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Danny Derden Poem
All I want in this whole world is someone to love,
Someone to hold, to cherish, to dream of.
All I need is someone to comfort me—
To stand by my side, to help set me free.
Someone to talk to, to whisper things to,
Someone, my dear… someone like you.
Someone who'll love me, and I’ll love them back,
Someone who’s faithful, not someone I lack.
Someone—oh someone—help me, I pray…
Someone who’ll love me forever and a day.
Someone, please—ask her not to leave,
For without her, my life is a sieve.
Someone, oh someone, hear my cry,
And tell the girl I love her—the one who said goodbye.
Someone, please someone, tell her I’ll wait—
Wait for her return, no matter how late.
I’ll wait here forever—I don’t care how long—
Because she’s the reason I wrote this damn song.
Yes, she’s the reason I wrote this damn song.
She’s the only reason I wrote this damn song.
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
I saw a Man today as he walked the hill
Tears and drops of blood did equal spill
From brutally torn flesh and eyes of pain
I saw a Man today my inadequate refrain
I saw a Man today unjustly convicted
His trial was short and clearly scripted
The verdict assured without any proof
I saw a Man today who spoke only truth
I saw a Man today abandoned by friends
Who claimed to be strangers by pretends
Before the cock crowed denying Him thrice
I saw a Man today and words cannot suffice
On a hill called the skull I saw a Man today
‘Father, forgive them’, is what I heard Him say
Through nails and a crown of thorns grace He sought
I saw a Man today the world’s debt He bought
For I saw a Man today more innocent than me
Take up my sentence while I just walked free
He bore the crucifixion cross in my place
I saw a Man today, I looked upon His face
I saw a Man today and He saw into my heart
And took away the darkness and gave me a new start
He broke the chains that bound tighter than the jail
I saw a Man today whose blood tore the veil
I saw a Man today and He died upon that cross
Sacrificed for me and all the world’s lost
He could have called a heavenly army
But I saw a Man today who chose to die for me
Three days past I saw that Man die upon the beam
A death that changed my path it would so seem
And now before His empty tomb an angel doth stand
Why seek you in this place of death The Living Man?
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
Nightmare Truths
She hides the truth in nightmare screams,
Refusing to voice fevered dreams,
As moon bent shadows climb the wall,
To bring more demons to her hall.
Those who know her will see no tears,
She locks them away—shows no fears,
Fights her scars in silence alone,
Growing harder her heart of stone.
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
Signed X’s and O’s
Through the tears…despite my fears,
I’ll be back home again.
Though the war rages for endless ages,
I’ll be back home again.
Though I’m far away from you,
You have no need for concerns,
For my love remains true,
And my passion still burns,
And I’ll be back home again.
Though its dark and lonely here,
Thoughts of you keep me strong.
Being kept from you is my only fear,
But I know it won’t be for long,
And I’ll be back home again.
And though the time I must be away
Drags slowly on and on,
We both know there will come a day
When from this hell I’ll be gone,
And I’ll be back home again.
And though I say, “Don’t forget to pray,”
That I’ll be back home again,
And when I’m through, you’ll know it’s true,
‘Cause I’ll be back home again.
When it’s my turn to come back home,
It’s on the first plane I’ll be,
With no more desire to roam,
And it’s your lovely face I’ll see
When again I’m back home.
I’ll do what I must,
And in God I trust,
While my service I complete,
Till I’m back home my sweet.
Signed with X’s and O’s--
That’s how the letter closed,
That the chaplain brought to her door.
A soldier back home never more…
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
The L. T. was green,
And equally mean,
Full of swagger and bluster,
And all the authority he could muster.
Bold in command,
This brash little man,
Who strode all around
Like he owned the damn ground--
Barking orders and spittle,
Never regarding how little
Regard in which he was held.
It was the midnight shift,
And L. T. in a tiff,
Cause his coffee had run out.
The L. T. with a shout,
Demanded a fresh pot be made--
No matter if the deployment was delayed.
In stepped the Sergeant broad and tall,
Striding to the Lieutenant who suddenly seemed small.
“The troops have a duty to move this line.
Your coffee can wait--this ain’t the time.
“And never raise your voice to one of mine.”
The Sergeant stared a moment then turned on a dime,
And made himself a cup of joe taking his sweet ass time
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
Visage stark and eyes of steel
He shares my thoughts and what I feel
And seems to know more than I’ve known
The face in the mirror sees through me.
He knows my faults, my secret sins
And bears no mercy without or within
Judgement swift cuts to the bone
The face in the mirror weighs me
Dreams and goals, schemes and plans
He shatters with a sneering glance
And his silence is the only tone
The face in the mirror knows me
He measures my worth with soulless stare
And soundlessly he lays me bare
Worthless his lips appear to moan
The face in the mirror shows me
He finds me lacking and less each day
Though why so harsh he will not say
Just a loathing low hushed groan
The face in the mirror wounds me
His disregard so plain and clear
He knows my pain and stokes my fear
His twisted lips set the tone
The face in the mirror grieves me
He arbitrates my very life
Slashes my soul with psychic knife
His cruelty hard as stone
The face in the mirror hates me
No escape and no reprieve
This simulacrum will never leave
His torment won’t let me alone
The face in the mirror is me
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
The sun is high in the summer sky
And no clouds to be seen
The grass is high neath the summer sky
And growing tall and green
The mower starts with growling roar
And cuts through swaths of fescue
This mowing proves a sweaty chore
And soon I beg for rescue
My lawn’s expanse appears to grow
The longer that I labor
Seems to expand as I cut each row
The mower becomes my sabre
And I a true knight dueling a foe
Who laughs at my every advance
He stands unyielding before each blow
And about the green our martial dance
With never a sign of surrender
The fight goes on between us two
Which shall prove to be the pretender
Victory comes with the aim that’s true
And at last my foe lies low
Beneath the heel of the victor
Yet even now it grows
Who shall win next Saturday?
Sadly there is no predictor
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
In the dark of night, where dreams bear bloom,
and silence reigns in my shadowed room,
my pillow waits, serene, composed,
awaiting my sleepy head to doze.
Beneath my head it yields its form,
to cradle my crown from day’s storm,
and offer a sweet night’s repose,
yet pillow’s thoughts, who really knows?
She seems so sweet, pretends to care,
yet every night disturbs my hair,
and furthermore she gets so heated,
and once again my sleep is cheated,
by the pillow sweaty and hot,
yet the other side is simply not,
cool and perfect, waiting to bless,
my fevered brow with its caress,
and lull me back to sleepful bliss,
with its satin smooth cool kiss,
again I drift to snooze and sleep,
but pillow’s warmth begins to creep,
to wake me once again at night,
such a struggle, such a fight,
to turn again to the other side,
the cool oasis tries to hide,
but the pillow I will flip and turn,
for the cool side I do so yearn,
yet it defeats my every twist,
forgotten now how cool she kissed,
our affair becomes a struggle,
no longer does she like to snuggle,
instead a smothering suffocation,
to turn and flip without cessation,
throughout the night, hours endless,
once lovers, now friendless,
oh cool side, where can you be?
I need you now, can’t you see?
Aloof, apart she still remains,
my willpower slowly drains,
till fevered dreams draw me down,
and make of me once more her clown,
fitful sleep upon her breast,
though I get but little rest,
morning creeps with amber hue,
the night forgotten, as such things do,
and come again time for slumber,
pillow knows she has my number,
and beckons me come lie with her,
promising bliss, rapture, and more,
such a tease my mistress pillow,
I bend to her will just like a willow,
and find myself in her clutches cool,
I promise her this time not to drool.
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
Oh, the joy of telemarketers,
Who call you up without a care,
With offers they believe are clever,
But really just provoke despair.
They call with grand insurance plans,
Covid kits and credit schemes,
As if I’m some prized target
For their automated dreams.
“End-of-life” expense protection —
Oh, what a cheery nightly theme!
I nod along sarcastically
Inside my caller-haunted dreams.
And then there’s Medicare, of course,
A topic I now know too well,
Yet still they bring fresh nonsense
With each new tale they sell.
They ring at noon, at dawn, at dusk,
And even in the dead of night,
It seems they’ve sworn a solemn vow
To haunt me till I lose the fight.
So here’s my ode to all of you
Who call with no remorse or thought:
If you don’t cease this madness soon,
I’ll scream until my brain is shot.
Your calls are cruel and unwanted,
And frankly, they just make me sick.
So do the world a service now —
And kindly stop being a prick.
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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Danny Derden Poem
Let’s give it one more go—
Don’t let a good thing die so fast.
Don’t let one moment bring us down;
Together, we can beat the past.
Let’s try again—maybe we’ll make it.
But if we don’t,
I promise you this:
I won’t try to fake it.
If you leave me now,
I won’t last another hour.
I can’t go on living
If your sweet love turns sour.
Together we will stand—
Apart, I will fall.
Together we can run—
Alone, I’ll only crawl.
So—
Let’s give it one more go.
Don’t let a good thing die so fast.
Don’t let one moment bring us down.
Together, we will beat the past.
Together we will stand—
Apart, I will fall.
Copyright © Danny Derden | Year Posted 2025
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