Best Poems Written by John Groenewald

Below are the all-time best John Groenewald poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

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Details | John Groenewald Poem

Failure

Failure I see 
Failure I have felt 
The failure I have come to know 
Failure has become safer 
Then any home 

The past 
The present 
All have seen the 
Same old 

Why is the cry so load 
Why does it sting in pain 
Why does feel so safe 
In home of so much hate

The Voices say 

You never belonged 
Never had the right to stay so long 
You will always be alone 
Unwanted by those you call home 

Sitting here outside in the cold 
A stump the only comfort from 
The freezing dew resting on 
The frozen sharp grass 

Failure to what’s right in front of me 
Failure to recognize it not me I want to be 
Failure to see that each day is the same 
A source of entertainment for them 
In the only way that brings them joy
Torture and pain

Another night of stench resting on my nose 
Another night a meal for the the starving bedbugs. 
Another night of dread awaits 
Another night wondering if I would wake or worse what if I wake 

The voices say load and clear 

You never belonged 
Never had the right to stay so long 
You will always be alone 
Unwanted by those you call home 

Life is done 
With nothing ever done right 
Only luck to survive 
It’s  plight 

Walking alone 
Has Made me see 
What the world around me 
Has to offer me
As I walk around 
All it has for me 
I see it’s cold
And without a soul 

It’s cost and toll
With failure 
As it’s final 
Reward.

Copyright © John Groenewald | Year Posted 2026


Details | John Groenewald Poem

Feeling cold

Feeling cold, 
Cold inside,
Like a winters wind,
Blowing ice. 
Longing for warmth
Desperate for hope 
Needing Christ
These wounds are 
Deep

…This heart…
incomplete 

A Winters chill,
in the dead of summer 
Walking a path 
Lonely as it may be 
Needing Christ 
Dim as it may be

From a distance 

Like the sun rises 
In the morning 
Melts all that is frozen 
Brings forth the lost and broken 
So too
My soul yearns
for Thee
Lord where art thou

Staring into the 
Void at home
Lost to the day’s
Resting in all of the 
Emptiness 
that resides
Within thy self

Felling cold 
Cold inside
Pushed aside 
Hope fade
So do thee

From a distance 

Like the sun rises 
In the morning 
Melts all that is frozen 
Brings forth the lost and broken 
So too
My soul yearns
for Thee
Lord there art thou

Standing at the door 
Looking inside the room
Your home feels warm
Comfort seem to fill 
The aching hearts
Still staring through the window 
With Discomfort on full display 

But if they ask
My heart unsure
Hesitation will arise from the storm
Inside
Pulling me aside 
The only hope
About to pass me by 
…Time to step aside…

A Tainted spirit 
With Uncertainty
No choice but to walk away
All The voices cries from within
Hold on
Turn and see

Is it true 
Lord,
Lord, 
Have thy come
Is this warmth real 
Or undone 
Hope fades 
Within me 
Walk down this path 
So familiar to me
Only….

To turn and ask
Lord why have thy…
come for me?

Copyright © John Groenewald | Year Posted 2026

Details | John Groenewald Poem

Rest easily


Verse 1
My time passes by as the seconds
tick away 
I page through the book of life 
Pages of happiness 
Pages of bitterness 
Pages all through my life 
 
Chorus 1

Hold me close 
Hold me tight 
Hold me through the lonely night 
Give me peace 
Give me harmony 
Allow me to rest easily 
 
Verse 2

The story of my life can be seen through the book 
Hundreds of pages to be read 
Stories of achievements 
Stories of failures 
Stories gained through my life 
 
Chorus2

You’ve held me close 
You’ve held me tight 
You’ve held me through the lonely night
You gave me peace
You gave me harmony 
You allowed me to rest easily 

Verse 3
 
We all got to die its just a matter of time 
How we will go no one knows 
So be proud of what you’ve done in life 
Be proud of who you are 
Who you are 

 Chorus 3

Hold me close 
You’ve held me closer 
Held tightly through my loneliest night
Giver of peace 
Bringer of harmony 
Now please allow me to rest easily 
 
Chorus

Hold me close 
Hold me tight 
Hold me through the lonely night 
Give me peace 
Give me harmony 
Allow me to rest 
To rest easily 

Copyright © John Groenewald | Year Posted 2026

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