# General > Literature >  Simple Poetry.

## cuddlepop

Wow Had some time this morning to open the literature forum and my how you've all been busy.
Its a bit daunting though as you all seem to be very knowlegeble.
Will apologise now if grammer and spelling isn't correct but a side effect of being a carer is sieve brain!.

This doesn't have a title.
Why are they here,
What do they know,
Where are they going?
I do not know.

Now i've written this to show that we all can write something.We can either turn this into a type of song thread and see where it goes or give your interpretation of what it means to you.
Over to you guys and girls. ::

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## Kingetter

Full marks for your effort, and don't be put off by what others do - we are all equal on here - trying is what's most important along with the desire to.

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## Gleber2

> Full marks for your effort, and don't be put off by what others do - we are all equal on here - trying is what's most important along with the desire to.


Found scrawled on a notebook page marked 1967 Zurich;


Roast chicken
Potato crisps
Stick between my teeth
Frequently.

Such a profound youth I must have been.LOL

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## Kingetter

I like. It surely deserves some kind of award even if not mentioned in Egon Ronay.

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## Gleber2

On Present Time.

And is there  life beyond these wire topped walls,
A place where people live and love and die,
The plaintive voice of soaring seagulls call,
The song of home which makes me want to cry.

For crimes untold my fellow inmates rot,
Their freedom lost by man's unequal laws,
Like me they watch the ticking of the clock,
Which ticks so slow it seems that time has paused.

Each day goes by, one closer to the end,
The picture window fixed as seasons change,
When autumn leaves are blowing in the wind,
Once more I'll walk where only thoughts now range.

My sentence served and nothing will be gained,
There is no justice in a world that's gone insane.

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## Kingetter

Now that's an interesting piece - I could almost think it was autobiographical.  Details please, on something bigger than a postcard?

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## Gleber2

> Now that's an interesting piece - I could almost think it was autobiographical. Details please, on something bigger than a postcard?


To truly appreciate freedom, the poet has to lose it for a while. Going to prison is not nice. Yes, autobiographical. seven and a half months incarcerated for my gardening gifts.

This sonnet is the first one of twenty I made into a booklet.

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## Kingetter

Well I appreciate your sharing that piece as I will any further offerings.
I suppose I've created my own prison and am in for life.

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## canuck

> To truly appreciate freedom, the poet has to lose it for a while. Going to prison is not nice. Yes, autobiographical. seven and a half months incarcerated for my gardening gifts.
> 
> This sonnet is the first one of twenty I made into a booklet.


As difficult as it is for me to say this, I may be starting to agree with you on the issue of experience being the teacher, the only teacher in some cases.  I don't suggest going to prison as a means for all of us to learn about freedom.  But I do appreciate what you have offered to us about your experience and how it parallels or mirrors things in our own lives.

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## Gleber2

> Well I appreciate your sharing that piece as I will any further offerings.
> I suppose I've created my own prison and am in for life.


One of your myriad of posts made me think you would appreciate this particular sonnet.

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## Kingetter

Could you be referring to Tanhaiyan?

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## Gleber2

> Could you be referring to Tanhaiyan?


Rings no bells. I was referring to the post where you outlined your illness.

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## Kingetter

Tanhaiyan is one of my poems and was written during heavy depression - one other factor in my 'imprisonment'.

I had a critique of it done once a long time ago and the main comment was that they'd never read a more depressing piece of writing.

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## Gleber2

> Tanhaiyan is one of my poems and was written during heavy depression - one other factor in my 'imprisonment'.
> 
> I had a critique of it done once a long time ago and the main comment was that they'd never read a more depressing piece of writing.


Just reread it and see what you mean and what your critic meant. Poignant piece.

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## Kingetter

And though I wrote it, and, in the past have read it a few times, I cannot bring myself to read it now - strange perhaps but I offer no reason for this, other than it does bring back unpleasant memories which in turn make me negative while I'm actually trying to be positive.

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## Kingetter

I've even been told "Stop feeling so sorry for yourself and get on with living".
Maybe that was good advice, maybe not - circumstances in my life following that caused another downturn.

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## Ann

> And though I wrote it, and, in the past have read it a few times, I cannot bring myself to read it now - strange perhaps but I offer no reason for this, other than it does bring back unpleasant memories which in turn make me negative while I'm actually trying to be positive.


I have similar feelings about an article I wrote describing my "black dog". 
It frightens me to read how I felt at the time.
I only read it once or twice since I wrote it just to confirm how far I have come.

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## Ann

> I've even been told "Stop feeling so sorry for yourself and get on with living".
> Maybe that was good advice, maybe not - circumstances in my life following that caused another downturn.


And I would think the person who said that had never experienced a similar state.

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## Kingetter

> I have similar feelings about an article I wrote describing my "black dog". 
> It frightens me to read how I felt at the time.
> I only read it once or twice since I wrote it just to confirm how far I have come.


 
Would you be able to share it with us?  I'd think more than one of us are familiar with a "black dog".
Strangely enough, and despite me saying I had difficulties reading Tanhaiyan now, I did actually get through it the other day and still seem to be here, unscathed.

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## Kingetter

> And I would think the person who said that had never experienced a similar state.


Quite probably, but if I try to be charitable, I'll try to imagine it was well meant even if hard to convince myself of that.

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## Ann

> Would you be able to share it with us? I'd think more than one of us are familiar with a "black dog".
> Strangely enough, and despite me saying I had difficulties reading Tanhaiyan now, I did actually get through it the other day and still seem to be here, unscathed.


Mmm... still too raw methinks, but I will post an article "wot I rote" for a group of people with the same condition as myself, of which depression plays quite a large part; trying to persuade them to stop feeling guilty about having the "black dog".


*DEPRESSION  A Personal View*  

Depression is a clinical illness just as diabetes, thyroid or any other that is caused by a malfunction or imbalance in our minds or bodies.
Clinical depression usually means a depletion of certain substances needed to keep our minds and bodies healthy. It can be triggered off by various means, either nutritional, chemical, or trauma such as the death of a loved one, being in a very unhappy partnership or certain illnesses etc., or sometimes it manifests itself without an obvious cause.
If there is a depletion of some chemical or other, then there are medications which can help to balance things out. Just as someone with diabetes needs insulin, so a depressed individual needs whatever chemical is in short supply.
It sometimes takes a few tries to find the right medication to suit the individual. Then when the mind starts to recover and the sufferer can see a way forward again, it has an add-on effect and can be the beginning of a new era.
Sadly, as often as not, it can recur and that is where counseling, sharing with someone who understands etc., comes into play. It is a question of finding the right people to help with mental and physical intervention and trusting them enough to turn to them before things get as bad again.
Depression can creep up again and again and that is where understanding friends whom you trust are invaluable. You learn to believe them when they say they can see you sliding back into the black hole and hopefully you will not fall so far again.
I think a lot of us were indoctrinated with the pull your self together advice and we would all like to think we can "snap out of it" but it is not that easy. At least nowadays it doesn't have the same stigma attached and anyone who does ridicule or mock a sufferer is very fortunate in that they don't know what they are talking about!
I know it takes a long while to accept depression but once you find the right medication and begin to feel better, you will be glad that you faced up to your illness. Because illness is what it is and is nothing to be ashamed of and it needs to be treated like any other disease.
If you look up depression on the web, you will find many articles describing the condition and the effects and symptoms. Read as much as you can about it and you will begin to understand what is happening to you and how you can help yourself by being well informed. Knowledge is invaluable.
The benefits of depression is that you get to know yourself and look at life more intently and hopefully see things in a different way that will help you sort out your priorities. The experience can often enhance your understanding of life, yourself and others.
Until you experience the depression, you'll never know what it is, and the people who judge need to be educated or ignored.

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## Kingetter

Thank you Ann.  Very well put. 
One lesson I learnt was that the first step to be taken is recognising that a problem exists and needs to be dealt with rather than shoved under the carpet.
I also know that in most cases, it isn't curable, although we learn to live with it most of the time.
Thanks again.
James.

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