Category: poems

Shadows In The Dark

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, PoetryLeave a comment

Image result for shadows in the dark

I have a story to tell you

It is hard to believe, but I swear it’s true

I hardly believe it myself

But it is a story I must tell

You see just last night I saw shadows in the dark

I swear it’s true, cross my heart

I know you are thinking, “How can there be shadows with no light?”

I say you are correct, but this world isn’t always black and white

So sit down and listen, let me tell you my story

It won’t take long, in case you are in a hurry

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You see I was walking home, it was the darkest of nights

No where could be found a single light

(Except of course from the windows of a few brave souls up that late)

But their light didn’t cast a shadow for this was my fate

The wind ripped through the trees

I was scared, (but keep that between you and me)

I knew deep down in my bones

I just knew I wasn’t alone

I could feel the enemy all around

They made such a terrible sound

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The gnashing and gnawing gave me a fright

I could hear them, but they were out of sight

I had chills up and down my spine

I felt as if I was running out of time

It was right then and there I said a little prayer

God, if you have just a little time to spare 

Even though a lot of bad I have done

Do you think you could help me out some?

It was then I saw the first shadow

He took the lead so I decided to follow

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Soon I saw ten or fifteen more

I felt a peace that wasn’t there before

They told me their names

No two were the same

There was Integrity,  Honesty, Compassion and Loyalty

There was Kindness, Forgiveness, Responsibility and Humility

There was Hope, Love, Faith, Joy,  Courage and Trust

They told me each one of them also lives in us

They told me we are so distracted by the darkness of this place

That we often do not see them, even when we are face to face

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They walked me to where I needed to go

They left before I could thank them though

I am thanking them now by writing this to you

My friend when you are lost and don’t know what to do

When you are in despair

And think there’s no one who cares

Think of something good, something you can not see

No matter the darkness, there is a light in you and me

There is a light that can penetrate the darkest of dark

You just have to believe with all your heart

That in  your darkest of  darkest nights

There are shadows that can only be caused by the light

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Save My Life by Sidewalk Prophets –  

I Wanna Go Back by David Dunn – 

No One Can Steal Our Joy by Tenth Avenue North – 

Rise by Danny Gokey – 

The Cure by Unspoken  – 

The Darkest Things

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, music, poems, Poetry2 Comments

Image result for when darkness comes

The darkest things are the hungriest things

They eat and eat but never get their fill

The darkest things seek and seek

Searching but they never find their thrill

The darkest things are the loneliest of the lonely

Searching for their prey until they find

Then the darkest of things start to search again

Leaving all their wreckage behind

The darkest of things, they thirst and thirst

The darkest of things sleep with throats parched

The darkest things do not love, they put hate first

For the darkest things, they have no heart

The darkest things some say don’t exist

The darkest things don’t need to eat

But trust me when I tell you, I must insist

They do exist and have the sharpest of teeth

The darkest things look everywhere

The darkest things search near and far

The darkest things will never stop

Until the darkest things darken the brightest star

The darkest things come and go

The darkest things let you feed on the past

The darkest things aren’t finished

Until the darkest things watch you take your last

The darkest things try to make life so grim

The darkest things can make the strong weak

The darkest things want you to feel alone

The darkest things aren’t the only who seek

The darkest things don’t even like the stars and moon

The darkest things want to stay in the darkest night

Cause the darkest things, yes, the darkest things

Even the darkest of the darkest, are afraid of the light

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Father by Jeremy Camp-

Terrify The Dark by Skillet-

Rescue by Lauren Daigle –

Enough by Koryn Hawthorne-

Enough by Social Club Misfits-

When The Darkness Came

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, hope, poems, PoetryLeave a comment

Image result for depression darkness quotes

When the darkness came, I let it come

I didn’t hide and I sure as heck didn’t run

It just kept coming and coming

I know I should have done something

I watched it as it got closer and closer

I let it engulf me, I let it take over

Each passing minute I was losing light

But I was tired, too tired to fight

Have you been there? When nothing is left

When the darkness is no longer a guest

But a full-time occupant, permanent resident

The time is coming, the end is imminent

I wish I could’ve fought, I really did

I wish I would’ve ran, would’ve hid

The darkness came for me, it was hunting

My strength was gone so I did nothing

There’s only me, only me to blame

For I let it come when the darkness came

Image result for depression darkness quotes

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

My Arms by Ledger-

Far From Home by Sam Tinnez-

Everyone Cries by Echosmith-

Stronger by Fearless Soul –

Follow You by Rasmus Hagan-

Follow Me by In Flames-

Even Here by JJ Heller-

Everybody’s Going Through Something by Chris Janson-

Everybody Cries Sometimes by Damien Dawn-

Fighting For by Lyra Blue-

Danced With Your Ghost

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, PoetryLeave a comment

I did what you wanted me to do

Threw the biggest party for you

We all told your stories until midnight

As we celebrated your life

We shared our memories and toasted with cheers

And as you wanted, there weren’t any tears

Your memory didn’t leave with the last guest

Because then it was just you and me left

I smiled and tried to stay strong

Then I put on our favorite song

And I danced with your ghost

And I knew you would’ve been the most

Proud of me as we danced away

I love you, I wanted to hear you say

And how I wished you were here with me

And then I cried myself to sleep

I Didn’t Know How To Ask For Help

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, Poetry2 Comments

You should’ve known I quit fighting

When I was no longer writing

Too wrapped up in yourself

To see I needed help

I get it, I really do

Wanting people to like you

All smiles and good times

Hard to admit you aren’t fine

But I know you are just like me

Not wanting the world to see

How much you’re hurting

How bad you are searching

Trying to find something to believe in

Wishing you had one, just one friend

That could see through all the lies

That tried to find all things you tried to hide

Believe me I can see the irony

Because that could’ve been me

But l, like you, was too wrapped up in my own screen

To look up and reach out to tell you how much you mean to me

But in the end I guess you are just a little stronger

And you’ve been able to fight a little longer

But for me, well this was my last night

The darkness claimed victory over the light

And maybe I shouldn’t have smiled through the pain

And maybe I shouldn’t have hidden these thoughts in my brain

Maybe you wouldn’t have thought I was going insane

And maybe you could’ve broke me free from these chains

But a lot of maybes I guess we’ll never know

I miss who I was not so long ago

I wish you could see these tears roll down my face

But man, there’s so many things I can’t erase

And I know sorry will never be enough

I wish, I wish I felt like I was loved

But you know, it’s not like anyone will miss me

When was the last time anyone even reached out to me?

I mean, you really had to know

I was taking blow after blow

And you had to know I got up each time a little slower

And you had to see I was holding my head a little lower

You had to see I smiled a whole lot less

I mean, I was a total freaking mess

Not even Instagram could hide my sadness

And my Tik Tok’s were borderline madness

Hey, I’ve even scheduled posts three months ahead

I might even be instafamous after I’m dead

At least for a day or two

Then it’ll again be all about you

I mean my writings went from hope and faith to despair

But not one person reached out to care

A pity party this is not

Like me, it’ll be so easily forgot

Like I said, I get it, you’ve got your own likes to get

But I hope , unlike me, you can live without regrets

You know, it wouldn’t hurt to get away from the screen

Be a good friend, a real relationship, one last piece of advice from me

And I know you are busy, got your own life to live

But man, I hope God really does forgive

Don’t get me wrong , it’s not all on you

These demons I have are a wicked crew

Maybe I should’ve told you all this before tonight

But it really wasn’t until a minute ago I gave up the fight

I always felt like I’d have more time

But sometimes you are out of rhymes

I wish I never felt the things that I have felt

But I feel like I didn’t know how to ask for help

(In case anyone thinks this is a goodbye note, it is not. I am still here but these thoughts are in my head. We all know someone who is hurting but we are afraid to reach out and dig deep and make that connection. Challenge this weekend is to put your phones down, go knock on a neighbor’s door and ask them how they are doing. Buy a pizza and sit down together and talk. Who knows, you might just save a life.)

You Will Be Found by Ben Platt –

A Place Called Earth by Jon Foreman/ Lauren Daigle –

Up There Down Here by Zach Williams –

People Need People by Michael Franti –

People Need People by Maddie & Tae –

These Are Just A Few Of The Things That Are Messed Up On My Street

On By roberthansen1317In anxiety, Christian life, Growing Up, inside my head, poems, PoetryLeave a comment

We have cats that bark and dogs that meow

We have wolves that roar and lions that howl

We have tigers that eat veggies and giraffes that eat meat

These are just a few of the things that are messed up on my street

We have newborns who talk and adults who don’t

We have things to be done but we know to be done they won’t

We have teenagers that are mature and parents that are not

We have commitments that are made and then conveniently forgot

We have neighbors that are alive and some that are dead

We have some planning a future and some with ghosts in their heads

We have turtles that are fast and rabbits that are slow

We have rivers that are dry and farm fields that won’t grow

We have hate that is rampant and we have love trying to find a way

We have marriages holding on tight and some destroyed by one choice made

We have people being shot and people being healed

We have truths being told and lies being concealed

We have some that live free and others that live in fear

We have some that have given up and some that believe hope still lives here

Then there is me who wants to be happy but is quite sad

I will share with you some of the questions I have

Can you love someone but no longer want to be with them?

Can you not go to church but still pray to God amen?

Would a chicken ever eat an egg and can a bee sting another bee?

Do these words make any sense to anyone but me?

If anything is possible doesn’t that mean anything could be impossible?

Which would also mean anything that is probable could still be improbable

If you expect the unexpected doesn’t that make the unexpected expected?

If I only talk to people via text and social media, am I really connected?

If my life is better in my dreams is it possible my life is really a dream?

Sometimes I wonder what’s the point if I am me and this is all that will ever be

Does a fish or shark or whale ever get dehydrated?

If you caused the issue then why, at me, are you so frustrated?

What’s the least important thing that’s the most important thing to you right now?

I apologize, as usual, these voices in my head have gotten sidetracked somehow

Is it committing murder if I kill these voices inside of me?

Social media shows every one is happy but I know not all is as it seems

If a toddler refuses to take a nap does that mean it’s resisting a rest?

Life, please give me some answers because I’m failing your test

How many times can a heart break before it breaks forever?

How many times can you say you won’t do the thing you did? I will never….

How many chapters of our life should I read before I close it and make my own ending?

Because, if we must honestly admit, we both know we are only pretending

God please help me, I think I’m going insane

Guess I better mow the grass before it starts to rain

Wait, I thought of something that doesn’t make sense

If I give you a penny for your thoughts then why are your thoughts worth two cents?

If, as a child, you’re told not to take candy from strangers then why is there Halloween?

If rabbits don’t lay eggs then where does the Easter Bunny get all the eggs it delivers to you and me?

I know, I know, I should really wrap this up

But can you answer this, does it exist, it being love

I know I’m unique, broken, hopeful, confused, a little crazy but is there anyone else like me?

These are just a few of the things I think about when I think about the things that are messed up on my street

Odd Man Out by Clayton Jones-

Things I Wish I Would’ve Said by Katy Nichole-

Who You Thought I Was by Brandy Clark-

Memories by Conan Gray-

Word That Don’t Exist by Citizen Soldier-

The Summer’s Still The Same

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, Poetry, remembering you, summer memoriesLeave a comment

Remember when we were young

When we had time for fun

When we could dance in the sun

Remember when we used to laugh

When we waited weeks for vacation photographs

When our fake id’s said we were twenty one and a half

Remember when we couldn’t get enough

When we had summer crushes and summer love

When a broken heart didn’t hurt so much

Remember the smile on our children’s face

When they first saw the ocean, the beach, the new place

When we felt as if our love could never be replaced

Remember when we thought things would never change

But now the seasons move fast and only time is to blame

Are we the ones that have changed because the summer’s still the same

Want That Back by Brett Eldredge –

Something In The Orange by Zach Bryan-

Just Close Enough by American Aquarium –

Won’t Know How To End This Conversation

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, PoetryLeave a comment

I won’t know how to end this conversation

If we find ourselves in an impossible situation

So I don’t think I’m going to start

Won’t write our names in a heart

Not going to walk up and shyly grin

Ask you where you’ve always been

Say by the way hello my name is

Not going to slowly lean in to kiss

“Isn’t that what love is? Being scared, then being brave, because of that one person?”

Not going to wrap my fingers in yours

Won’t wonder who I ever was before

Not going to have a hard time falling asleep

Wishing you were there beside me

Not going to wake up in the morning

With butterflies in my stomach turning

Not going to get on one knee and ask you to be my wife

Because if I did I know I’d fall apart if you left my life

Not going to ask you out on a first date

Not going to think you are great

Don’t want you to look at me, smile at me like that

Not going to buy that house with a welcome door mat

Not going to smile when I see your name on my phone

Or think I’m the luckiest guy when we bring our baby home

No, when I think about all the firsts I’m going to miss

The one that’ll be the worst is this

The day or night I smile at you and walk on by

Not saying hello because I won’t know how to say goodbye

Try Losing One by Tyler Braden –

The Way You Loved Me by Calum Scott-

Anna Begins by Counting Crows-

Rock And A Hard Place by Bailey Zimmerman –

Love Songs Ain’t For Us by Amy Shark –

Middle Of A Memory by Cole Swindell –

Growing Up (Still Have More Growing Up To Do)

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, PoetryLeave a comment

I was the shy one growing up

Always wondering why I wasn’t good enough

Didn’t feel loved by my daddy

I always felt like the black sheep

Dad would pop another beer

I’d stand in the corner in fear

He never yelled or raised a hand

But I was ignored and couldn’t understand

Why I was invisible to him

When I was growing up

I never felt a man’s love

Then I got pretty, no longer a child

Boys noticed me when I smiled

I let them do what they wanted

Childhood excuses left me haunted

I went from one bed to another

Leaving a family without a mother

Sometimes I think being noticed by a man

Is worse than being ignored , can you understand?

I wish I was invisible again

All I wanted when I was growing up

Was for a man to show me love

But I don’t think I know what love is

Because what I do is so selfish

A princess without a crown

I’ve let a good man down

And I swear I’m trying to learn

How to accept real love and give it in return

But I feel as if it’s too late

He looks at me with so much hate

And he’s the only one to show me the love

I wish I had when I was growing up

Grape Soda And Bazooka Bubble Gum

On By roberthansen1317In Christian life, poems, Poetry, simpler timesLeave a comment

Back when I was young

Not a care in the summer sun

We’d come home when it was dark

And our phones weren’t so smart

We’d have fun even if we lost

And we bowed our heads to the cross

We stood and put our hands over our hearts

When the National Anthem would start

I remember my first game with my first baseball glove

After every game I’d have a grape soda and Bazooka bubble gum

Don’t know how we survived without central ac

Or how I never broke a bone climbing the tallest tree

We never let a girl walk home alone

And there weren’t cuss words in a song

When saying I love you meant something

And it meant something when you had a wedding ring

And when you could count on your friends

And sometimes I wish I could be young again

When I didn’t have so many things to overcome

I sure miss grape soda and Bazooka bubble gum