An unrequited love is like a blossom,
Gently, slowly, softly floating from a tree,
The tree yearns and longs to hold it on its branch,
But the child who smiles is happy that it’s free.

At first it hurt to feel the pang of love that will never be,
To feel the shards of broken heart shattering in me,
A sudden realisation of having you in my life,
Takes away the desolation, the anger and the strife.  

At first it hurt to know the strain of love that is forgotten,
To feel the core of my being was turning rotten,
A sudden realisation of having you as a friend,
Takes away the desperation with knowledge that I’ll mend.

An unrequited love is like a rainbow,
Flying, shining, gliding across the grey sky,
The rain comes and floods the land of all its sun,
But the child who cried is dancing in the dry.

Rainbow spider web,
Silken twinkle on the view,
Natures perfect sight.

When the dark clouds,
Come one by one,
And form an oppressive shroud,
Remember that the wind will send them far away,
And brighten the skies of a tortured day.

When it rains down,
Crying like tears,
And you feel that you might drown,
Remember that the sun will dry the water, gone,
And reflect the magic in your eyes, shone.

Look at the good,
Hiding away,
It’s there wherever you’re stood,
Remember that when times are hard as concrete, cold,
There’ll always be a heart and arms here, hold.

A Poem by Simon Clark to Celebrate National Poetry Day 2013**  

I didn’t sleep last night for fear of dreaming,
For if my eyes closed and my mind wandered,
It might picture a time when you walk away,
When the door you held open and invited me through,
Closed,
Shut,
Locked and final,
I didn’t sleep last night for fear of dreaming.

I didn’t sleep last night for fear of waking,
Waking up to a cold and empty bed,
Where my night visions turn into night terrors,
Where you say you never loved me and you never could,
Cold,
Shunned,
Lost and frozen,
I didn’t sleep last night for fear of waking.

I didn’t sleep last night for fear of writing,
For if my ink bled onto its canvas,
Revealing images I’d concealed from view,
Opening the door to see an unrequited love,
Chaste,
Stopped,
Loosed and falling,
I didn’t sleep last night for fear of writing.

I didn’t sleep last night for fear of crying,
The broken tears I hoped would never fall,
Yet looking up at the blanket of ceiling,
The lonely waters erupted and they cleansed my soul,
Cleared,
Soft,
Light and freeing,
I didn’t sleep last night for fear of crying.

I might just sleep tonight; no fear of being,
In my bed of dreams and reality,
Where my daily life is lived in fantasy,
The ecstasy of knowing I can close my eyes; sleep,
Calm,
Smooth,
Laced and fading,
I might just sleep tonight; no fear of being…

…asleep.

Each day a sun arises,
And with the closing of the day the moon appears,
A cycle that's unchangeable,
And happens from year to year,
But within each ordinary day a miracle occurs,
Like a shooting star or a raindrop falling on the icy lake,
Or a baby being born.

John James enters the world to explore the brand new sights,
From the comfort of his mothers womb to a world of calm,
Of love and peace,
His life, I hope, will be one filled with joy and cheer,
And the necessary feeling of knowing his family is near,
And as the wind changes and the seasons come and go,
I know that John James changeth, you'll see just how he grows.

You'll watch upon in wonder as he utters his first word,
Like the blind man who rejoiced at the sight of the mockingbird,
You'll watch upon in awe as, slowly, step by step he takes,
And the pleasure you will feel each morning that he wakes,
In a time where life can be so cruel and rushed,
Nothing silences the passion, this flame just can't be hushed.

Each day a sun arises,
And with the closing of the day the moon appears,
A cycle that's unchangeable,
And happens from year to year,
But within each ordinary day a baby can be born,
And like the river finds it way, John James has found your heart,
For, in that heart, like a locket on a pendant, he will forevermore stay.

Attack upon a child,
Aggression and fearless thoughtlessness,
Treating others as animals,
Dehumanising them,
Leaving them alone and filled with hopelessness.

Sifted like flour,
I’ve been removed from the good,
Discovered as bad,
Waited for hours,
‘Neath the cover of the hood,
Torn, lonely and sad.

To rise above the shoulders of others,
To see the things they can’t,
Pointing out the errors of law,
Taking a stand when falling down,
Accused of sins and crossing lines,
Anarchic behaviour built on honest minds,
Crushed by labels – a society wrapped in vines.

Hold a gun to my head if it makes you feel strong,
To boost your machismo,
Forget right and wrong

Hold a gun to my head if it makes you feel tough,
If it puts your chin high,
For I’ve had enough.

Hold a gun to my head if it makes you feel proud,
To see your ambition,
Swallowed by the crowd.

Take the words that, like venom, sting my ears,
Discard the taunts you use to hold me back,
Leave behind the poison that cripples me with fear,
I now find it hard to paint over the cracks,
Now you should just put a knife to my spine,
Dig it deep and paralyse, use my blood to disguise the shine.

Every week a different lover,
A change of clothes and back under the covers,
“****”
“*****”
All these names and more,
Hurled, like knives, at my back throughout the town,
All because I refuse to be tied down.

Alone in a cottage a family are trembling,
Shaking and vacillating in fear,
They hear the heavy footsteps marching,
And the gunshots ring in their ears,
They peer through the curtains to view,
The hooded white robes setting their stomachs churning,
And the fires of hell flicker even closer,
How fearsome it is when the crosses are burning.

Puffed up feathers,
Touring the planet like a Satanic God,
A peacock with an entourage,
Spitting, spouting, spreading your words,
Your verbal diseases,
“Burn them; Blame them, Better than them”.

Such ignorance,
Such hate,
And yet you call yourselves supreme.

Rows and queues of people,
Lines snaking around the church,
Slime and sin left inside,
Forgiven.

Heaps and mounds of decay,
Clumps rotting around the world,
Filth and foes left behind,
Misgovern.

Rows and queues of sinners,
Lines oozing around the church,
Healed and hurt left inside,
Forgiven.

Beneath the crucifix I kneel,
Genuflecting before God,
Before our Father,
Before our priest,
He grabs me, holds me, drags me,
Out of sight,
Away from the eyes of mortal men,
He hits me, hurts me, breaks me,
Out of sight,
And all in the name of the Father.

Small and tainted black,
Four reaching prongs that spiral,
Spin, draw you in,
Seen with ****** eyes; traumatised,
Violence of ignorance,
Slaughter.

Forced to wear a sign,
To declare their private lives,
To make themselves subhuman,
And unwittingly let evil thrive,
And now we say we wear it well,
As a symbol of passion and pride,
Very few remember the struggles,
Or give thanks to those who died.

Shut down,
Switch off,
Zone out to make it easier to understand,
That the closing of this chapter,
Is the parting of our hands.

Climbed and climbed,
Strived and strived,
Struggled to become who I am,
Struggled to decide what I wanted,
Struggled to be myself,
Found sickness and wealth,
Lost the wealth and found deteriorated health,
I starved myself,
I hated myself,
Put myself through strife,
And found the zenith of life.

You’ve forgotten me already,
Cast me aside,
Left me outside in the pouring rain,
And coated yourself in pride.

You’ve forgotten me already,
Left me to rot,
Made me feel as though we were nothing,
Turned me into what I’m not.

You’ve forgotten me already,
Broken my heart,
Left me outside in the falling snow,
And forced us to grow apart.

You’ve forgotten me already,
Forgotten me,
Yes, you’ve forgotten me already,
Forgot what we aimed to be.

This youthful heart is scared,
Scared to grow up and run free,
Every time it times to stand alone,
People attack with painful love,
My youthful heart is chipped,
Smashed,
Broken,
Crushed by the deceit and hurt,
I want to force my heart into the dirt,
Start again,
Refuse to feel,
It’s the only way to heal.

Yield,
Give in to me,
Yield,
Just say yes,
Yield,
Come to see me,
Yield,
Hold me close,
Yield,
I’m good for you,
Yield,
Good for me,
Yield.

*****,
****,
*****,
C*nt,
Cow,
Stab me,
Slice me,
Abuse me,
Violate me,
Yes, you violate me with your xiphoid words.

I have pinned you down to the kitchen floor,
I want you to writhe and wriggle,
Beg me for more,
I have tied you up to the dancing pole,
I want you to fight and fidget,
Slave; play the role,
I have whipped your back in the bedroom warm,
I want you to scream and slither,
Destroy your form,
I have spanked your *** ‘neath the shower flow,
I want you to cry and crumble,
Enjoy each blow.

Weather the storm,
Walk through the clouds,
The darkness that you bring to me,
The thunder you ring in my ears,
Your lighting brings me fears,
Cold tears,
Weather the storm,
Walk through the clouds,
The darkness that you bring to me,
The thunder of your punishment,
Your lightning astringent,
Repent.

My eyes waterfall as I watch you walk away,
And my cheekbones form a river as you drift away,
My lips earthquake and tremble as you fall through the cracks,
My hands are vines; grasping; my skin starts to crack,
As I watch you walk away my eyes waterfall,
As you drift away the river breaks and waterfalls.

As the winter chill and ice freezes upon me,
And the rain drops turn to snow drops,
And while the air blows bitter cold,
I look for your arms and your safety,
To be held in the warmth of your hold.

Lost in a haze,
Lost in myself,
The world is spinning,
Spent all my wealth,
But I'm happy,
Happy in my loneliness.

My loneliness is mine,
I possess it,
Ownership of emotions,
Feelings i let rest and sit,
Still I'm happy,
Happy in my loneliness.

Lost in a haze,
Lost in myself,
The world is spinning,
Spent all my wealth,
But I'm happy,
Happy in my loneliness.

Please don't leave me.

I am crying,
Tears fall from my eyes,
Cause i am picturing that I'll never,
Never again be at your side,
This thought is crushing,
It cripples me,
Busts my heart open wide,
Shards on the floor that sparkle,
Sparkle in blood and tears,
Horrified by my overwhelming fear.

Please don't leave me.

Please don't leave me.

I am crying,
Tears fall from my eyes,
Cause i am picturing that I'll never,
Never again be at your side,
This thought is crushing,
It cripples me,
Busts my heart open wide,
Shards on the floor that sparkle,
Sparkle in blood and tears,
Horrified by my overwhelming fear.

Please don't leave me.

Industrial noises,
The digging sounds productive,
Development of future,
Where other bodies are drowned.

In sheer desperation I hide,
No one can see; gone,
Removed from the flaming eyes,
The burning glare; probing,
Mourning myself; I changed,
For you I altered my views; shifted,
And now you've left me; gone,
A whole person; gone,
A whole person to whom I don't belong.

Too many blank pages,
I'm eager to write,
But the words are a struggle,
In the broad daylight.

As i stare at the page,
Visions make me write,
Then the words flow like fountains,
In the day and night.

My arms feel heavy,
Lead weights pull me down,
My legs feel sluggish,
Hard to walk around.

No more,
Say no.

My eyes feel weary,
Shutters in the wind,
My mouth feels barren,
Hushed because I sinned.

No more,
Say no.

Five grams later and a truck load of beer,
Still my heart is aching,
Still you're not here.

Five grams later and a truck load of wine,
Your distance is present,
Such changing times.

Five grams later and a truck load of tears,
What made you go away?
Why aren't you here?

With my eyes closed,
I can recall your touch,
I enjoy the memory,
The way we held on,
Held on so tenderly,
I enjoy the memory,
The times our lips met,
And your tongue melted me,
I enjoy the memory,
Recall the passion,
That look within your eyes,
I enjoy the memory...
...
...
...
...The memory is all I have.

Listened to an old VoiceMail,
Just to hear you speak,
That soft spoken tenderness,
With the American twist.

I cried as I heard you,
Tears of sadness,
Tears of joy,
Tears of memory,
Tears of laughter,
Tears of pain,
Tears that flowed like angry rain.

Listened to an old VoiceMail,
Just to hear you talk,
That smooth subtle caressing,
With the American twist.

I try to shine brightly,
Even when I'm blue,
Cause I am determined,
I've made it my aim,
To make them all smile,
To conceal all my shame.

The sun is shining boldly,
The grass glistens in the rays,
I hear children playing,
As they live out halcyon days.

But as I sit in my room,
Alone and watching TV,
I picture that you're here,
Sunbathing in the sun with me.

The night is drawing closer,
The sky shimmers with its stars,
I hear silence ringing,
As I remember loves guitar.

Dug in deep,
But deeper I fell,
There's no coin,
In my wishing well.

Lend to live,
But living is stress,
Golden crush,
Creates hellish mess.

Thinking about kissing you,
Holding you in arms of love,
But instead I'll spend the night alone,
Forced purity of a dove.

Thinking about touching you,
My fingers finding their way,
But instead I'll warm myself with sheets,
Without your presence today.

Tried something new last night,
I had to let go,
Popped the pill,
Mellowed and chilled,
Thought I'd learned to grow.

The drugs came back,
They entered my life again,
I'm afraid of the sin,
Afraid of sliding down like back when.

Another angel flown,
Joined Heavens chorus,
In the 27 Club,
Whose life touched all of us.

Another angel made,
Her face in the clouds,
In the 27 Club,
She entertains the crowds.

Another angel born,
Taken from the Earth,
In the 27 Club,
She never saw her worth.

Dedicated to the talented Amy Winehouse who departed this world at the tender age of 27. You will be sorely missed

Awe,
Joy,
Peace and love,
Kiss,
Touch,
From above.

I love you.

Sweet,
Kind,
Heart and soul,
Hold,
Warmth,
I am whole.

I love you.

Giving it all up to you,
Was easy,
Taking it all back inside,
Is so hard to do.

More distance and space,
Created a void,
I'm missing your face,
Feeling so destroyed.

Giving my love to your heart,
Was easy,
Taking it back for your mind,
Is so hard to start.

Less touching and heat,
Created a pain,
Fallen off my feet,
Crying in the rain.

Too much water has passed,
Under too many bridges,
To break my heart by loving you again.

Too much water has washed,
Upon too many beaches,
To hurt myself by trusting you again.

Too much water has flowed,
Into too many plug holes,
To lose my soul by seeing you again.

Too much water has passed,
Under too many bridges,
To break my heart by wanting you again.

He doesn't know,
Or doesn't care,
About how much i desire,
I want,
I need his embrace,
Like a window requires its lace.

I'm the window,
I am the glass,
Nakedly exposed to sun,
Honest,
Truthful and lustful,
Like a fool waiting for the fall.

Looking forward to Friday,
That is when we next shall meet,
In a café or at a movie,
In my mind or on the street.

Looking forward to Monday,
That is when we next shall hold,
In an embrace or in a muddle,
In my home far from the cold.

Sweet remembrances,
Subtle thoughts i recall,
Of your hands and fingernails,
Your smile and witty tongue,
Wishing that you were by my side,
Tonight and every night,
Instead of laying in a grave,
In the dark; far from sight.

Adapt,
Change,
Move on,
Refresh and start over,
Remain,
Stay,
Cling on,
Hold on to something blue.