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Best Poems Written by Tom Fleece

Below are the all-time best Tom Fleece poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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1862

1862

TWAS IN THE SUMMER OF '62
WHEN MEN WORE GRAY
AND OTHERS BLUE
WHEN SOUNDS OF MIGHTY BATTLES RAGED
AS WAR BETWEEN THE STATES WAS WAGED

OH WHAT YOUNG MEN WERE WE
FULL OF LIFE AND FANCY FREE
BOASTING HOW WE’D WIN THE WAR
A DAY OR TWO, NOT ANY MORE
AND ON THIS DAY WE START OUR VENTURE
MARCHING TOWARD OUR GREAT ADVENTURE

ALL DAY WE WALKED ON DUSTY ROADS,
THE SWEAT ON BROW FROM HEAVY LOADS
THEN DAYS END ON THE RIVER BANKS
WE FINALLY CAMPED AND GAVE OUR THANKS
 STORIES WERE TOLD AS THE PICKETS PATROLLED

THE SARGENT WAS THERE
SOME GRAY IN HIS HAIR
THE SCARS ON HIS FACE
SO EASY TO TRACE
 
AND SO WAS A BOY
JUST 15 NO MORE
HE ASKED THE SARGENT 
JUST WHY WE’RE AT WAR

THE SARGENT LOOKED UP
WITH A COLD MILKY EYE
AND SAID SON I’LL TELL YOU
AND IT WON’T BE A LIE

THE STARE SO INTENSE
THAT CAME FROM HIS EYES
HIS VOICE STAYING SOFT
HIS WORDS WERE SO WISE

WHEN SOULS OF ALIKE
ARE NO LONGER TOGETHER
WHEN ALL TALKING STOPS
LIKE YESTERDAY’S WEATHER
WHAT ONCE WAS FORBEARANCE
THAT THEN TURNS TO HATE
WILL TAKE A GREAT MANY
TO THE DEVILS OWN GATE

WAR IS A THING SON
IN WHICH WE ALL SIN
WAR IS A THING 
NOT TO BE IN
WAR IS A WORD 
THERE IS NO DELIGHT
TONIGHT WE’LL HAVE PEACE
AND TOMORROW WE’LL FIGHT

TOMORROWS THE DAY 
HE SAID WITH THAT STARE
WHEN BOYS BECOME MEN
 AS SOULS BECOME BARE

YOU’LL KNOW WHO YOU ARE
IF YOU LIVE THROUGH THE DAY
YOU’LL KNOW WHAT YOU ARE
BY THE MEN THAT YOU SLAY

WHO AM I THOUGHT I
ON THAT WARM SUMMER NIGHT
MY SENSE OF IMMORTAL
HAD NOW TURNED TO FRIGHT
 
AND AS IT TURNED OUT
I WAS NOT SO ALONE
A CHILL RAN THROUGH ALL	
RIGHT DOWN TO THE BONE

AND SO THE DAY ENDED
NOT AS IT BEGAN
OUR THOUGHTS NOW SUSPENDED
OUR WILL NOT SO GRAND
NOT ONCE COULD I SLEEP
NOT EVEN A YAWN
IN FEAR DID TIME CREEP
THE MINUTES TO DAWN

Details | Tom Fleece Poem

A Drug Addicts Lament

A DRUG ADDICT'S LAMENT

KENSINGTON AVE IS WHERE I FIX
A PLACE WHERE LADIES PLY THEIR TRICKS
BUT UNDERSTAND THERE IS A FEE
KENSINGTON AVE IS NEVER FREE

WALKING NOW I’VE GOT THE SHAKES
GET THERE SOON IS ALL IT TAKES
THE CITY HAS ME IN A RUT
EMPTINESS ROLLS AROUND MY GUT

JUDY’S THERE SHE DOESN’T CARE
FAST EDDIE HAS HIS DISTANT STARE
AND THEN THERE’S ME NOT MUCH TO SEE
I WALK WITH LONG LOST DIGNITY

THREE TIMES I QUIT BUT DIDN’T FIT
WITH PEOPLE WHO SURROUNDED ME
BUT WHEN I GOT THAT SPECIAL DRUG,
LIFE TO ME WAS JUST A SHRUG

I’M SWEATING NOW BUT STILL FEEL COLD
A PART OF COMING DOWN I’M TOLD
I’M SLOWING NOW AND FEELING PAIN
BUT SOON I’LL BE ON HAPPY LANE

KENSINGTON CALLS OUT TO ME
JUST LIKE LADY LIBERTY
GETTING RIGHT IS JUST THE KEY
TO LET MY TORTURED MIND BE FREE

AND AS I THIRST TO LIFT THE CURSE
THAT’S ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF ME
RETURN I MUST BECAUSE I LUST
TO PUT THAT DRUG INSIDE OF ME

AND AS IT ENTERS THROUGH THE SKIN
IT BECOMES MY SPECIAL FRIEND
BUT NOW I KNOW IT WON’T BE LONG
BEFORE MY SPECIAL FRIEND IS GONE

KENSINGTON CALLS OUT TO ME
IT DRAWS ME LIKE A FLAME
IT SINGS ITS SWEET SONG OUT TO ME
BUT ALWAYS ENDS THE SAME