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Best Poems Written by Thomas James

Below are the all-time best Thomas James poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Thomas James Poem

I Cannot Scream

I need to scream. In rage, frustration and hatred.
In grief, despair and blackness.
There is no hope and little good in me. 
My soul nothing but a dissappointment.
I feel no hope, no future, no no path forward that 
does not end a full stop. No ellipsis here.
I need to let it out. All of the negative. All of the bad
before it can poison the little good left.
I need to scream. But someone will hear.
A scream to throw back the darkness
A scream to let in a little light.
But someone will hear and seek to know why.
And that will invite the darkness back in like 
a lost friend.
I need to scream.

Details | Thomas James Poem

The Hanging Tree

Come, my love and meet me
Come, my love and meet me
Along the fields by The Hanging Tree
Come, my love and watch the navvies building the canal there,
Near The Hanging Tree
Come, my love and rest here
On the blackened roots of The Hanging Tree
Come, my love, sing with the ghosts by The Hanging Tree
Dirges for thieves, murderers and rogues
Killed on The Hanging Tree
Oh, come, my love and sleep beneath The Hanging Tree
Sleep with the other sweet boys I loved like thee.
Sleep, my love, beneath The Hanging Tree

Details | Thomas James Poem

A Day

Wake up, time unknown. Let dogs out to their toilet.

My toilet. Light, so morning. Possibly.

Check time. Unpleasantly late, but earlier than yesterday. 

No energy. Wouldn't think that slept so long. But it was trapped in a seemingly eternal nightmare. Damn the scars my Father left on my mind.

Check the checklist. Start the day proper.

Take the time, feed dogs, fill water for dogs. Do some of days tasks.

Damn I just want to lie down and die.

Keep going, use music. Play strong, loud music. Keep going. 

Always keep going. Living is hard, dying is easy. A beautiful siren song calling all the time. 

Make dinner. Wash up. Try to keep mind from descending in on itself. Whatever it takes.

Take pill. So small. One of the crutches keeping me from falling into the Abyss. So small. But mind is even more Hell without it.

Time. Time passes again. Such a wonderful thing, time. Even in dreams and nightmares, time and clocks are beautiful.

More music. Bed.

Hope it's Oblivion or a dream. Hope my Father keeps away for tonight, in his dark Pit at the back of my mind...

Wake up. Time unknown...

Details | Thomas James Poem

Branded

You came into the shop I was waiting in. 
You told me, the threat if I said ‘No’ implicit,
For only I to see
A supposed gift, explicit
For all to see
“I got a tattoo at 18. I have booked you to have one as well now.
Your first tattoo, from me to you.”
I didn’t want one, not then. 
But I had to choose. I couldn’t say ‘No’.
Luckily I had a book, with an image. 
You didn’t want me to choose that.
But to put up too much resistance would expose the lie.
This wasn’t a gift. It was defiling me with your mark.
Taking my ability to say ‘No’. I was having this mark.
Yours. Branding me as yours. The form didn’t matter in the end.
The look in your eyes when it was done said it all.
I was now yours. Stained on my arm with your brand.
Just because I chose the form, didn’t change the brand.
A branded mark saying ‘This Boy Is Mine. My Son. My Property’.
So often I want to tear at it, to cut and gouge, to burn and rip.
Until your brand is gone. 
But that will leave a scar as good as any brand you made me have. 
So one day, whether it is tomorrow, or the day I die,
I will turn it into art. Something I really want on my arm.
Something that says ‘”I am me. I am mine, not yours.
This is not your brand any more”.
I will take ownership of my own skin and flesh and soul again.
And your brand will be gone. 
A phoenix rising and burning your mark away.
Goodbye, Father.

Details | Thomas James Poem

Darkness

Darkness surrounds me.
If I go into it, I will never return.
But inside there is a fire of rage and destruction that will consume me if I stay.
I feel trapped.
With no way out alive.
But I must try each day.
And try
And try
And...