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Living In Doubt

If home is where the heart is
then I'm never home
If seeing is believing
then I've yet to be shown

I know not where I am going
not knowing where I've been
Dark, lonely and empty
are the places
that I've seen

I've lost myself
along the way
Some how, somewhere
I've gone astray

A gentle voice
keeps calling me
I know that voice
Is my lost spirituality

Like a lonely child
It cries
Please come back to me

A heart is torn
between believing and doubt
should I just be blind
Should I live without

One day soon
I'll find my way home
But for now I'm on my own

Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Last few words: 
Just something that has been tweaking my brain
Editing stage: 

Comments

Many thanks I really appreciate the guidance as you know my feelings on the subject

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

not on spirituality but on the physical realities around me. Thank you for this great piece, I enjoyed it, best wishes.

tr

A rekindled faith - Dancing in the Light

thanks so much for the visit. I always enjoy when a new person reads my work
Chrys

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

A sweet piece of writing there.
Just one small thing could you clarify the first two lines the rest seem to fit fine..
(If home is where the heart is
then I'll never home) should it be I'm instead of I'll????
You both have a glorious Year live within the thoughts of each other, Yours as always Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

Hi good to hear from you. Yes I believe I'm would be more appropriate. I will correct that
is that what you needed an explanation on?
Chrys

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

I think this helps the flow, and i hope i'm not over stepping the mark. As i believe this is a very deep thinking poem. Regards Roscoe...

If home is where the heart is,
then i'm never home.
If seeing is believing
then i've yet to be shown.

I know not where i'm going,
not knowing where i've been.
Dark, lonely and empty,
are the paces i've seen.

I've lost myself,
along the way.
Some how somewhere,
i've gone astray.

A soft gentle voice
keeps calling to me.
And i know that voice,
as my lost sprituality.

Like a lonely child,
it's crying,
Please return to me.

My heart is torn,
with belief and doubt.
should i just be blind,
could i live without.

One day maybe soon,
i'll find my way home.
But for now at least,
I, am on my own.

Roscoe Llane,

Religion will rip your faith off, and return
for the mask of disbelief that's left.

Yes I do like your changes thank you
Chrys

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

but you fix it, so I've little to say. Normally I would rag about the meter, but you said it was "a something that was tweaking your brain." Thence, the stream of consciousness format is appropriate. Not my favorite kind of poetry, but I liked it none the less.
wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

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The NeoPoet Mentor Program
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No slamming allowed LOL How are you. Meter yes I am awaiting Jess's workshop on that.
I don't aim for anyone's favorite just write what I feel
thanks very much for stopping in
Chrys

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

I'll start with the technical:

not knowing where I've bee(n)

I really could relate to these lines:

I've lost myself
along the way
Some how, somewhere
I've gone astray

Good finish:

One day soon
I'll find my way home
But for now I'm on my own

shows hope and faith in yourself.

Love, Cat

*
When someone reads your work
And responds, please be courteous
And reply in kind, thanks.

whoops guess I lost my "n" somewhere

I took a bit of flack on the meter. Fact is when writing freestyle you need not use meter nor punctuation as long as you use line breaks
I get a bit weary sometimes saying this over and over to ppl that are not sure of fresstyle rules.

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

You've received better help than I could give so I'll just comment on content. Which is most enjoyable....the seeking or the finding of self?..............stan

Thank you

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

but I disagree with you Chrys. I not only think meter is important in free verse, I think it is paramount. Perhaps more important to F.V. than in more traditionally structured poems. If the poet cannot goad the reader into reading the work how the poet intends it to be read, then the poet has problems. This doesn't mean I think a free verse piece requires a uniform meter throughout, but it must be considered and considered seriously.
Respectfully, a stick in mud traditionalist

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

Sample Free Verse Worksheet
Reading Comprehension Worksheets
Return to Poetry Theme Unit

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Free Verse
By Brenda B. Covert
1 Many people consider free verse to be a modern form of poetry. The truth is that it has been around for several centuries; only in the 20th century did it become one of the most popular forms of poetry. Its popularity stems from the belief that free verse is poetry without rules; after all, it doesn't rhyme, and it doesn't have a meter. However, what separates poetry from prose is the arrangement of carefully chosen words into verses.

2 There's more to free verse than a sudden thought recorded on paper. It's not that no rules apply to free verse; rather, the poet makes up the rules for each poem! Free verse done well will have rhythm, though it may not have a regular beat. A variety of poetic devices may be woven throughout the piece. There may be patterns of sound and repetition. Free verse can be compared to a song that doesn't rhyme. There is still a lyric quality to it.

3 It may be more difficult to write free verse than any other form, simply because the poet has more decisions to make. With a haiku, you know the exact measurement of the poem; your task is easily defined. You need only follow the rules of the pattern. With free verse, there is no pattern until the poet creates one!

4 Without set rules, you are free to decide where to break your poem into stanzas. You may arrange your poem in stanzas of two or more lines. You may break at each new thought, much like paragraphs. You may break stanzas in mid-sentence to draw attention to a specific word or phrase. Like American poet Walt Whitman, you might break stanzas at the point where one would take a breath, were he or she reading aloud. It's up to you.

5 As we try our hand at writing free verse, we will begin by writing our thoughts all together, without stanzas. Then we can go back and edit the words, removing unnecessary ones or choosing more powerful synonyms, and working to cut and shape the poem. We'll know we are through when we're satisfied with the message and the shape of our poem.

6 First, let's analyze this short free verse poem.

I Dream'd in a Dream
by Walt Whitman

I DREAM'D in a dream I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the
whole of the rest of the earth,
I dream'd that was the new city of Friends,
Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love, it led
the rest,
It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city,
And in all their looks and words.

7 Walt Whitman is gone; he cannot tell us what this poem means. That is something we can only guess. So here's a thought to ponder–is this poem about a real city, or is it about friendship? How would you interpret this poem?

8 Did you notice any rhyme, rhythm, consonance, assonance, alliteration, imagery, or other poetical devices? Are you getting comfortable with the idea of writing your own free verse? Before we start, let's look at two more poems written in the free verse style. The first one is a simple poem of 21 words written by American poet Carl Sandburg. It gives the reader a different mental image of fog.

Fog
by Carl Sandburg

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

9 Notice that the first stanza has only two lines, while the second stanza has four. Also, the author used imagery in describing fog as a cat. Imagery is another poetical device with which you might wish to experiment. This is a very short poem, to state the obvious. If writing poetry leaves you feeling awkward, remind yourself that it need not be long, labored, or detailed.

Paragraphs 10 to 19:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable

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Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

I have found when a person say not to me"whatever" they are saying BUT it usually means their mind is not open to anything except what they know or don't know

However I am not going to split hairs over this

you feel what you feel and that is strictly your opinion I can respect that
and I have my opinion so please let me have that opinion and not try to change my education

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment

I was simply disagreeing and have never had a desire to change your perspective. Paragraph three above seems to agree with what I said. That there are no rules UNTIL THE POET MAKES THEM.
I could never tell a poet how poetry should be written without being fatally disingenuous.
It is NEVER my intention to be rude in any way. It simply isn't my style and if I stepped over the line you have my sincere apology.
wesley

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

TRUCE

Chrys
Let your mercy spill on all these burning hearts in hell(Leonard Cohen)

author comment
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