Pages of Poetry

Three trees stood in a wood Their leaves whispering to each other Three gossipy old trees. Three trees stood in a wood They had eyes of red Red, almost brown. Three trees stood in a wood Red eyes see everything that Brown and blue and green do not. Three trees stood in a wood Their thoughts are slow and black They think for a thousand years. Three trees stood in a wood A black thought is never good An old thought is always evil. Three trees stood in a wood Let the dead lie Under their shadowy branches. Three trees stood in a wood The dead whisper their pale secrets Into their sinuous roots. Three trees stood in a wood Birds rest not here Here in the home of the dark. Three trees stood in a wood These branches never bowed With heavy, sweet fruit. Three trees stood in a wood Woe befall he who sees them Evil haunts the axe-man. Three trees stood in a wood Drinking in the rain greedily And smacking their red lips. Three trees stood in a wood Old wood may splinter But...

This is the fourth in a series of poems written to be performed as spoken word poetry. The common theme is mental illness. This particular poem deals with bipolar disorder. Hello, hello, hello. I'm sorry, I'm just a little nervous. Please don't mind. It's just - Well, if I tell you a secret, Can you keep it? I'm actually a king. Yes! It's true Maybe you don't believe me - You really don't believe me But it's true! Maybe, I can show you my crown some day You'd like that? You'd like that? Listen to me! Why aren't you listening? What is it about me that makes you turn away, That makes you ashamed, Why won't you look at me? Just look at me, damn it! You poor, pathetic little thing. You'll never know what it feels like, To swing up into the sky, floating on clouds, Giving a new meaning to the word high And then suddenly swooping down, And doing a loop-de-loop, And going up, and down, And flying, Flying fa...

This is the third in a series of poems written to be performed as spoken word poetry. The common theme is mental illness. This particular poem deals with anxiety disorder. I'm a quiet guy. My friends will tell you I'm a nice guy. The girl I like will tell you I'm a sweet guy, But she doesn't see me that way. But that's okay! I don't want to scare them away. Because it's true. I am a quiet guy. But inside my head, Things are so - damn - loud! You're not good enough. You will never be good enough. My friends will tell you I'm a friendly guy. But what they won't tell you, What they don't know Is that I rely on the voices around me To drown out the ones in my head. You're not good enough. You will never be good enough. Stop! Just - leave - me - alone! I can't handle it Some days, I want to step out of myself I want to abandon this ship Because it is surely going to drown. You're not good enough. You wi...

This is the second in a series of poems written to be performed as spoken word poetry. The common theme is mental illness. This particular poem deals with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Loop, loop, loop. Loop, loop, loop, loop, l - lo - loop, loop, loop, LOOP! Loop. So many loops! Phew! Nice to meet you! I'm just stopping here, on my way back from class. What's that? Yes, I seem a bit restless, don't I? It's nothing, I'm always like this. Wait, are you going to eat that? Here, have some hand sanitizer. What do you mean, you don't want it? Here, take it! Take it, please! Don't do this! Wait! Where are you going? Please! I'm sorry, come back! Can't you see, it's killing me When you don't even realize All the germs getting under your skin Filling each and every pore Bad things will happen The less you take care, and the more Nonchalant you are, about things like these Can't you see, I'm worried to death I'm worr - w...

This is the first in a series of poems written to be performed as spoken word poetry. The common theme is mental illness. This particular poem deals with depression. Some days, it hurts. It hurts when they tell me Smile, girl, smile Stand taller, be bolder, Put yourself out there. It hurts, because I can't. But most days, it's just…nothingness. I am empty. A void, a black abyss. So empty, I can't breathe Can't eat, can't sleep. I've become so numb, Just like that Linkin Park song, It ate Chester up, you know. The same thing that's eating me. Shhh! Not so loud. Society might hear. The most dangerous word, More than rape, murder, war, Something no one can see My shameful little secret. After all, all I need to do Is stop being so sad . Cheer up! Smile! Stop pretending. Putting me in more classes, Music, dance, football. Bringing my two friends over. Ah, poor parents of mine, I salute you for trying. But whatever you thr...