Project Eighty Four

https://www.projecteightyfour.com/

Every two hours

my heart beats

eight thousand-

five hundred and

twenty times

and a young man dies

by his own hand!

 

01/05/19

Author's Note

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Close to my heart because there have been near misses in my own circle. Young men do not talk for fear of showing weakness. The consequences are devastating. We watched a TV documentary about Bristol University where there had been many suicides of young people over a relatively short period of time. Both young men and women. It was terrifying to watch. The devastation left behind in family and friends hard to stomach. We all need to be vigilant, we all need to talk and the care should be available when it is needed, not six months down the line. Hard hitting but real.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed real, life and needless Chris. Young people are very vulnerable when between teenage and adulthood. Many thanks.

[Chris Shaw]

You are welcome. Those years are very testing.

[Shazbatt969]

Blade, bottle or rope, eight thousand five hundred and nineteen times, one missed heart beat is all it takes, to quote the Misfits "Death is the last caress,"

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Ah indeed so Shaz. Many thanks.

[sette]

and it is so sad when you hear and see news like this depression has been one complex problem and one of the most common causes of suicide

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed it is sad sette. Many thank yous.

[Eilis]

I am glad to see you address this, John. I’ve known several young men who have taken their own lives. I am always deeply hurt by the reality. So often, we aren’t able to help because we don’t know the person is struggling with those feelings.

Thanks for speaking out about this and sharing the link to the foundation. I looked at some of the art. Those sculptures are haunting, but capture something essential about the loneliness of modern human life. And I think your poem does as well.

I appreciate this poem.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Eilis. Having worked in mental health most of my career I still cannot get used to such tragedy and suffering, Many thanks.

[kentuck14]

Had a conversation w/one of my daughters the other day . . . the tragedy of young suicides. She is now 36, struggles with depression, but is quite sad (and mad) about what life is like for so many younger people.
I have read their angst on this very site. . . was blocked when I tried to encourage. I have opinions as to the cause, but this is not the place for it. John, in a few words you spotlight an important problem in western culture.
T.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes Tom my own son nhas fought with ideas of suicide and years ago I came close but to think every two hours someone young dies by their own hand is so gut wreenchingly hard. Hope your daughter is above that line of dispair.

[kentuck14]

Thanks John, yes, I believe she is.

[Einstein Noodle]

thank you for turning me on to Hanne Boel .... had not heard her before ... love the voice and bluesy jazzy sound ... that organ is straight out of a 50s 60s sound to me
your poem :( so few words and lines to define such a tragic loss by suicide .. the heart is a voracious animal that fights to its last muscle fibers to keep beating .. literally ..( called the purkinje fibers) .. your voice has moved me this morning my friend ... sending up my prayers that someone may stop their hand this morning... i hope this is not a personal loss to you, John :(( peace on ya
E.
ps. i also was unfamiliar with Project 84 so thank you for that as well ... your whole post is very moving from title to music ...

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you so much 'E'. I guess we poet types aim to move the reader but this subject did not need me, it spoke for itself and left me sad and aghast. Glad you enjoyed Hanne Boel as I have only recently discovered her too. Not a loss I have suffered but I have been close myself many years ago and having worked in mental health have dealt with suicide, suicidal people and the aftermath of a sucessful suicide or two.

[Einstein Noodle]

peace and comfort upon you sir! thank you for the work you have done in that area ... so important! so difficult too i am sure :(

[Robert Trakofler]

The loss of humanity to humanity is a staggering figure to contemplate good sir... well put! When I think of the ones we have lost that i have known it crescendo's in my heart and i hear there voices but can never bring them to voice adequately. What an awesome project you wrote this for we all need to hear those voices and do our part to stem the flow of loss some of my veteran friends still suffer the wretched call

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Indeed we do BB. Many thank yous.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we should appreciate that we even have the heartbeats...some don't...and throw away those beats for unknown reasons.
j.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

A complicated situation Jacob. Sometimes life appears so black that it seems one may as well go into the dark. Many thanks.