Best Nervous Wreck Poems
Someone near and dear to me
Has a child with Downs Syndrome,
Who, more often than not
Is beyond difficult to control.
The little boy is six years old
But acts as if he’s two,
He can’t speak at all, just yells a lot
Throwing wild tantrums until he’s blue.
He likes throwing things around
As if everything’s a toy,
And has difficulty distinguishing
Between bad behavior and pure, ecstatic joy.
(And his mother is a nervous wreck,
always picking up after the boy).
His fingers are his eyes at times
As textures are his friends,
If he doesn’t like the way it feels
He won’t go there again.
And he likes to lay down on the ground
Balling up like a boulder,
Until someone comes to pick him up
While he gives them his cold shoulder.
It’s difficult to fully describe
All the nuances of this child,
The range of his emotions
From anger and sadness to his beautiful, blissful smile.
(And his mother is a nervous wreck,
walking many lonely miles).
They wonder about his future
And those around him always near,
And wonder how much happiness
Will follow him through the years.
Will he learn to play an instrument
Or dance and sing a song,
Is it possible he will marry someday
Will true love come along?
Will he find friends who will love him
And treat him sweet and kind,
Or only those who will shun him
And close him off like blinds.
(And his mother is a nervous wreck,
And losing her own mind.
His mother is a nervous wreck
And loves him
All the time).
© Terrell Martin, 02/26/2025
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I’m feverishly counting sheep …
Hoping that the perfect number
Rewards me with a dreamless slumber.
Envisioning the sylvan state,
I close my eyes and concentrate
On willing ev’ry fuzzy shape
To leap in order through the gate.
I trust they’ll form a proper queue
And, decorously stepping through
In ranks of three for my review,
Pass by my vision ewe by ewe.
But will they do this? Will they ‘eck!
They’re making me a nervous wreck!
They leap the hedge, and come back round
And thus my counting do confound.
And then they dance! I swear they do!
They link their arms and sashay through …
They buck-and-wing, and twist, and spin,
Each sheepish face a saucy grin …
And while these woolly matrons rumba …
I’ve clean forgot the flippin’ number!
So then I’m back to number one
And wishing I had ne’er begun!
Till, once more, frazzled and forlorn,
I’m wide awake to greet the dawn.
Putting my kisses all around your neck,
Obligates you to do the same to me.
Electrify my soul and I will be
The one whose knees will quickly hit the deck.
Destroyer, I am now a nervous wreck,
Expected to pay the ultimate fee,
Selling my soul so I can set your free
To bounce, as if you had been a bad check.
Restitution will have to be paid back,
Or I may never pleasure you again.
You can take my payments off of your rack,
Extending the time to pay for a sin.
Royalties will always be in the sack,
So that I can always secure a win.
My own gypsy roaming in countless hemispheres
A painter who splashes emotions of life’s tones
Maybe a lightkeeper flaming a child’s wonder
Also, a bookworm awed by enigmatic anti-heroes
My siblings’ event planner for grand occasions
Yes, a film buff loading adrenalin at plot’s turn
This off-key singer come open mic time
An insolent activist when values are compromised
My kin’s nervous wreck... afraid of heights
A non-stop dancer jigging even on tabletops!
Indeed, an angel card reader faking psychic powers
A believer of joy based on destiny number 7
The female version of Pan trapped in child-like whims
An incurable romantic who dreads goodbyes
This poet draining the marrow of a parched pen
A meditation/ yoga soul grounded in nothingness
Thus, one pilgrim in search of my higher self’s grail
~ In my roller-coaster, charmed world, I am still
finding parts of myself that thirst to be known.
I AM Contest
Sponsor: Andrea Dietrich
5/11/2020
Oh Ye Poets, Weep Not!
(Apropos When Silence Is Betrayal)
To write of peace, love and beauty,
Would be what others think should be
The poets’ only duty;
Albeit, what we write, is like that of the dove;
Peace and love rendered from up high—Soaring
Within the oneness from God above—
Within the winds of truth blowing—
Let us not heed to the silencing ones trying to hold us in check;
Let not need of their approval make us a nervous wreck.
Let us write no lies we’ll later cringe and seek to deny;
Let no one cause us to question truth—asking why;
Let us remember the lamb of truth that chose to die!
Let’s always chose to pen and scream the truth of the heart!
Let’s always remember who chose us to echo words of a new start!
After watching the news my stomach was in a knot
my brain on a hiatus leaving my creative juices to rot
imitating the thinker wondering why my muse had suddenly left
finding a note from her saying not to feel bereft,
Saying I could find her at the local amusement park
while driving over there it was a little after dark
with note in hand I tried to follow her footsteps
wondering what ride she'd be on I was a nervous wreck,
Buying a bunch of tickets I rode the roller coaster first
the ups and downs making my stomach want to lurch
then onto the scrambler making me feel like a scrambled egg
the near misses and swings giving me a pounding headache,
Then I thought I might find her on the tilt-a-whirl
finally relaxing I whirled around like a young giggling girl
my muse slowly returning I asked her why'd she come to this park
her answer justifying her actions with "because zilch is all I got!"
10-7-17
My tale about the barnacle I bared upon my bum
has now passed into legend and folk law
The battle I thought was over and now long done
Just when I thought I could sit down and relax
and lick my wounds
and heal my poor bum
I now have two barnacles
clinging on instead of one.
Their jealous of each other
and like a porcupines
my bum is very sore
I'm stuck in the middle
and I don't think I can take any more!!!!!.
My telephone is melting
and they push love notes through my door
I'm divided down the middle
and I'm preparing for war.
I have no idea why they follow me around like flies
maybe it's my aftershave that smells so nice
There's nothing about me
I do declare
but everytime I turn around
there's always someone there.
Why couldn't it ever be
who I really like
I even tried to escape on my motorbike last night
I thought I was just saddle sore
but latter when I pulled my trousers down
what did I see
not two barnacles but three.
I darn't leave the house no more
and I've barricaded myself in
I'm now a nervous wreck
and I've taken to drinking Gin
I've sealed the letter box and took the phone of the hook
and have been searching amazon for a useful book.
If your a poor sufferer too
have a hammer and chisel
we can help each other get through
just bare your bum like me
and maybe we could throw the barnacles back into the sea.
''Beware! their out there''.
Peter Dome. copyright.2014.march.
Mum will be worried and tonight will be a frost
The sun is going down quickly I know I am lost
Not at all sure if we are on the right track
Shep, you are smart you'll find the way back
It really is my fault, you only have one bad habit
I shouldn't let you chase that big old buck rabbit
Watching you run after it was ever so much fun
If dad was there he would have shot it with a gun
Time sure went fast Shep, what happened to the day
I've had a real good time, and we both like to play
Not at all scared, if we see a bear you will bark
But we better hurry home, can't be out after dark
Silly me, I couldn't remember which way that we went
But you are a smart dog, you will pick up the scent
Mum will be really worried, she'll be a nervous wreck
Dad consoling her, saying "He's okay with Old Shep"
We will be safe, I can feel it in my heart
You're a brave dog Shep and very, very smart
Oh, Shep there it is, I can see our family home
Lets run all the way and I'll get you a big bone
Mum, Dad and Sis are smiling and waving like mad
They are happy to see us, and I'm twice as glad
Now we are home, the day has come to an end
I love you Shep, you really are my best friend
Humpty Dumpty's job was an important one he knew
a secret service agent looking for clues
sitting on the brick wall as a lookout man
as the kings parade caused horse traffic jams
Looking around for any suspicious suspects
he looked up and down, right and to the left
not seeing anyone looking to kill the king
he let his guard down not noticing anything
Before he knew it he felt a mighty shove
falling down he cracked open showing gooey substance
with the kings parade coming to a quick halt
running over to poor Humpty wondering who was at fault
Most of the kings men picked up his pieces of shell
trying to piece him back together which was sheer hell
suddenly the towns baker showed up with a huge shovel
saying I'll clean this up without any trouble
So they let the baker have poor Humpty's remains
who used his yolk and egg whites but not his brain
whipping up lofty delicious cakes, pies and souffles
Humpty's unfortunate death sure made his day
Which led the kings men to be highly suspicious
as the baker always thought of Humpty as mighty delicious
anytime he had seen Humpty Dumpty passing on by
you could hear the baker whisper I need him for my cakes and pies
So they interrogated the baker who was a nervous wreck
and after 48 hours he broke down and confessed
saying he was real low on eggs that fateful day
and climbed up behind and shoved Humpty without delay
Finally the case was solved and the baker sent to jail
while poor Humpty's remains were in cakes that were for sale
Humpty's best friend read his eulogy not believing he was dead
sobbing he exclaimed, man he was an awfully good egg!!
6-24-18
I'm a nervous wreck when my anxiety makes its presence known
It swallows me whole; my happiness a sinking stone
I want to rise above my insecurities, soar above my flaws, float weightlessly over my obstacles and have confidence I won't fall.
Why can't I just face this anxiousness? Why can't I just be strong?
I want to rediscover my own strengths and find courage to carry on.
Am I even in control of my thought process? I feel like a prisoner in my own head.
Please understand this is something I can't control ; I'd rather be fearless instead.
I see you all with your head's held high while mine faces towards the ground.
I feel beat down; defeated. Anxiety has won this round.
I cannot help my perception is lacking because I'm so lost within my head.I'm calling out for help but can't seem to shake this dread.
I'm begging you anxiety do this one thing for me.
Release my mind and set me free.
My co-worker posed a theory to me
That our boss was born one hundred years later than she was supposed to be
Neither of us could exactly put our finger on why, but I had to agree
No makeup, unbrushed hair, bad teeth
As though she just awoke from a long, troubled sleep
Her mannerisms seem out of sync somehow with contemporary company;
Solitarily sorting books in the back room of the used bookstore she manages each day
to remain distant and dazed, as though unfamiliar with a world that has dramatically changed
Nobody knows how old she is, but I’d guess upper-middle-aged
She never seems relaxed or at home with where she has landed, always looking around as she walks through a room or doorway, ever vigilant
She shows up each day looking like last night was another rough one, but her speech and ways seem oddly quaint and well-bred,
strangely legalistic and more formal than needed in this squalid environment.
She simply doesn’t seem at home in this place;
She can stand two feet away from me and a co-worker as we’re sorting while joking and, while our hands are busy working, our minds are away playing,
But she is immune to the general contagion of the strange repartee and laughs exchanged, seeming to hear nothing we’re saying.
Never laughing herself nor conversing, guarding her thoughts, observations, and history from judgment, and getting lost in her own world such that the sudden awareness of the presence of another person can induce a violently startled jump the other way.
And I know what that’s like, as I’ve spent many years in that state,
so it is painful to see it in another neglected appearance
and another needlessly nervous wreck of a person who is
wishing to just go home or one day somehow escape this place
where her body has ended up by way of a misdirected fate.
But today she took my co-worker and I by surprise when, after being shown a book with a cover featuring a picture of Jesus playing golf, she smiled widely and lively, and she replied,
“That’s ridiculous! Everyone knows Jesus only played tennis!!”
It was just a small joke, but it was like seeing a rainbow in the refracted light on a dark sky
It gave me hope that, despite being meant for a time perhaps one hundred years ago, in this day where she was nonetheless sent, she may someday come home.
She looks kinda cute even when she is mad
yet, so composed when things turn out bad.
How she smiles even in deep, sweet slumber
that I love watching whenever I am with her.
Kids get sick, turns me into a nervous wreck,
she just smiles “Relax, hon, get some sleep”
and while I’m snoring totally lost to the world,
she lovingly nurses them with a heart of gold.
Next morning she whispers “How’s my man?”
what have I done to deserve such a woman!
I smile thinking her children really total five
the oldest of whom is fast approaching 55.
When I erupt like a volcano she allows me
then soothes it with “Are you okay, honey?”
“Now let's talk about this like sane people”
leaving me chastened, a choleric old fool.
I often wonder how she lasted long years
living with my juvenile, explosive temper.
I just count every blessing, this nut case
married to a lady I fondly call Funny Face.
I think back now to the man I was,
Before I met my friend,
How different I was,
Altogether an average Joe.
I now sit here a nervous wreck,
Dishevelled and unshaven,
Virtually a recluse,
Keeping interaction to a minimum.
I wonder what he did to me,
How he took my mind,
Took my world,
And left me with these horrors.
We briefly met one wild autumn evening,
He never shook my hand,
But uttered those words,
“Allow me to share with you a different view of the world.”
Devastated By The Stimulation Of Love
Which Multiplied Feelings In My Brain
And I Was So Convinced
That You Felt The Same
My Heart Would Beat An Instrumental
And Your Voice Would Acapella
I Thought The Symphony Of That Sound
Would Surely Last Forever
And Then The Music Stopped
And You Were Nowhere Near
Through The Silence
I Heard The Sound Effects Of My Tears
"Drip"...It’s Over
"Drip"...It’s Over
I Can’t Believe
It’s Over
So I Drive Up Memory Lane
To See Those Sunny Days Once More
But The Showers Of Sadness
Rain And They Pour
My Vision Becomes Blurry
And I Spin Out Of Control
Just As I Start To Remember
Reality Crashes Me Off The Road
Now I’m A Nervous Wreck
A Lonely Soul In The Wind
My Heart Hitch’hikes Up Memory Lane
Until We Meet Again
I’m Hurt…..
Every morning, I steal longing glances at the most spellbinding creature I have ever cast my two eyes upon,
Her skin is pale and lifeless, wearing a peculiar looking amulet draped across her neck,
I cannot help myself to stare, as she engulfs her lunch meat in only a few vicious bites like some sort of evil spawn,
Whenever I cross her path, I feel like a deer in headlights; turning into a nervous wreck.
Her alluring features of dark hazel eyes and fire truck red lips call to me from across the office,
At the call of my name, I scamper towards my desire like a cowardly pup,
My heart begins to pound out of my chest, her pointed ears perk up and I remain cautious,
With music to my ears she exclaims, “You are my date to the Halloween office party tonight,’ I just thought I would give you the heads-up.”
With long black finger nails, she carves her address into the palm of my hand,
I glance down at the blood oozing out of my fresh wounds and she playfully smirks,
With a sloppy lick from her magnificent tongue the wound seals and I am ready to give her a wedding band,
The fiery hot blood I feel thrashing around in my veins every time I touch her, feels like exploding fireworks.
That night, I arrive at the address that may potentially scar my soft tender flesh,
Before I can knock, a clawed hand grips me tight lugging me into the front hall,
I am immediately blindfolded and I hear her deep growl, “My dear, I just need a moment to refresh.”
The room is cool and damp, I scurry to remove the blindfold to become aware of my surroundings above all.
Unfortunately to my defeat, I hear the jingle and sharp pull back of chains restraining me to the stone wall,
The warm breath and droplets of fallen drool on the back of my neck make me shriek,
Not a soul can hear the disgraceful, desperate cries and pleas I begin to call,
Now I know why people say to never date your monster of a co-worker, as she kisses my cheek.
I flail and bash my arms and legs trying to desperately swing and knock her off her feet,
I feel her filthy nails ripping into my chest,
In a soft growl she mentions something about my blood being sweet,
With a deafening howl the horrid situation puts my body to rest.
September 25, 2018
Scary or Spooky poem Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Tania Kitchin
6th Place