Comment from winnona

Exceptional

A beautiful, well-written poem. Your words combine easily flowing together and forming the message of the poem to the reader. Your use of background color and well-chosen artwork completed the piece. the layout and formatting of artwork and words was perfectly done.

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

Comment from robyn corum

Excellent

Dean,

This one was a puzzler for me. I thought I understood that this was about a person escaping from reality in his own way - who (based on the following) chose NOT to feel:

"No... I will not. I must not dream, love...live, or feel Anything."

But, then, in the last stanza, he talks about finding a place where...
"But, at least here, I feel something..."

So that puzzles me. Can you help-??

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Sure.
For some, "nothing" is a "thing", hence the word "thing" after "no". No-thing.
So, to feel "nothing" is to at least feel something.
Surely you've heard that before?
As for your initial reaction, yes, that's exactly what I meant.
Thanks, "R".
~Dean

reply by robyn corum on 27-Nov-2016

Ahhhh....Thanks!

reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

My pleasure.
Thank you too. :)

Comment from JTStone

Excellent

It was an excellent effort to describe fear and loneliness, Dean.
It was neither inspirational or depressing to me, more of a, 'life is bearable as stagnation' realization, because it's dependable.
Jimmy

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Thanks for reading, Jimmy.
Enjoy the upcoming week.
~Dean

Comment from Douglas Paul

Excellent

This is a deeply disturbing poem, my friend. You capture the feeling of being locked in a state of desperation and depression quite well. Very hard to break out of that, it does become home

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Thanks for reading, Douglas.
Enjoy the upcoming week.
See you later in class...
~Dean

Comment from BeasPeas

Excellent

Hi Dean. I think you have tapped into the common denominator we all share. Each of us has his/her own personal abyss. If/when I dwell upon that aspect that is mine, I'm a basket case, one of which is my love for animals and their suffering. Writing about them helps me greatly. So we all do the best we can, compartmentalizing the horrible intensity of our own thoughts. Marilyn

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Thanks for reading, Marilyn.
Enjoy the upcoming week ahead.
~Dean

Comment from LIJ Red

Excellent

The abyss, a metaphor for depression, for soltitude, for fanstory? Kidding. Sounds like a pretty dire place. Nice music, image-loaded free verse...excellent.

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Thanks for reading, Red.
Enjoy the upcoming week.
~Dean

Comment from brenda bickers

Excellent

Hi Dean,
I was once hurt very deeply, and unconsciously decided to pack up all my feelings and thoughts for fear of being hurt again. It was a lonely place to be, and in the end affected my health. It took me thirty years to learn to crawl out of that abyss.
I remember the words from the Simon and Garfunkle song, 'I Am a Rock' that at the time I could relate to. Your poem took me back there for a moment. So heartfelt and sad
Well done.
Brenda:))x

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

How I feel from one day to the next, I never know, Brenda.
I suffer from manic depression. Medication helps take the edge off of the anger, angst, and sadness I sometimes feel so I can crawl out of bed every day at least.
But writing about how I'm feeling helps most of all.
Thanks for reading.
Have a wonderful week ahead.
~Dean

Comment from Writer51

Excellent

Very dark, but very emotional. I can feel that abyss when I read this. And the whales in the background and the video adds a chill to the words. It's a very well written poem.

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Thank you, Writer51.
I appreciate your comments.
~Dean

Comment from Rasmine

Exceptional

Okay, I have tears in my eyes. I love the music, it adds ambiance. You are a romantic horror writer. Probably like Stephen King--that man can write anything too, but best known for horror. I always thought maybe you were Dean Koontz :P Well, take care, my friend.

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

Hahaha...I wish I were Dean Koontz at times, Rasmine, or at least had a bank account similar to his.
It's no secret that Mr. King is my favorite author. Not only that, but he's a very genuine, very down-to-earth guy when you speak with him. He's one of those people who seems to have known you their entire life, when in reality, he doesn't know you at all. Not really. He simply knows people. I feel that's a necessity for a good writer.
You just gotta know people.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and your stellar rating as well.
Take care, Ras. Have a wonderful week.

reply by Rasmine on 28-Nov-2016

You met him?

reply by the author on 28-Nov-2016

Not in person, Rasmine. But he's hit me up before via text on my Facebook author's page. He calls me "boy-oh", lol.

reply by Rasmine on 28-Nov-2016

LOL!!! Boy-oh :D

reply by the author on 28-Nov-2016

Hahaha, I know, right?

Comment from nancy_e_davis

Excellent

Yes,Dean. Love hurts in the end, Why put yourself through that? Great poem and presentation.
It is much easier to just exist, which is what I am doing and have been for a couple of years. Thank God for my children, They are the light of my life. xx Nancy

 Comment Written 27-Nov-2016

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reply by the author on 27-Nov-2016

The classic poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, must have been high on laudanum, an opiate which contains almost all of the opium alkaloids which makes it such a potent narcotic, when he wrote the following:

"I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most;
''Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all."...Higher than a kite he was, I'd imagine.
Thanks very much for reading, Nancy.
Have a wonderful week.
~Dean

reply by nancy_e_davis on 27-Nov-2016

I love that quote. I was lucky enough to have it all. It's worth it.