Poets and depression/alcoholism

[Glenny Palmer]

“NOWHERE” © 2001 Glenny Palmer

I’ve been to the moon and stars and back
And I’ve been to the demon’s lair,
I’ve seen some things make a soft heart crack
And the devil himself despair;

I’ve dreamed of a life in the face of death
And I’ve died in the arms of care,
But I’ve never seen such a barren hell
As this place that they call “Nowhere”.

It’s a nothing place where you come and go
While the days of your life pass by,
Where you think you’re dead, but you know you’re not
for the dead don’t need to cry.

You stand and stare at the sky in prayer
And you wonder if God’s at home,
And you feel so small in a world that’s all
Fenced off for your soul to roam.

You sleep and wake in a nightmare state
While you long to simply dream,
And you can’t recall when you try at all
How you fell to this terrible scheme.

The only gain is to face the pain
‘though your legs can hardly stand,
you must realize that the monster’s size
will diminish at your demand.

You may think and feel that you’re on a wheel
that ever goes ‘round and ‘round,
but I’ve been “Nowhere” and I promise you fair
that the promise I make is sound.

Yes, I felt like you and one day I knew
I’d delivered the fatal blow,
For each time I thought I had fought for naught,
I was wrong, as I came to know.

For each time I fell and I visited Hell
My strength was a tempered steel,
Like the warrior’s blade from the fire made,
And I knew my courage was real.

So at your lowest time just recall this rhyme
And remember these words my friend,
That the demon dies a bit at a time
When you face the swine to the end!

[David J Delaney]

Consuming Darkness

Dead leaves wash away with accompanying rain,
winds blow along this dark, lonely lane
Why did I do it, why cause so much pain
I can’t go on.

Winter’s always the worst time you see,
my life changed that day you left me
Never forget how I drove you to that tragedy
You’re always on my mind.

So happy, so in love, totally inseparable,
always laughing, always smiling, always loveable
Supporting me, guiding me, my rock, unmovable
Even rocks crumble.

Started with one drink, gradually becoming more,
you could see this demon eating my very core
I couldn’t see the heartache, the worry you bore
Blinded by my need.

Consuming darkness within, I started my abusing,
shocked in the mornings, noticing your bruising
This downward spiral, my life’s so confusing
Needing more, can’t stop.

Staying with me hoping to see change,
too far gone, this life I could not exchange
Satan’s power over me seemed pre-arranged
Falling deeper into darkness.

Losing friends, losing dreams, losing my wife,
bottles of pills, finally you took your life
Crying pain, like my heart’s been sliced by a knife
You’re gone, you’re gone, I’m lost.

Living in this laneway, your memories I keep,
brown paper bag, empty bottle lay at my feet
Fluttering eyelids, hazy mind, body feels weak
Slipping, slipping away.

My treasured love soon we’ll be together again,
oozing life, my blood flows toward the drain
Like dead leaves wash away with accompanying rain
Finally to be with you.


David J Delaney