A Place To Be

Nick Drake

  When I was younger, younger than before
  I never saw the truth hanging from the door
  And now I'm older see it face to face
  And now I'm older gotta get up clean the place.

  And I was green, greener than the hill
  Where the flowers grew and the sun shone still
  Now I'm darker than the deepest sea
  Just hand me down, give me a place to be.

  And I was strong, strong in the sun
  I thought I'd see when day is done
  Now I'm weaker than the palest blue
  Oh, so weak in this need for you.

Commentary

All of Drake’s songs have this touch of melancholy, a very strong sense of loss and beauty all at the same time. With this poem, simple yet powerful, there is a feeling that the poet/songwriter is seeking yet looking back, of knowing where he is and being lost at the same time. ‘Now I’m darker that the deepest sea’ ….how much better can anyone else put it.

Nick Drake was a artist in the late 60’s, often called England’s Best Kept Secret, he produced only three albums before dying at the age of 26 from an accidental(?) overdose of sleeping pills. Suffering from clinical depression, he was a Keatsian figure who never found a wide audience during his lifetime. He is known for his gentle, lyrical songs and great plucking on the guitar. He was depressed because he thought he could not write well enough.

I do hope you enjoy this poem…and if you do please do listen to his music:)

cheers,
Janice

Links

Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Drake

The Wondering Minstrels, poem #1782 · 27 October 2005

Guest poem submitted by Janice

Fair use

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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.

David W · 27 October 2005

Nick Drake has some amazing song writing. His poetry isn’t technically all that great, but who cares? His music is moving and powerful.

Amy Cobb · 27 October 2005

Nick Drake has been a favorite of mine for years. He was an amazing musician and songwriter. His guitar playing was so advanced and unusual that it can’t really be duplicated. The lyrics to “Time Has Told Me” are beautiful poetry (Perhaps I should submit that). Whenever I put on his music, it always calms me. It just seems like he was too frail for life. A notable irony in his life is that he died five years after his first album Five Years Left was released. It’s a shame that the world lost such a beautiful soul at such a young age.

Amy Cobb

Geraldw1 · 20 January 2007

Beautiful……!
“Then in a wailfull choir, the small gnats mourn among the river sallows”……Mourn among, mourn among. ! One hears the sound of the gnats as they hover……. Gerald Wroe