Too Many Nights

Sometimes I feel like I am lacking something that would make me functional (normal?) and this poem represents that

Maybe I was too much thinking 

and not enough time

always trying to stay in the lines.

I was too much space,

but not enough stars

barely enough room

to keep my heart.

I was too many hangnails,

falling over guard rails

nothing there to stop my fall.

I was too many truths,

not enough dares,

who even cares

about a girl so scared.

Too many some days

not enough nows

hitting the branches 

on my way down. 

I've seen too many fallen

to be happy with my life,

I've seen not enough days

and too many nights.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

God, poets are an unhappy lot! This is a well rhymed, well paced lamentation about the shortfalls of a life. It has some great images: "I was too many hangnails,/ falling over guard rails. nothing there to stop my fall." Further on, there is one that might qualify as a universal: "Too many some days/ not enough nows". The list goes on. This is good work, but I hope it is by a young person who has time to adjust. If it's someone my age, I would suggest just enough wine to stay mellow.

[Ally Ann]

I wrote this poem almost 3 years ago when I was 16. Despite that, I still think that everyone feels inadequate as some time or another and that they are too much this or not enough that. I think this poem really shows the fears I was feeling of not fitting in with others in high school, but even now I can still relate to what I wrote. As for your statement that poets are unhappy a lot, maybe you are right, but maybe we focus on unhappiness for poems because the emotions are so intense that they give us inspiration to create. Sure, my poems have a theme of unhappiness, but that doesn't mean I am unhappy. It is where I find my inspiration, and often melancholy poems are the ones people relate to the most. Poetry is a way to express oneself and to connect with others, and many poets do that through themes of unhappiness.