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Tuesday 14 September 2010

A Stranger Within: A Poem By Pete Marshall


A Stranger Within
by Pete Marshall

What lies within a secret mind
That bars itself from all who know
Its shuttered depths and hidden doors
And keys that only one can stow?

When left to think what does he know
When doors are locked and left alone
And pleasures felt from tip to toe
And hope that comes with dreams that go?

What lies within his deepest thoughts
That keep themselves so far away
Is he the man you know and love
Or is there more he wants to say?

What yearns inside a twisted mind
That aches for times when fun was quick
That hides himself as walls collapse
And plays his hand at dirty tricks?

What lies within a blackened heart
That wants you dead but loves you so
That licks the lips of gluttony
And wants for kicks you’ll never know?

So do you know the one you love
That sits beside and holds you tight
That gives you hugs and shows you love
Then walks the streets alone at night?

*************



This is my poem for One Shot Wednesday, run by One Stop Poetry, a fast growing site dedicated to poets & writers of all genres.

image courtesy creative commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/chemaminguez/



86 comments:

anthonynorth said...

This is so deep and questioning. Do we really ever know?

Stryka66 said...

Great work, Pete - thoroughly enjoyed reading this one

dustus said...

What lies! You've been in top form, Pete. Who really ever knows? Deep lyrics and smooth flow.

Glynn said...

The stranger within coexists with the one we know. Or the one we think we know. Good poem, Pete, as usual.

signed...bkm said...

this is kind of creepy...only because there are those - definately have two opposite sides that can go either way....will have to ask my husband...if he is one....bkm

Just Me said...

Deep and dark and I absolutely freaking love it!! This is my kind of poetry!!

Desert Rose said...

I enjoy your poems Pete, so much! your topics are impressively touching..yeah, do we really ever know??
BRILLIANT!
Interesting one shot..:))

Patty Sherry said...

I like the dark and questioning poems, as usual your words move me. Do we ever really know or choose to know the polarities of the ones we love or for that matter the polarities within ourselves?

Timoteo said...

Compelling poem. Truth be known, this is probably the majority of relationships in existence!

Unknown said...

This made my hair stand on end. So many times I have wondered these things myself. Incredible!

Brian Miller said...

excellent pete...love how you take us there and cause us to bring to question that which we think we know. nice one shot!

George Pappas said...

Hi Pete,
another great, powerful poem. Strong imagery, great wordplay. Love it.
The whole idea of being strangers to ourselves let alone to others really appeals to me. Great theme to explore in his modern age.
Thanks again,
George Pappas

Caty said...

how can we ever really be certain of what we "know" ? Great one shot!

G-Man said...

We all have our skeletons....

Fantastic Pete!

RiikaInfinityy said...

Questions and darkness flowed within this poem, hoping to find out the true answer, do we really ever know what is actually going on in life? It been a great read:D

SuziCate said...

What I always love about your poetry is the flow. You always write intersting and unique poetry that makes me think. As always, excellent.

the wid0w said...

deep, disturbing, the kinda poem that whispers new hidden horror into your consciousness from the shadows,.... definitely my kinda poem ;-)
thank you for posting this

Kathleen Overby said...

Gordon McDonald wrote "When Men Think Private Thoughts" A good pairing-Anything like this poem of yours that facilitates honest dialogue, is important work. If we only knew not to be afraid of our dark parts. :)

TALON said...

The last stanza gave me chills. It makes you really stop and consider how much we truly know anyone we love. Beautiful flow, as always, Pete. You're a master at it!

Anonymous said...

So like an iceberg, the vast proportion of which we don't see... below the surface.

Anonymous said...

Very very well done, seemed so dark yet at the same token inviting, and made me also think of Leslie's chameleon, how people can change...incredible writing, Pete.

Emmanuel Ibok said...

Your writings are always deep, Pete...leaves me wondering where your muse wonders to each time you pick up the pen to pour what it has to say...Nice one!

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Thoughtful, and so well written, My Friend. It makes one stop and think for a moment. This piece was a pleasure to read, Pete.

Shashidhar Sharma said...

Simply beautiful... Peter, ... "then walks the streets alone at night"
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya

River said...

Can we ever really know and if we did who's to say one isn't changed after a walk alone at night. great poem- :)
http://adventuresinpoesy.wordpress.com/

Marshy said...

hi anthony.....and what we know to do changes so quickly tomorrow

cheers Stryka...it took me a while to tweak and get it right so glad you enjoyed it

thanks Adam...exactly..What Lies!!!

cheers to you all pete

Chris G. said...

Dark, but lyrical. Great flow, and some very insightful stuff all around. Wonderful piece for One Shot!

Marshy said...

thanks glynn...there is at least two layers to this piece..the obvious and the metaphorical..do we know who we really are...do we ever really show our true selves in public..in relationships..the list in endless..cheer my friend..pete

Marshy said...

hi bkm..yes the creepiness was a fright to finish it off!!!! LOl

thanks Just me...if you liked this believe you me there is a heck of a lot darker on my blogs..cheers pete

thanks desert rose...and do we want to know???

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

hi patty..a good question..as i mentioned earlier as well..do we really want to know too?

hi timoteo...so true and that my friend is one of the hidden layers of this piece!!!

thanks neva...and thanks for your other comment too...take care

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

cheers bri...and cheers for your brotherly attention..thats what friends are for....

thanks george....i read so much enthusiasm in your comments..appreciate that....

thanks caty...but dont lay awake at night staring at the person next to you wondering..on my part LOL

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

thanks g-man....a very good point, and how many of us secretly yearn to rediscover them again too!!!!

cheers RiikaInfinityy..in answer to your question, if we did then is it worth living!!!

thanks suzicate...flow is important to me as much as having an impact with what is said..appreciate that

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

heu Widow..now why did i think you would like that LOL..cheers pete

hi kathleen..i shall look that poem up and thanks for your encouraging comments..cheers pete

thanks talon...like the word master!!!! hope id dint keep you awake thinking last night LOL

cheers to all Pete

Marshy said...

hi tony..a very perceptive comment..so true..

thanks betweenheart...a great comment when someone says your work is incredible..cheers pete

hi lordy...yep..as i sit inside my cell looking out of the window at all the other inmates i stop and think to myself..what shall i write to day LOL...no mate just a bloke who likes to search deep and share but maybe in a bloke kinda way!!!

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

thanks traceysays...does make you think..cheers pete

hi shashi and thanks for your great comment at onestop as well cheers pete

hi river..sometimes a walk alone can leave you brooding too...

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

thanks chris..glad you enjoyed it...all the best pete

Anonymous said...

Pete, you never cease to amaze me. This is a top notch One Shot. Love and Light, Sender

Beachanny said...

Metaphysical and metaphorical while probing depths suspected but not fully explored. Very interesting subject. It's as if while looking for motivations for your writing you stumbled on something there you didn't know was there. Clearly iambic tet is your most natural rhythm. So many of your works move as songs do and this one is no exception. It almost swept me along to fast. I read it four or five times. Excellent work as always. Gay (@beachanny)

Unknown said...

Like the wizard behind the curtain, one never truly knows, as the façade only shows a surface reflection of choice, not what lies under, in the depths of darkness. I enjoyed your poem. Thank you.

gautami tripathy said...

I like the dark shades here. We are all like that. But to what extent, it depends on the circumstances. Liked the flow and the rhythm.

nowhere island

PattiKen said...

Magnificently creepy, Pete. Who knows, indeed. Jeffrey Dahmer's mom probably thought he was cute.

Love the picture too. The Eye?

Bubba said...

Heavy stuff, Pete! Conicidentally, I also did a poem about secrets this week (but mine is much shorter): My Secret

Marshy said...

thanks sender...i like top notch..mean i done good

wow beachanny...you got your teeth into that comment and many thanks...the read is fast and deliberately so as i wanted it read with angst..if that makes sense?

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

hi refuge...a great well thought out comment..thanks for liking my work..cheers pete

thanks guatami.... circumstances indeed determine what we are comfortable with and to what extent our boundaries go..thanks for commenting

hi patti...yes it was the eye...the picture i found was great a person out in the rain seeing the minds eye..all disturbing...thanks pete

cheers to all pete

Steve Isaak said...

Mellifluous flow, the third and fourth stanza particularly resonated with me. Nice interplay of dark and light, ultra-internal (that is, subconscious), internal and external mixed motives.

Vinay Leo R. said...

sometimes, I feel I know not myself, never mind the one next to me.. this is questioning and deep..(at the risk of sounding repetitive).. and yes, loved the rhyme and flow to this.. well worth a read!

My 1 Shot

william manson said...

very good poem pete, loved the imagery :)

Belinda said...

So delving, searching. Love your style.

Anonymous said...

I love the mysteriousness and the flow of this poem. I wonder if everyone has a dark side like this, but maybe some just never come to be seen in the light of day. hmm.... Heartspell

Monkey Man said...

What lurks inside the hearts of men? Excellent One Stop. Compelling and dark. My One Shot is HERE.

Mommy Emily said...

LOVED this. so insightful... beautiful, pete.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

very sense making,
beautifully done!

Whitesnake said...

A very Dark piece of work....nicely done....

Maude Lynn said...

This gave me a shiver!

John (@bookdreamer) said...

When the night is dark and the small quiet voice that you speaks is it words of comfort and love you feel you deserve to hear...Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem. Hope your week goes well.

Anonymous said...

The secret self...an excellent poem. I really like the concept. The diction is wonderfully presented.

Jhpoetry said...

hmm, deep (thought provoking) Got me thinking do we know really know ourselves, our capabilities. ~~~Mystery~~~ Great One!

Linda said...

This is somewhat dark, creepy and definitely thought provoking.

Maureen said...

Gave me the shivers.

Good one!

Sheila said...

Pete, I can totally relate...to all of it. Great write!

Anonymous said...

Wow neat! This is a really great site! I am wondering if anyone else has come across something
like this in the past? Keep up the great work!

ninotaziz said...

What lies deep, Pete? It is my experience that those who dare question already know the answers.

joanna said...

Pete

Interesting, I also read the comments it seems you stirred up some strange emotions in everyone with this powerful (subconscious) forces rising up to the top, I agree with Timoteo said...Compelling poem. Truth be known, this is probably the majority of relationships in existence!

In addition our relationship to SELF, -- sometimes I wonder in my self and others we seem to be operating from unconscious programing.

An ingenious write. Now I am going to be thinking about your poem all night....

Joanny

Wild Rose said...

Pete...very creepy, compelling and provoking piece. But we can never answer fully those deep questions of what leads men to suddenly become evil or good only left for the Gods above. You have a knack for delving into the human psyche which is one of the reasons i truly enjoy reading you.

Claudia said...

this is amazing pete - think that's one of my favorite of yours so far - think all of us have this stranger within and we hardly know him ourselves and don't want to know others about him because we don't like what we see when we meet him in our darker hours.
Excellent expressed - excellent written!

Anonymous said...

Oh-- so darkly creepy and menacing! Great job!
http://mairmusic.wordpress.com/

Marshy said...

thanks eric...yes i have read yours too..seems we both hit on the same idea..cheers pete

hi steve,,thanks for your comment..very appreciated

thanks leo...yes do we know who we really are?

Marshy said...

thanks william..cheers pete

cheers beinda..so glad you appreciate that

hi heartspell...glad to see you thought into this..hope it didnt scare...

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

thanks monkey man and thanks for visiting

cheers emily...appreciate you commenting

thanks jingle

cheers to all pete

Pauline said...

thank goodness no one is sitting beside me!

I like the rhyming scheme. It suits the subject matter.

Marshy said...

thanks whitesnake....

hi mama...hope you wasnt to scared

thanks john...a liked your comment

thanks collective..that was a great comment

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

thanks jh..then the poem was a job done well.......

cheers linda for commenting

hi maureen...hope it didnt scare you too much

thanks she....

cheers to all pete

Marshy said...

thanks anonymous...and thanks for the praise of one shot

hi ninotaziz...a deep statement to match the piece..cheers pete

thanks joanny...although this had a chill factor it was also that much deeper and i agreed with him too...this has received some great comments....cheers pete

Marshy said...

thankyou so very much claudia...a good example i tend to find is or tempers..how we hold it in public yet lose it in private..hiding ourselves and pretending to be something we are not...we all live with image paramount..cheers pete

Marshy said...

thanks pauline....hope you will be okay after reading this..cheers pete

Dulçe ♥ said...

Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde?

I don't know... Strangers like those must have a problem and thus......... I'd never let him go out! LOL

Linda said...

This is just brilliantly done! It is thought-provoking and so creative.

Anonymous said...

You sounded so convincing in here, that it actually scared me a bit! I am now eying my hubby, who is so peacefully asleep :)

(sigh) will we ever know know another "completely"? I really doubt it..
Heck, even if we try to know ourselves completely in this life, that would be an achievement by itself! :)

And excellent thought provoking poem, Pete.. AS EVER!

Carrie Van Horn said...

Pete this is a very captivating piece indeed...wonderful writing.
:-)

Anonymous said...

Like others have said- a beautifully dark poem.

Fireblossom said...

Wow, sad and disturbing, but I expect it's true of many indeed.

Corbie said...

Wow what a deep poem. No one knows what is in the mind of another, and thats kind of scary. But everyone keeps thoughts to themselves, that they would not tell another soul. Some feel that they must keep some thoughts to themselves, as it exposes a vulnerability in which others could take advantage of.

Marshy said...

i am amazed by the amount of comments this piece has amassed...yes it is dark and disturbing and very layered...are we ever truthful to anyone...are there things we like or feel but ashamed to say...do we stay quiet and let things fester....thanks all Pete

serenemusings said...

Every poem of yours is different and evocative Pete.
Hope you will put together a book of all your poetry someday.
Suja

Anonymous said...

This is really dark, but it presents some really good questions. i like it man. good job.
Cheers,
Joe

Amanda said...

That was sooo dark and so deep, fantastic write my friend. Hugs x