do you think I like looking at shattered glass and wondering
if that’s what my heart looks like?
Do you think I like feeling abandoned, and confused?
Do you know how hard it is to look into the mirror and see imperfection?
To hate to wake up in the morning to hate doing the same things over and over again?
To keep wearing this mask
Hiding who I truly am?
Being afraid to face the world and the evil in it?
Do you think I like it?

By Maria

A Different Kind Of Hero

He is not the kind of hero who is fighting in the war.
He is not one who sails offshore.

I don’t call him Sergeant, Captain, or Sir.
His title is DAD; that is for sure!

He is the fixer of my broken things
And the household doctor when I get bee stings.

He picks me up when I fall down 
And always turns my frown upside down.

He keeps me safe when I sleep at night. 
He gives me seconds when I have a big appetite.

That’s my Dad. That’s who he is.
He deserves a medal for the things he did.

By Kelsee Briscoe

***

A Father We Have In You

A father, a dad,
Sometimes happy or mad.
Can be playful and fun,
Mostly happy and glad.

Can give tickles or hugs,
Or give us a stern talking to.
Love everlasting,
No matter what we do.

He can be funny at times,
And serious when stern.
He is so smart and wise,
So many things from him we learn.

We are thankful for our father,
In all circumstances too.
We couldn’t ask for a better father,
As the one we have in you!

By Julie Heber

***

A Poem for My Father In Law

When I married I got a new dad,
A special father in law;
That made me very happy,
And a little bit in awe.

You’re a man who cares,
With an understanding heart.
You’re also filled with wisdom;
No wonder my spouse is smart!

Thanks for being so cordial;
Thanks for welcoming me;
It feels really good to be part
Of your special family.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

A Poem for My Stepfather

Although you are my stepdad,
You’re really so much more;
We get along so well;
We have really great rapport.

You always listen to me;
I know you really care;
When I really need you
I know that you’ll be there.

I’m learning really good things,
Just by watching you;
Thanks for being my stepdad
And for being a good friend, too.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

A Real Father

It’s not so common anymore
to have a dad who’s really there,
who is the provider for his family,
who comes home every night,
whose predictability
creates a sense of stability and security
in his household.
Your routine may not seem valuable to you,
but it’s worth a lot to me.
I’m thankful that I can depend on you
to always be you–
a real father,
responsible, trustworthy,
and a great role model.
I’ve learned a lot of good things
from watching you.
Thanks, Dad.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Always There

It doesn’t matter whether I lose or win
You are always there through thick and thin.
And no matter the weather, shine or rain
You always encouraged me in joy or pain.

And it didn’t matter through my smiles and tears
You always taught me not to have those fears.
You encouraged all my hopes and dreams
You kept me balanced and not extreme.

No matter how, what, or where
Father, thanks for always being there.

By Catherine Pulsifer

***

Always There For Your Daughter

Every day the whole year through,
I feel grateful you are my father.
Some fathers don’t have time for their kids,
But for you I’m never a bother.

You always make the effort to listen and share;
You’re there whenever you’re needed.
Because I know how much you care,
My problems are all defeated.

Dad, you are truly admired and adored,
And I hope you always know,
Your daughter’s affection for you is strong,
And my love continues to grow.

Happy Fathers Day!

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Dad, What’s It Like In Heaven?

If time exists in heaven,
Do you still rise with the sun?
Do you and Mom share breakfast
Before your day has begun?

Can the heavens hear your laughter
As you sit and reminisce
About the time we had together
And other people that you miss?

And Daddy, do you still take walks
Along heaven’s seas?
And when you gaze upon the surf,
Do you remember walks with me?

Are your standing with those brave young men
Upon its perfect shores?
Finally by their sides again,
Your comrades from the war.

Do you gather with your family
Beneath heaven’s glow?
And gaze upon those mountains still
That once you called your home.

Is music all around you,
All those songs you held so dear?
Do you and Mom still sing together,
The way you did when you were here?

Do you ever have long talks with God
About those left behind?
Do you tell him all the stories
Of all our grand and treasured times?

I think that heaven must be grateful
To have you there each day,
To bring your easy laughter
And your silly sense of play.

And I’m sure that God already knows
The special father you had been
And how I wish that you were here
To guide my way again.

But I carry you inside my heart.
You are never far from me.
I see you in my smile
And in who I grew to be.

And I’m sure that on this Father’s Day
God will help you celebrate
All those dads who changed the world with love.
What a party that will make!

By Patricia A. Fleming 

***

Daddy Poem From Baby

Daddy, I’m your baby;
I see you through new eyes.
You’re familiar; yes, I know you.
It’s my dad I recognize.

Daddy, as I grow,
I’ll be happy you are near,
My father, dad and daddy,
Taking care of me, each year.

Daddy, I’m so thankful,
You’re mine and I am yours.
Throughout our lives we’ll realize
Our unbreakable bond endures.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Daddy’s Girl

Quiet as you are, I always knew
You were watching me, loving me, all the years through

Hard as it was at times, I am sure,
You were there for me, even when you felt like showing me the door

Through all of the years and the laughter and tears
I was happy to know there was a place I had no fears

That place was home with you and Mom,
where everything was safe and I could be calm

For years I was trouble, and for that I regret
A trillion million sorrys haven’t covered it yet

I am all grown now, and have finally found my way
All that you’ve given me, I could never repay

Hopefully seeing that I’m safe and sound
And knowing the wonderful husband and life I found

Will make you rest easy, as you hadn’t in the past, and you’ll be happy in knowing that this time it will last

So on this day I celebrate you…
My wonderful Father and the greatest Dad too!!

By Heather McTiernan

***

Essential Father

My dad is my role model for
Most everything I do.
I look to him to see what’s right
He always gets me through.
(Repeat last two lines)

I hope my father knows how much
I love him and I care.
He is my hero and my rock,
My dad is always there.
(Repeat last two lines)

My father is essential to
My life and happiness.
My feelings are so strong for him,
My heart cannot express.
(Repeat last two lines)

There’s so much more about my dad
That I would like to say,
But now I’ll end by saying to you Dad,
Happy Father’s Day.
(Repeat last two lines)

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Everything Dad

A little girl needs her daddy
To love her with manly charm,
To soothe her when she’s hurt,
And keep her safe from harm.

A girl needs her dad
To show her a man who’s good,
To help her make right choices,
As only a father could.

A woman needs her father
Just to be aware,
He’ll always be there for her
To sustain her and to care.

You’ve been all these things, Dad.
I hope that you can see
How much I treasure you;
You mean everything to me.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Family Circle

When I am born, you are here
In your eye, I see a tear
Time flies and already I’m two
“Look, Daddy, I can tie my shoe!”

Before you know it, I’m five
Every day, you thank God I’m alive
Pretty soon, I turn eight
You tell me I’m never allowed to date

I’m already twelve in my preteen years
Which means you’ll help me with all my new fears
Now fourteen with my permit to drive
Waiting to hit the big one-five

Too early comes sixteen, with my license now
It went by too fast, you just ask how

You want to meet my boyfriend when I’m eighteen
I pray to God that you’re not too mean
The same guy two years later asks for my hand
I’m relieved when you say, that’s just grand

About a year later, you walk me down the aisle
Through all the tears, you bare a smile
Three years later, you’re gonna be a grandfather
You show love and pride for your new granddaughter

Another year down the road
Mom dies, oh the many tears that flowed
You’re not doing so well without her
Less than a year later, you forgot all about her

Alzheimer’s sets in and it scares me so
Not long after, you decide to go
Now I’m regretting not saying goodbye
Every time I think about it, I start to cry

The cycle has begun again
It has started over with little Megan
The other day, she turned two
And said, “Look, daddy, I can tie my shoe!”

By Melissa G. Nicks

***

Father

When I scratched my knee,
Or if I bumped my head,
When I was afraid of the dark,
Or that thing under my bed,
When I cried in the night,
Or even in the day,
You were there for me
To make it all okay.

You tickled my feet
And laughed at all my jokes.
You taught me to believe
In having high hopes.
You are my father.
You did what you had to do,
But more than a father
You are my friend, too.
You made everything good
That was once bad.
I just want you to know
I love you, Dad.

By Jennifer S. Williams

***

Father

My father knows the proper way

The nation should be run;

He tells us children every day

Just what should now be done.

He knows the way to fix the trusts,

He has a simple plan;

But if the furnace needs repairs,

We have to hire a man.

My father, in a day or two

Could land big thieves in jail;

There’s nothing that he cannot do,

He knows no word like “fail.”

“Our confidence” he would restore,

Of that there is no doubt;

But if there is a chair to mend,

We have to send it out.

All public questions that arise,

He settles on the spot;

He waits not till the tumult dies,

But grabs it while it’s hot.

In matters of finance he can

Tell Congress what to do;

But, O, he finds it hard to meet

His bills as they fall due.

It almost makes him sick to read

The things law-makers say;

Why, father’s just the man they need,

He never goes astray.

All wars he’d very quickly end,

As fast as I can write it;

But when a neighbor starts a fuss,

’Tis mother has to fight it.

In conversation father can

Do many wondrous things;

He’s built upon a wiser plan

Than presidents or kings.

He knows the ins and outs of each

And every deep transaction;

We look to him for theories,

But look to ma for action.

BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST

***

Father Death Blues

Hey Father Death, I’m flying home
Hey poor man, you’re all alone
Hey old daddy, I know where I’m going

Father Death, Don’t cry any more
Mama’s there, underneath the floor
Brother Death, please mind the store

Old Aunty Death Don’t hide your bones
Old Uncle Death I hear your groans
O Sister Death how sweet your moans

O Children Deaths go breathe your breaths
Sobbing breasts’ll ease your Deaths
Pain is gone, tears take the rest

Genius Death your art is done
Lover Death your body’s gone
Father Death I’m coming home

Guru Death your words are true
Teacher Death I do thank you
For inspiring me to sing this Blues

Buddha Death, I wake with you
Dharma Death, your mind is new
Sangha Death, we’ll work it through

Suffering is what was born
Ignorance made me forlorn
Tearful truths I cannot scorn

Father Breath once more farewell
Birth you gave was nothing ill
My heart is still, as time will tell.

By Allen Ginsberg

***

Fatherhood Is God’s Idea

Thanks be unto God the Father
for His great work in creating man.
God decided to reproduce Himself, 
So He formed man with His hand.

God crowned man with His glory
and gave him dominion over the earth.
He made man a little lower than the angels
and honored him with great worth.

God endowed man with wisdom
so great things he would be able to do.
He made him in the likeness of Himself 
so man could become a father too.

Creating man was God’s best work.
He gave him authority and great might
to provide for the needs of his family
and courage to face the darkest night.

We honor God for His creation
and for making man His masterpiece.
He is to be an extension of Christ Jesus
so God’s kingdom work will not cease.

So we salute fatherhood everywhere.
It is the highest position in the land.
It’s no greater honor than being called dad
and no greater foundation on which to stand.

By Lenora McWhorter

***

Father’s Day In Heaven

I love you and I miss you, Dad,
and though you’ve passed away,
you’ll never be forgotten,
for I think of you each day.

If heaven celebrates this day
how special it will be.
A gathering of the many dads
upon our family tree.

Your father and grandfather
and great grandfather too.
How wonderful it is, if they
can spend this day with you.

May you know how much I love you,
though I’m here and you are there.
Happy Father’s Day in heaven
to the best dad anywhere!

By Ron Tranmer

***

Father’s Day Prayer

Lord, please bless our fathers,
these men who mean so much to us,
who are greatly responsible
for who we are and who we are becoming.
Bless them for having the courage
to do what’s necessary to keep us out of trouble,
for making us do the right thing,
for helping us build our character,
even when it makes us angry;
and bless them for pushing us to do our best,
even when they just want to love us.
Bless our fathers for being our protectors,
for leading us through stormy times to safety,
for making us believe that everything will be all right
and for making it so.
Bless our fathers for quietly making a living
to provide for those they love most,
for giving us food, clothing, shelter
and other necessary and not so necessary material things,
for unselfishly investing time and money in us
that they could have spent on themselves.
Bless our fathers, Lord,
for saving some energy for fun,
for leading us on adventures
to explore the outer reaches of ourselves,
for making us laugh,
for being our playmates and our friends.
Bless them for being our secure foundation, our rock,
for holding on tight to us…until it’s time to let us go.
Lord, bless these men we look up to,
our role models, our heroes,
our fathers.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Grandfather Poem

You raised us well Dad
Values you gave us
You always loved us even the bad
You never made a big fuss.

And now to my children you are
The best Grandfather that can be
A special man to them by far
You are better with them than me.

So thank you for being that special man
Whom I love so dearly
And to my children they are your fans
We can see your love so clearly.

By Catherine Pulsifer

***

Happy Father’s Day

I was not sure what to get you
On this very special day
So I decided to write this poem from my heart
I have some things I need to say:

I would first like to thank you,
For never giving up on me.
You pushed me when I needed it
And through your eyes I’ve learned to see

We cannot give up when times are tough
We’ve got to learn to lose before we can win
And if I shall ever fall
I know I will always get back up again

Thanks to you, I hold my head high
And carry myself with pride
Thanks to you, I am somebody
Who will never run and hide

Through you I’ve learned to face my fears
And take each day as it comes
You cannot take anything with you when you’re gone
What’s done is done

You lead by example
And because of you, I’ve learned a lot
Thanks to all the dedication that you have demonstrated
And the many many times that you have fought

You have fought for our existence
You have fought for everyone in your life
Never have I seen you give up
And thus in me you’ve instilled the fight

Never will I back down
For what I think is right
You’ve given me the will and determination
You’ve given me the might

To learn how to stand up
And learn to take a fall
But most of all, dad
I’ve learned you will never stop loving me at all

By  Elisa Garcia

***

Happy Father’s Day

When I was just a little kid I knew you worried.
You worried about what would happen to me.
Though you never raised me you were always there.
There when I needed you.
There when I needed to cry.
When I needed you for my pain and hurt.
When I needed a father it was you by my side.
Daddy, I needed a father like you.

It’s Father’s Day and you’re not there.
I love you and need you, but you don’t care.
I need a father to lift me up when I am down.
But when I look, you’re not around.
Nobody likes to live alone.
Without a dad in the home.
Daddy I need you in my life.
Without you my heart feels like it was hit with a knife.

By Dawn-Marie Knudsen

***

Happy Father’s Day

When I wake in my sleep
You are there to comfort me
With mommy by your side
…To help me breathe

You help with so much
And sacrifice yourself
To help us get better
And teach us to succeed
To not be afraid
Give strength to believe

Happy Father’s Day
You deserve to be praised
Remember you’re a father
And ability is your thing
In my eyes, a father can do anything

Happy Father’s Day
You deserve to be praised
A father is always there
To protect and save
Happy Father’s Day

You’re my hero
And my base
My life would be forever changed
If you weren’t here

Inch by inch I grown
And grew up to be so mature
But I wouldn’t be here
If the courage wasn’t you

Happy Father’s Day
You deserve to be praised
Remember you’re a father
And ability is your thing
In my eyes, a father can do anything

Happy Father’s Day
You deserve to be praised
A father is always there
To protect and save
Happy Father’s Day

By Chelsea P. Medrano

***

He Is My Father

While I sleep, someone’s hand is always on my head,
While I wake, someone’s blessings are always with me,
While I go out, someone’s heart always holds me.
He is my father.

The world earns for itself,
But someone earns just for me.
He is my father.
Through the highs and lows,
Someone has promised to be with me.
He is my father.

The world may turn against me,
But he’s the one who’ll ever stand with me.
He is my father.
I always live, laugh and love,
And he is always there to share all of it with me.
He is my father.

He may not be the handsomest,
He may not be the richest,
He may not be the most sought after,
But he is the purest, most perfect man.
He is my father.

He loves me,
Though he might not know how to make it show.
He respects everyone,
And is respected by everyone he knows.

I thank the good Lord he is mine.
I pray to the good Lord he always stays fine,
Because if there is someone who’ll always care,
He is my father.

By Ritwik Shandilya

***

Hero Dad

You are my hero, Dad
You’re my secure foundation.
When I think of you, I’m filled with love
And fond appreciation.

You make me feel protected;
I’m sheltered by your care.
You’re always my true friend; and Dad,
When I need you, you’re always there.

You have a place of honor
Deep within my heart.
You’ve been my superhero, Dad,
Right from the very start.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

I Never Want To Lose You

I grew up like most kids,
Wishing to be like my dad,
No matter what he did,
Be it good or be it bad.

He worked so very hard,
Many miles he had to roam
To provide for the family,
The ones he left at home.

All he ever wanted
Was to give us the best,
But time at home without him
Really put me to the test.

I never understood
His absence far away
‘Till I became a man,
And walked the path his way.

I became a father,
Now I finally see,
You’re the sole provider,
And no, it’s not easy.

Now I’ve figured out
What my father went through.
He had to scream and shout,
For the things that I would do.

Everything he tried to teach,
I rebelled with every word.
I thought I knew better,
His words I never heard,

The reason for the wisdom,
We learn throughout the years,
So we can keep our children,
From shedding the same tears,

Dad, I’m very sorry
For all I’ve put you through.
I’ve cried so much these last few days,
I’m scared of losing you.

You mean the world to me,
I feel like such a fool.
I’m a lucky man, you see,
To have a Dad like you!

By Mark A. Smith

***

I Understand Now

Used to wonder just why Father,
Never had much time to play;
Used to wonder why he’d rather
Work each minute of the day.

Boys are blind to much that’s going
On about them every day,
And I had no way of knowing
What became of Father’s pay.

All I knew was when I needed
shoes I got ’em on the spot;
Everything for which I pleaded,
Somehow Father always got.

Wondered season after season
Why he never took a rest,
And that I might be the reason
That I never even guessed.

Rest has come – his task is ended,
Calm is written on his brow,
Father’s life was big and splendid,
And I understand it now.

By Edgar A. Guest

***

I Want to Be Just Like You

In a time when fathers are totally absent,
gone most of the time,
or physically present but mentally distracted,
you are there for me—
looking at me, listening to me
understanding me, talking with me.
You make time for me
even when it’s inconvenient for you.
You make me feel important to you.

I learn from you when you teach me,
when I watch you do things,
and when I observe you
just being you—a terrific father.

Every affectionate smile you give me,
every pat on the back, every hug
shows me you love me,
that you’re proud of me.

These are things I’ll remember
to do for my own kids.
You’re a great role model, Dad.
I want to be just like you.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

I’d Pick You

Dad, if all the fathers
Had lined up one by one,
And God told me to pick,
I’d still choose to be your son.

I’m proud to have a father
Who listens and understands,
Who teaches me and sets fair rules
Without unfair demands.

Dad you are my hero,
My role model in all you do.
So Dad, if I could pick again,
You know I’d still pick you!

By Joanna Fuchs

***

If Everyone Had a Father Like You

If everyone had a father
Who was more like you,
There’d be more laughing, joy and singing;
Fewer people would be blue.

There’d be much more understanding;
Crime and hate could not prevail.
We’d all be so contented,
We wouldn’t need a jail.

If everyone had a father
Who was more like you,
The whole world would be blessed,
Just as I am blessed with you.

By Karl Fuchs

***

It’s My Father

Do you know who I want to be like?
It’s not Roosevelt, Reagan or Ike.
It’s my father.

Who taught me to drive and skate?
Who taught me to care and not hate?
It’s my father.

The man I’ll respect till I die,
Who taught me always to try,
It’s my father.

He was never too busy for me;
He’s my ideal man, totally.
My father!

Thanks for being a wonderful father, Dad!

By Karl Fuchs

***

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn’t see,
Or that I hadn’t heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.

Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we’d grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It’s written on my heart.

Without you, Dad, I wouldn’t be
The person I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.

I’ve grown up with your values,
And I’m very glad I did;
So here’s to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Loving Like A Daddy Can

Daddy, Daddy sit me on your knee.
Together we will always be.
Closest of friends,
From beginning to end.
You always knew what was best,
While you guided me through trials and tests.
You were always there,
Never ashamed to be my teddy bear.
Looking up at the stars,
You’re holding me in your arms.
I’m wrapped up so tight,
I could not escape with all my might.
You’re my protector; you’re my shield
From life’s playing field.
I want to thank you from my heart.
I believe that nothing could ever tear us apart.

By Shayna Montgomery

***

Memories Of My Dad

He wasn’t a hero
Known by the world,
But a hero he was
To his little girl.

My daddy was a god
Who knew all things.
And better than Santa,
With the gifts he’d bring.

I knew his voice
Before I could speak
And loved it when
He would sing me to sleep.

He changed my diapers
And sat up all night
When my body was weak
And I’d put up a fight.

He’d come home late
With not much to say
And made us all kneel
As he taught me to pray.

He taught me life’s lessons
Of right from wrong
And instilled in me values
That I might be strong.

And so through the years,
Like a hero he stood.
Working to give
All that he could.

His presence was important,
And we loved to see him smile,
For no one in the world
Could emulate his style.

And so, dear Dad,
My best memory to recall
Is the gift of your presence,
The greatest gift of all.

By Rebecca D. Cook 

***

My Dad

If I could write a story,
It would be the greatest ever told.
I’d write about my daddy,
For he had a heart of gold.
My dad, he was no hero
Known around this world.
He was everything to me,
For I was his baby girl.
I’d write about the lessons.
He taught me right from wrong.
He instilled in me the values
That one day I’d be strong.
He taught me to face my fears,
Take each day as it comes,
For there are things that we can’t change.
He would say what’s done is done.
He would say hold your head up high,
Carry yourself with pride.
Thanks to him, I am somebody,
I will never run and hide.
If I could write a story,
It would be the greatest ever told.
I’d write about my daddy,
For he had a heart of gold.

By Vicky Frye

***

My Dad

I know this man
Who is dear to my heart.
Suddenly one day
It was torn all apart.

This man taught me everything
That I needed to know,
But I never really listened
Until he had to go.

He gave me love
And touched my life.
It’s all over now;
He no longer has to fight.

He tried to teach me
Right from wrong.
The day he left
I wasn’t that strong.

He is gone now,
It is hard to believe.
This man is my dad
Whom I will never see.

But I will see him again,
This I know.
The day will come
When it’s time for me to go.

So, I’ll hold him dear
And close to my heart
‘Cause the day we meet
I know we’ll never be torn apart.

By Disarae G. Kuhn

***

My Daddy

I sit and look back to how far I can remember,
And you are always there next to me.
Each and every day you were helping me grow up,
And making me be the best that I can be.

Your love was forever strong,
Your cuddles forever tight.
Every day since I was born,
Your love was always in sight.

I will always be your Baby Girl,
And you will always be my Dad.
I know I will always be the luckiest
To have the best Dad any girl could have had.

My Daddy, I love you with all my heart,
Much more than I ever say.
You are my world, my everything,
Each and every day.

By Ranja Kujala 

***

My Daddy

A daddy is a special man
In which all things abound
Showing care and passion
And love to all around

I shall treasure all the sleepless nights
And sacrifices made
All because you loved me
Through the problems that I gave

Doing little special things
Memories
All for me
Your eyes they tell the story
When you speak of me

Your hands that once were strong and firm
Now softened with the age
But you’re still my daddy
And never would I trade

Smiles and hugs and kisses
As I sat there on your knee
From childhood to the woman
Who before you
Now you see

I have locked away those precious times
They are mine
For me to see
I keep them all within my heart
Take them everywhere with me

My love for you
Is just as strong
As the one when I was three
And I know this kind of special bond
Was meant for you and me

I hope that you will see it now
You’re in my thoughts each day
I’m so glad you are my daddy

And happy Father’s Day

By Danny Henry 

***

My Father

What would I do without my father,
Who does so much for me?
I’d probably end up living in,
A house infested by bees.

I’d have mice running free,
All through my house.
I may even have decided,
Not to marry my spouse!

I wouldn’t know how to hammer,
Probably would never pick one up.
I would never have learned to make,
Coffee then serve it in a cup.

So many different things,
I have learned from him.
My life would be so different,
Oh it would be so grim!

By Julie Heber

***

My Father Is A Christian

My father is a Christian;
He leads our household well;
With instruction from the Bible,
Right behavior he’ll compel.

Yet he steers us with compassion;
His gentle love is true;
He conforms to our Lord Jesus,
So we know just what to do.

He teaches us with purpose,
Guides us in all Godly ways,
So we will take the right path,
And serve our Lord with praise.

I’m glad you’re a Christian, Dad;
You help me see things clearly.
I’ll always look up to you,
And love you very dearly.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

My Father, My Friend

For my father, my friend,
This to me you have always been.
Through the good times and the bad,
Your understanding I have had.
A gentle man at heart,
This sets you apart
From the others I’ve seen.
You mean so much to me.
The laughter we have shared
Cannot be compared.
The tears I have shed,
As you lovingly nodded your head.
You have always been there,
With a smile and a hug,
A precious gift from our God up above.
The times that I have been down and sad,
Your silly ways could always make me glad.
You gave me strength to carry on,
Even when all hope seemed to be gone.
The lessons in life that I have learned
Are from your genuine love and concern.
With deep appreciation for all you have done.
You, Dad,
Are my number one.
With all my love, Your Daughter, Your Friend

By Peggy Stewart 

***

My Father, My Guiding Light

Dad, you’re like the sun to me,
a sure thing, always there,
beaming light and warmth on my life.
Whatever is good in me today,
I owe to your wisdom, your patience,
your strength, your love.
You taught me by example,
as a role model,
how to be my own person,
how to believe in myself,
instructing me without controlling me.
Even when we disagreed,
you held us together,
so our bond was never broken.
I understand what you did for me,
and I am so grateful that I have you
as my solid foundation, my rock.
I respect you, I admire you, I love you,
my guiding light, my father.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

My Father’s Hats

Sunday mornings I would reach
high into his dark closet while standing
on a chair and tiptoeing reach
higher, touching, sometimes fumbling
the soft crowns and imagine
I was in a forest, wind hymning

through pines, where the musky scent
of rain clinging to damp earth was
his scent I loved, lingering on
bands, leather, and on the inner silk
crowns where I would smell his
hair and almost think I was being
held, or climbing a tree, touching
the yellow fruit, leaves whose scent
was that of a clove in the godsome
air, as now, thinking of his fabulous
sleep, I stand on this canyon floor
and watch light slowly close
on the water I’m not sure is there.

By Mark Irwin

***

My Father’s Love

My father’s love never places judgment on me,
his love comes unconditional and unselfishly.

For all the things you’ve done to show how much you care,
always remains as a reminder that you will always be there.

I’ll never forget the affection you have shown in so many ways,
faithful to me, as a father you have never missed a day.

The way you look at me with that twinkle in your eye,
no matter my situation lets me know I’ll be alright.

You have taught me the difference between right and wrong,
and as I became a woman, you taught me to be strong.

I’ll always be grateful for you being there through my struggles and my strife,
because of your encouragement, you taught me the meaning of life.

Now you raise my little sister who is so close to your heart,
another little girl from whom her father she can’t stand to part.

As she’s just a baby now I watch you teach her as she grows,
and I sit back and I smile because one day she will know,

This special man who she calls dad is the one person who will be there when she’s happy or she’s sad.

When she is grown there will be no doubt in her mind,
of the father she loved who never left her behind.

Each day as you look in the mirror, I pray that you see,
there is no one in the world who will ever mean more to my sister and me.

By Wendy Nichols

***

My Papa’s Waltz

The whiskey on your breath   

Could make a small boy dizzy;   

But I hung on like death:   

Such waltzing was not easy.

We romped until the pans   

Slid from the kitchen shelf;   

My mother’s countenance   

Could not unfrown itself.

The hand that held my wrist   

Was battered on one knuckle;   

At every step you missed

My right ear scraped a buckle.

You beat time on my head   

With a palm caked hard by dirt,   

Then waltzed me off to bed   

Still clinging to your shirt.

BY THEODORE ROETHKE

***

My Special Joy

A grandfather is a special blessing
enriching the life of a grandchild
with unique and incomparable joys.
Grandpa, you are my special joy.
I get a warm, safe, contented feeling
when I think of you.
With you, I feel no pressure to be
what someone else wants me to be;
you love me enough to let me be me.
You’re never in a hurry;
you always take time to listen and to help.
You are always there for me when I need you;
You’re never too busy for talks, for walks.
I can count on your wisdom,
your life experience,
your understanding heart
to help me comprehend and get through
challenges you’ve already faced.
You are part parent, part teacher,
part best friend.
Your strength and your easy, calm confidence
is your legacy to me,
and I love you dearly.

Happy Father’s Day, Grandpa!

By Joanna Fuchs

***

My Dad

If I could write a story,
It would be the greatest ever told.
I’d write about my daddy,
For he had a heart of gold.
My dad, he was no hero
Known around this world.
He was everything to me,
For I was his baby girl.
I’d write about the lessons.
He taught me right from wrong.
He instilled in me the values
That one day I’d be strong.
He taught me to face my fears,
Take each day as it comes,
For there are things that we can’t change.
He would say what’s done is done.
He would say hold your head up high,
Carry yourself with pride.
Thanks to him, I am somebody,
I will never run and hide.
If I could write a story,
It would be the greatest ever told.
I’d write about my daddy,
For he had a heart of gold.

By Vicky Frye

***

On This Father

Being a father to a son,
brings a man’s heart so much joy.
You can’t imagine your world,
without this wonderful little boy.

Our son has grown so much,
there’s no trace of “baby” in his smile.
But the work has just begun, Dad,
time to readjust the dial.

Wrestling in the living room
makes him feel big and strong.
Giving him the confidence to make decisions;
hopefully right, sometimes wrong.

From sporting events to his first car;
to dating and a family of his own.
You are the one he will turn to,
The best man he’s ever known.

He will watch your every move,
so guide him the best you can;
Cause only a Daddy can teach his son
how to become a man.

I prayed no other woman
would come along and steal your heart;
but from the moment we heard, “it’s a girl”
I knew she would have you from the start.

A little girl needs her Daddy
to love her with gentlemanly charm.
To hold her tightly when she is afraid;
and keep her safe from harm.

From pigtails and bubblegum,
to lipstick and high heels;
Help her mend a broken heart,
teach her that true love is real.

Dance with her in the living room,
just to see her twirl.
Know there is no love that equals that of
Daddy’s Little Girl.

She will grow to be a woman,
with irresistible charm and grace;
But right now take each special moment
and treasure her sweet face.

I stood and made a promise
to love you come what may;
and watching you turn from husband to Daddy,
makes that love grow more each day!

By Kacee Harrington 

***

Only A Dad

Only a dad, with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame,
To show how well he has played the game,
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come, and to hear his voice.

Only a dad, with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more.
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd
Toiling, striving from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent, whenever the harsh condemn  
And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad, but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing, with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen,
Only a dad, but the best of men.

By Edgar Guest

***

Poems For Dad

What can we give,
To an awesome, fabulous Dad.
On a day like today,
When we are feeling very glad.

How can we repay,
A loving and giving Dad.
Who is always there for us,
Even when he is mad.

Where should we take,
Such an amazing Dad.
Who takes us everywhere.
And cheers us up when we are sad.

And to share words of love,
When should we tell or say?
Every chance we get of course,
But especially on Fathers Day!

By Julie Hebert

***

Silent, Strong Dad

He never looks for praises.
He’s never one to boast.
He just goes on quietly working
For those he loves the most.
His dreams are seldom spoken.
His wants are very few,
And most of the time his worries
Will go unspoken, too.
He’s there…a firm foundation
Through all our storms of life,
A sturdy hand to hold onto
In times of stress and strife.
A true friend we can turn to
When times are good or bad.
One of our greatest blessings,
The man that we call Dad.

By Karen K. Boyer

***

Special Dad

My dad is very special,
He’s not just a dad but a friend;
For he knows where there is a Difference,
When one should start and the other end.

He’s my dad when I need real guidance,
But if I need a pal for a while,
He’s right there in each situation,
Not with just concern, but a smile.

Kids need someone like that,
To help them draw that line,
Between what is right and wrong.
Sometimes the difference is hard to define.

So I’d like to thank Dad for being there,
For helping me all the way.
And to all the Dads who stand by their kids,
God bless you this Father’s Day.

By Trinity Pratt

***

Special Hero

When I was a baby,
you would hold me in your arms.
I felt the love and tenderness,
keeping me safe from harm.
I would look up into your eyes,
and all the love I would see.
How did I get so lucky?
You were the dad chosen for me.
There is something special
about a father’s love.
Seems it was sent to me
from someplace up above.
Our love is everlasting.
I just wanted you to know
that you’re my special hero,
and I wanted to tell you so.

By Christina M. Kerschen

***

Step Father Poem

First I must say how sorry I am,
That you ended up, raising me.
But second I say that I’m happy to state,
You ended up being someone like thee.

You fought and you held out for happier times,
And it took a little longer, than you had first thought.
But all that waiting and hoping for those children to accept you,
Has allowed you to finally get what you sought.

You’re apart of our family, we hope you are happy,
It was tough, but you pulled through.
You’ve been a great father, never a bother,
We can only hope you think so too!

So thank you for being someone so beaming,
Not occasionally but every single day!
At first it annoyed us, but now we enjoy, thus,
Wanting to yell out hip, hip, hooray!

By Julie Heber

***

The Best Man I Ever Knew

When we married, I saw you as perfect,
The ideal husband and more;
I thought I knew all about you,
All the things to love and adore.

But when you became a father,
I saw new qualities to treasure.
You enrich all our lives in fresh ways;
As a dad, you bring so much pleasure.

Our child/children is/are forever blessed
To have a father like you,
And I love you more than ever,
You’re the best man I ever knew.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

The Perfect Father

I love you because you’re my father,
But you’re really so much more;
You’re a guide and a companion;
You and I have great rapport.

You pay attention to me;
You listen to what I say.
You pass on words of wisdom,
Helping me along the way.

Whenever I’m in trouble,
You always have a plan.
You are the perfect father,
And I’m your biggest fan!

By Karl and Joanna Fuchs

***

To Her Father with Some Verses

Most truly honoured, and as truly dear,

If worth in me or ought I do appear,

Who can of right better demand the same

Than may your worthy self from whom it came?

The principal might yield a greater sum,

Yet handled ill, amounts but to this crumb;

My stock’s so small I know not how to pay,

My bond remains in force unto this day;

Yet for part payment take this simple mite,

Where nothing’s to be had, kings loose their right.

Such is my debt I may not say forgive,

But as I can, I’ll pay it while I live;

Such is my bond, none can discharge but I,

Yet paying is not paid until I die.

BY ANNE BRADSTREET

***

To My Husband On Father’s Day

I can’t call you my Father,
And you’re certainly not my Pop.
I wouldn’t call you PaPa
Because to me you’re certainly not.
I can’t call you my Pappy,
Nor could I call you Dad.
You’re definitely not my Daddy.
One of these I already have,
But I can call you Honey.
My best friend I have in you.
A loving caring husband,
A gent who’s kind and true,
My guy of tender gentle words
You place within my heart.
The one who’s strong and steady
And has been from the start,
A man that’s more appreciated
More than I can ever say.
I’m saying this to wish you
A special Father’s Day!

By Jac Judy A. Campbell 

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What Is A Dad?

A Dad is patient, helpful, and strong
He is there by your side when things go wrong
He’s someone who guides you to do the right thing
And helps you solve problems that life sometimes brings

A Dad is someone who is loving and kind
And usually knows what’s going on in your mind
He is someone who listens and makes time to talk
When things are bad he doesn’t turn around and walk

He is a strong shoulder when times are tough
And still loves you dearly when he’s had enough
He helps you and guides you all that he can,
Wanting nothing more than to make you a man

A Dad’s there when you’re happy and even more when you’re sad
Giving unconditional love whether you’re good or you’re bad
A Dad is someone that you can also call a friend
Who is there no matter what and will be till the end

They say that blood is thicker than water
But I know this isn’t true
Because my son couldn’t ask for a better Dad
Than one he has found in you

I think of all the years gone by and wonder
How different things would’ve been
If his real father put forth the love
That you have shown to him

Happy “Father’s” Day, Tommy
Thank you for showing my son what a real father is
And for loving him as much as you do. You will always
Have a special place in my heart and his

By Annmarie Campbell 

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What Is A Father

Who constitutes a father,
At what task makes it so?
Does it happen slowly,
Or should we all just know?

Is a father there from birth,
Or can they join at a later date?
Do they have to be related,
So many questions to debate.

Maybe there is a number,
Of diapers one has to change.
Can they be your favourite person,
Or must they be a little strange?

I think a father is someone,
Who loves unconditionally,
There is no perfect formula,
To who a father can be.

By Julie Hebert

***

Wind Beneath My Wings

I can always count on you, Daddy.
You’re the wind beneath my wings,
My rock and my foundation,
My safety, whatever life brings.

Sometimes you’re a funny Daddy,
When I need to laugh and play;
When life gets too intense,
Your silliness takes me away.

Please, always be my daddy;
Guide me in the right direction.
I’m always your adoring daughter,
Filled with admiration and affection.

By Joanna Fuchs

***

Wish You Were Here

Three months have passed.
I’ll never forget the day
Someone rang to tell me
That you’d gone away.

The hurt is the same,
Like an open wound.
There are days
I don’t utter a sound.

Some days the pain is stronger.
It makes me sick and weak.
I can’t stand this much longer.
I just sit here and weep.

I’ve shut my private door
And let no one in,
Locking myself in a box.
They try, but I won’t give in.

You were like a rock,
Strong, faithful and true.
What worth has my life
Now that I don’t have you?

I was your first born,
Daddy’s little girl.
I took my own path
But was still part of your world.

I was not the best,
Guilty of neglect,
But you know, Daddy dearest,
I had so much respect.

I always loved you,
My dad, my star.
Now my pain is
To worship you from afar.

I love you now
As I did back then.
I just hope… one day
I will see you again.

I am so proud of you,
Brave and strong to the end.
Now when asked, “How are you?”
There is no need to pretend.

We all love and miss you so much; sleep well,
and take care of all who went before you.

Forever in my heart!

By Diana Doyle