Satan pulled me down
and made me frown
with fire all around
and hissing the only sound
I called upon St. Michael… beware!
The devil has a gruesome stare
Can you help me climb the stairs
From the deep dark depths of despair
Beelzebub tightened the chains
And molten lava rained
My muscles twitched and strained
Everything hurt in pain
But then there was a glowing light
The archangel came with delight
He fought to make everything right
and day soon came from the darkest night
The lesson learned is to always with faith
For the glory of God is our destined date
There is no need to wait
For his love is all so great
My eyes are crying, a flood no one sees,
Each tear is a whisper, carried on the breeze.
They mourn for the moments that slipped through my hands,
For dreams turned to ashes, like forgotten sands.
In silence, they weep for the love that won’t bloom,
For shadows that linger in this empty room.
Each drop holds a story of anguish and loss,
Of a heart that’s been shattered, a soul that’s the cost.
They weep for the battles fought deep in the night,
For a spirit that falters, dimming the light.
In the depths of despair, they carry my screams,
For the hopes that have faded, for broken dreams.
My eyes cry for pieces of me that have died,
For the weight of this sorrow I cannot confide.
In the stillness, they bleed, a relentless decree,
A haunting reminder of the pain that is me.
"have you ever been in the depths of despair?"
her fiery hair burns bright as her question
yet I stay impassive, guard up
how could I have known what she meant?
I was but a child
now I understand
Bubbles live in sorrow,
brief lives, bursting
move, and they're gone
gone—
as if they never
existed before
Pop
Pop
Pop
We wash our sorrows,
scrub again and again, erasing
soap and sin that seeps into our skin
our touch destroying what barely was
Pop
Pop
Pop
I draw air; they vanish silently
in and out—
Pop
Pop
Pop
Sinking silhouette,
dragging deeper down into the depths of despair
nothing left to rise, nothing left to vanish
Stuck in a world where everyone is in despair, wanting someone to be there.
And yet no one seems to care,
My biggest cry for help was
“ Hey you want to go somewhere “,
And yet again nobody was there. In a world where people act carelessly, not realizing how their words make an impact on those made of glass.
Leaving a crack with every word they say,
They’re more fragile each day.
In this world we pray we can make it through the next day.
In this world we must find a way, a way to be someone without being miserable each passing day.
In the day we act as if everything were okay, hiding the pain we hold in each day, the depression, the anxiety, the stress that weighs me to the ground like a spec of dust, wondering if I’ll ever be found.
But then i remember no one ever cared.
In the depths of despair,
I keep hoping someone will be there.
I have been to the depths of despair
With physical pain
Emotional sorrow
And something more elusive
A sense of standing at the edge
With nothing behind or beyond.
I don’t assume this is anything special
In fact I assume it is a given
For all of us
Who have lived at least
To a certain age.
What I have learned
Which may be of some solace
To those in these depths now
Or there someday soon
Is that we can endure more pain
Than we ever could imagine
And that when our life ends
As it eventually does
That pain is gone
As if it never existed.
(8/23/25)
He found me broken, restless.
He found me dirty, not worthy, fading with every given day.
He found me through the dark, cold fog in depths of despair.
Ground that was once soil, now filled with mud from years of unceasing rain.
Kneeling down on one knee, He took my face in His hands and whispered, "Daughter, let me heal your wounds past, present, and future."
This time the rain wasn’t cold, wet, or unpleasant. It was warm and smelled of roses. It was a healing rain. A rain to wash away my brokenness, restlessness, dirt of my sins, unworthiness. Dark, cold fog lifted, seeing the once flooded ground now had spring flowers, smelling of sweet nectar.
That door, a portal to shadows deep,
Where secrets and darkness silently keep.
In the dead of night, it creaks and moans,
Revealing pathways to forgotten zones.
Its wood is tainted, as black as night,
Concealing horrors from the mortal sight.
A gateway to realms, where nightmares breed,
In that door's embrace, all fears take heed.
Behind it lies a labyrinth unknown,
Where twisted thoughts and demons are sown.
A corridor to the depths of despair,
A haunting place where souls lay bare.
That door, a gateway to the abyss,
Where echoes of sorrow and pain persist.
With each turn of the handle, we fear,
What darkness lurks, drawing ever near.
In the whispers of the night, it sighs,
Unveiling secrets that no one denies.
That door, a harbinger of dread,
Leads to places where the lost are led.
In shadows deep, where fate entwines,
A prisoner waits, as time unwinds.
With chains that bind and fears that loom,
He faces the dark, the specter of doom.
A voice calls from the depths of night,
“Fear not the end, for beyond lies light.”
In silence he prays, his heart beats slow,
For in this moment, the truth will show.
The gallows rise, a specter of dread,
Yet hope flickers bright, where angels tread.
With every breath, he confronts his fate,
A journey begins, though it’s never too late.
“Tell me my name,” he cries to the sky,
As the winds of life in the shadows sigh.
For in the face of death, he finds his flame,
In the depths of despair, he hallowed his name.
So let the winds carry his tale afar,
Of courage and strength, like a shining star.
For in the end, what we fear most,
Is the life we live, and the love we boast.
In the shadow of the Palisades, where fire ambers flicker and burn/
cities ignite, nevermore to excite never to return/
neighborhoods wrapped in a storm, memories won't fade/
evacuate, evacuate, fleeing through the storm of smoke/
Children with no schools to embrace, "Mommy, where will we live?"/
innocence lost, crying in the ash/
Santa Ana winds howl, destruction painted in flames, each blaze a beast, ripping apart the heart of L.A/
A symphony of sorrow, where pets wander, cats and dogs, faithful companions, lost in the chaos of an apocalyptic event/
Men and women, firefighters, first responders, heroes draped in resilience, charging into the inferno, with hearts ablaze, fighting for the fragile, for the life that flickers In the depths of despair and rage/
Charging into the flames, Brave souls weaving hope through fire and smoke/
Just as you make me proud
I want to make you proud too
But I don't know what I doubt
That keeps me shackled to the ground
And prevents me from achieving my goals
Fear of failure grips me tight
As I fight to loosen its grasp
It has over my mind and soul
Dragging me down to depths of despair
Holding me back in inertia
Denying me to see pride shine
In the eyes of the ones I love.
Author Dana Redricks
September 8, 2024
In the darkness I'm lost, in the shadows I hide, the weight of this world, a heavy burden I just want to get off this ride. Alone in this journey, with nowhere to go, lost in the chaos, filled with sorrow and woe.
Tears stain my cheeks, my heart heavy with pain, year after year, struggling in vain. The walls close in, the loneliness deep, in this endless cycle, how do I keep?
My landlord demands this place I must vacate, but where do I turn, with such cruel fate? I long for a home, a place to belong, a hand to hold, in a world that feels wrong.
The darkness whispers, a tempting lie, but deep down I know, I must try. For in the depths of despair, a flicker of light, a glimmer of hope, burning so bright.
I may feel alone, but I'm not truly so, there are hands reaching out, I just need to know. That this journey called life, is not meant to be done alone, together we'll find solace, together we'll have grown.
Suicide is not selfish, a cry in the dark,
A silent scream from a broken heart,
It's not a choice made lightly, but a burden too heavy to bear,
A final surrender to despair.
Depression's grip tightens, suffocating and cold,
Leaving the soul shattered, the spirit untold,
It's not a selfish act, but a battle lost,
A painful reminder of the human it cost.
Judgment comes from those who don't know,
The depths of despair, the inner foe,
But for those who have faced the abyss,
They know the pain, the unbearable twist.
So please do not judge, but extend a hand,
To those who are struggling to stand,
For in the darkness, your light can shine,
A beacon of hope, be a lifeline.
Suicide is not selfish, it's a plea for release,
From neverending torment, for inner peace,
Let us offer compassion, kindness, and care,
For those who are fighting a battle that's unfair.
Following the darkest, I went to light
A journey through shadows, into dawn's sight
From depths of despair, I rose above
And found solace in hope, a labor of love
Through darkness I wandered, lost and alone
Until I stumbled upon a radiant throne
Where light and love reigned, and banished my fears
And bathed my soul in warmth, through joyful tears
In the blackest night, a spark remained
A glimmer of promise, a light to sustain
Guiding me forward, through the darkest sea
To a brighter tomorrow, where I could be free
And now I walk in light, with heart full of cheer
A testament to hope, that dispels all fear
For in the darkest depths, a light will always gleam
And lead us to redemption, a radiant dream.
I needed a father,
strong and wise,
to guide me through life's highs and lows.
But in your absence I was the strong one,
I learned to fight,
learned right from wrong.
In the depths of despair,
I found my way and found the strength to fight each day.
Through the pleads with God to bring you back,
silence is what I received.
In the silence I found grace,
And to learnt to stand up for myself.
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.