From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that round me rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by,
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.
In a published book
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Comments
1 - 90 of 90
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stupendous
here he is saying succinctly that the mysterious source of creativity in his life started in his early childhoon, drawn out from the depths of his soul by nature, a nature colored by his own mind's perceptions. It is such a profoundly simple statement that speaks on multiple levels. True poetic genius. I think he had, from the first, a difficult childhoonand and troubled. Perhaps his genius arose to help him survive this world. Well, I think that we all have the muse in us, that can arise and help us see ourselves, and the world, in a way that can connect us to others and help us make sense of what ordinarily we can't understand. Poe just showed us the way, a path we can all travel. Poe was one of the first great poets to draw me out of myself and make me think. A true pathfinder. -
HIIIIII!!!
From guest Jackie (contact)
Hi I am Jackie i don't want to put my real name out but i am 11 years old and i love this poem because its Edgar Allan Poe.We just started learning about him in middle school so so far i love it! -
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From guest josh (contact)
lol "leave a comment (subject to review)" could be the last line of the poem -
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
why cant he write more
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atleast i have hope to write liek this by the time im
o i have 3 years
D:
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Such a great piece from Edgar Allen Poe. I've read many of his poems and stories, but I haven't heard this one.
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One of my favorite Poe poems. After The Raven.
Desiree -
Yes Poe!!!! -
That is simply amazing. A work of art! I love Poe's work.
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There is something solemn and stately and gloomy in all of poe's lines.
Life inevitably erects stations of sadness along the way. Of these, poe is a master engineer. -
Yet another brilliant working of meter, rhyme and rather tortured thought. I just love his style.
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i think the man was a great poet, if tortured by his own soul. there are not many old poets i am that keen on but edgar here is one of the ones i am.
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This is what I would want displayed at my wake,it sums it all up perfectly.
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It is no surprise that poe rules when it comes to writting just about anything, and he is nortorious for his ominous mode through his work, yet he will always have a message hidden with in, and never really a given, that idea of hidding a message is a tactic I have come to borrow cause it is good and I like it so much I wanted to write with it.
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I soooooo can relate to this poem becuz it reminds me how much I really disapprove of my life.
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Thoughts
From guest Kason (contact)
I really enjoy this poem it never made me think of sadness more like acceptance every time I read it makes me think of the reasons why he started to began righting in the first place like his parents his father abandoned him and his mother when he was only a kid then to add to the pain his mother dies orphaning him completely. -
Brilliant.
The rhyme in this poem was very good.
And the ending made this write into a real good one indeed. I thought this poem by Edgar was good its the only one I have read of his. I should hopefully read some more. Brilliant write! -
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that was super duper
From guest Alexa Phillips (contact)
like the title of this message, as i said before, this is quite entertaining, not at all a bore. So like that substitute once said "that was super duper, my pumpkin head" -
Ugh
From guest Rob V (contact)
Ugh. This is my absolute most despised of Poe's works. It is not the best poem by Poe, nor is it the best reflection of Poe the man. He wrote this as a teenager (a time when everyone boo-hoos about being alone) and he never published it - with good reason. Let's focus on his much better works, like "The Conqueror Worm" or "Ulalume."
MOD MESSAGE
In order to fully appreciate the best a poet has to offer it is necessary to see the whole range of work, even "juvenile efforts".
However; the discerning reader can use the date written as a guide to the value of a piece of work. Those written in the early and the late years of a poets life rarely show them at their best. -
absolutely brilliant poem.
I love this poem, i think it's my favorite of E.
The emotion that is shown is so extensive and makes you feel for the authour for he must have felt very alone in his own life to have written this. I would have loved to have met him. -
I love IT
From guest Kel (contact)
I love this poem it is one of my favorites!!! Edgar Allan Poe. is one of my favorite authors. but this poem i extremely love!! -
a wonderful poem
From guest Steph (contact)
wow, this poem really shows you what it is like to feel, well, ALONE ! amazing work, one of his best -
probably my all time favourite poem..
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This is a great poem. I love the rhyming and one of my favorite's... I love his writings
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Poe and his limited knowledge of the world.
From guest Stella (contact)
I found it quite interesting as I was anotating this poem. I realised how Poe had such little knowledge of the rest of the world, he was completely absorbed in himself and his own problems that he didn't care to notice that by the 16th century Galileo had already discovered that the earth revolved around the sun, not the other way around, as he states in the line 'from the sun that round me rolled'. -
Great Write !
From guest LoveSpell-PurpleRose (contact)
I found a lot of love as well as good rhyme in this poem, that this poet has written here. It is both sad as well as happy in my own opinion. One of joy as well as sorrow. And to end it all off states that the fright is of the Demon and not of God. LoveSpell-PurpleRose -
suprizing Poe
From guest Ronald J. Sherno (contact)
Having read all Poe, even the prose, this poem stands out as most biographical and prophetic. Of course no poem exceeds the wonders of "Ulalume". -
A Poetry God
This is the man the most greatly influences my writing...My only wish is to be as great as he was. -
Absolutly Amazing.
This is one of my all time favorite poems.. I love how descriptive he is and i just love the poem. its an amazing work of art. -
Amazing.
From guest Franco (contact)
This is a great poem, it's brilliant. The Norwegian band Arcturus has a song with this poem as lyrics. It's called Alone from the album "La Masquerade Infernale". -
Exceptional, as always.
Poe is the master. I've never seen ANYONE who can write HALF as good as he did. He's my role model. -
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the krays
From guest michelle (contact)
the first time i ever heard this poem it was on the movie the krays and i loved it ever since -
A question
From guest Leah (contact)
I have a question about something. I have to answer a question on my paper that asks " What is Edgar Allan Poes ability to write poetry" how do I answer that question? -
Oh my God...this poem is the lyrics for L'Ame Immortelle's song "Alone"......
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From guest FromChildhood (contact)
This is my favorite poem of all time.... Whenever I read this I feel inspired to just put whatever's bothering me in the past and look through the veil of thoughts that blinds me. Since childhood I've been a fan of Poe's, and until death will I forever be. -
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The First Six Lines
From guest Kelsey (contact)
I came across the first six lines in a book, "Walking naked", to be exact, and I fell in love with them. The rest of the poem is very good, but I truly love the first six lines. They alone could be a separate poem. -
HE was in atimeof his life where he was lonely. He loved all while all had not love him. he loved himself only him.
And all I loved, I loved alone
very very deeeeeeeeep
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From guest N!! (contact)
I think thta this poem really explains a lot .It is a wonderful and beautiful poem that he wrote it is one3 of my favriots. -
wonderful poem
From guest laura (contact)
This is one of my favorites Poems. My second Favorite poem, I should say. Poems are not my thing to appreciate but this one I just love. It was written by one of the best and creepiest in writers in Anglo-American history, Edgar Alan Poe. I can relate to the first eight lines of the poem -
WOW!
From guest Sarah (contact)
this poem is amazign hes a god when it comes to wriitng poetry whn im ever in a bad mod il pick up one of his writtign and read it and i feel better. -
I don't care what anyone says, Edgar Allan Poe was one of the best poets ever!
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I love how he speaks metaphoric though understood. it clear.
And all I loved, I loved alone.
I think he saying he love all but it was only Alone love him. He was lonely -
Actually one of my favorites by Poe, I think. It reminds me greatly of his fable, 'Silence'. In which the demon tells a story of a gray rock symbolising progression from desolution to loneliness. They contain similar imagery..
Again he was brilliant... <33 -
My favourite poet of all time
From guest Raven Dark (contact)
and still my favourite poem of his, words cannot rythme out a comment on this outstanding hell of a piece, maybe it's my blinded admiration to both the poet and poem is what will make me unwilling to utter one word of critique or critisism. Raven Dark This poem has been an inspiring factor to me all along, and it is on my author page like a flag upon a nations hem. Raven Dark. -
An intreaging poem, for the poem to go from the claim that/' From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen /'To watching clouds and dwelling upon the shape they make is amazing. These connected by a very upbeat lyrical poem, yet the Poeish sinister undertone is artisticly carried, building until the final line where it finally declaires itself.
A poem best read twice, and alone.
Andrew
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From guest demonic_angel (contact)
i think poe was a great poet. I mean if in our time, we are still discussing his works, he must have done something right. I love this poem, because I think it can reach many people. No matter who you are at one point or another you have felt this feeling of being alone, i think. So no matter what, everyone can take something from this poem. That is why this is my favorite poem. -
indescribable
This is my most favourite poem of Poe's. It was one of my first read (along with, of course, The Raven). I fell in love with it by line four. As cliche and common as others might say it; it spoke to me as a younger girl. I've always been myself, but by being myself, was alone. When my cat (more of my best friend for ten years) died, well before, I read him this poem. I carved it into a piece of wood as his headstone... because only he could make me not feel as alone as Poe described in this.
Enough about me... XD
I rarely like short poems ( I consider this short); but as one could only expect from my favourite poet, I adore this. The raw emotion and perfect use of poetic tools amazes me as always.
I noticed that in line 11 "of good and ill", that little piece of line is slightly repeated in "Hymn". Just a random observation.
It is such a shame that Poe only lived fourty years. To think what multitude of masterpieces he could have created had he lived a mere ten years more... or even twenty! -
Somehow I read this as an unfinished poem. Line 21 left in parenthases feels choppy. And likely another four or six lines would bring this home. I keep feeling like he was going somewhere furhter and just never got the ending right. I've been there and done that myself. I just can't bring myself to believe that the entire point of his being different is that a cloud ruined his perfect skyscape. Still a lovely poem with meaning even if taken as is.
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i really like this poem..too bad Poe is dead..
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This is by far my all-around favorite poem. First time I read it was in middle school, in English class. We all had to pick a poem and then stand up & read it in front of everyone. I remember I had told my friend about how much I liked Poe, and she was doing The Raven. So, I was looking around and I found this one and felt an absolute connection with it right away. Awesome poem.
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To answer eem girl, you do not have to be depressed to appreciate Poe's work. I am not depressed, in fact I can become rather too energetic, and I love his work. This is by far my favorite of Poe's poems.
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Oh childeren. Of course its sad and speak of childhood torrments. Its EAP. his life was full of hardships and ironic bitter things that lead to his death. But as far as poems go, this one is fantastic
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This is my favorite poem of all time as well. The sorrow and diffrence in him throws itself at you. His brilliance is in every letter. The band Arcturus did this as a song I suggest everyone listen to it.
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I believe he is speaking of his pain and experience of losing his parents as a child...going on into life not knowing as all other children know childhood. Loving all he loved alone. I believe that is reference to his parents. His unanswered questions are his mystery, his unknowing of how his life should have been. The later verse talking of his alcoholism and how his life went. I believe it is a very wonderfully written piece. No wonder to this day he is so very well known.
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i actually dont appreciate the beginning that much. i kind of like how he "bound" the lines together, i guess you could say, but it made the beginning a little choppy. the further he went the smoother it became. but its still a great poem, obviously, because this one is also famous!
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This is an amazing write. When you think about his life, and just how much it sucked, this poem really starts to make sense. Completely and utterly depressing, yet he words it so beautifully, that one can't help but be drawn to it. It's for good reason that he's my favorite poet.
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i think it is very full of delight
like a hotmale.. wowww....!!! -
I can remember the very first time I read this poem. I was 13 so that was 9 years ago. I was in English class and the teacher was reading poetry and she read this one and I think parts of the Raven. I had heard The Raven before but never this one. It totally changed my look on poetry and how I wrote changed as well.
Even with the rhyme, he still managed to incorporate so much emotion into this piece. The last two lines are my favorite, as well as the line "and all I loved, I loved alone."
He expressed such sadness and the pain of being alone so well without rambling on for pages and pages and pages.
Always an impressive piece.
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Peo puts what are often unexplainable emotions and experiences on paper like no other writer.I absolutely love this poem!
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my 2nd favorite of poe's poems (next to the raven... this is normally where i say keep writing... guess that would be a stupid comment... too bad i couldnt meet him
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you all seem depressed. why is it that his poetry is only powerful to those who agree, and doesn't this mean it isnt as powerful as you make it out to be?
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This poem is so beautiful. I can relate to it. What a perfect write. I love it.
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Speaks of a sad childhood. Some early memories that scar and carry over to adulthood.Expressive statement of childhood.Great story ability.--Suseann
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Edgar Allan Poe, along with Percy Shelley and John Keats, is one of the greatest poets of all time. His combination of grandeur and despair is majestic and this poem is one of his best, bar none.
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One of the best poems of all time.
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I love this piece, such imagery and emotion could be witnessed with each line. This piece really shows the inner Poe; his childhood and feelings of solitude. I think this is my favourite poem wrote by Edgar, it just seems to grab me.
Empathy, Kate
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Poe had a really depressing life. Just reading about him makes me feel so alone. That makes this poem even sader, knowing all the pain and rejection behind it. I also thought the title was prety simple compared to the poem its self.
DJ Mizzell
Edited on Oct 27, 4:48 p.m. because ''. -
can anyone tell me what the figurative meaning to this poem is about?.... i'm doing a poetry explication on this poem and i'm not sure what the real deeper meaning is about.
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Why is it so, that I relate to someone who is dead? My heart sighs at this poem for its accuracy. It humbles me and inspires me. "And all I loved, I loved alone."
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This poem was one of many that inspired me to begin writing. I chanted it like a mantra for two long years of frustration and depression. I love it more today than ever.
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"From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone."
so true..every beautiful word ever written by him, is so deep... so true...he is by far my all time fav. poet...i wonder how someone can write such great poetry as EAP..guess it's all natural
xmorbidxangelx -
I think Poe was writing about his abandonment issues he developed as a child. First, losing his parents at a very young age, and then feeling as if his adoptive parents turned their backs on him when he needed them most. I believe in reading this, that these issues followed him and haunted him well into adulthood. I interpret this poem to be about how he was tormented by utter loneliness growing up, so much so that he could write about it with such passion. I think that he is writing about how destructive loss of family support proved to be in his life.
This poem made me feel the emptiness Poe felt in his life. I felt this emptiness throught the poem, but it was especially highlighted as he writes about a childhood he had not seen. I felt the sorrow, as he writes about how when the rest of Heaven was blue (for others), there was a demon in his view. I could feel all of the images as well, as if I were seeing them just as he was. His use of imagery was so powerful it could bring to life so many emotions.
My initial reaction to reading this poem was that it is wonderful. The imagery is amazing to me, something I as a poet would aspire to. The technical aspect of the poem is also wonderful, Poe wrote in such a way that his grammar and his poetic flow drew the reader right into the poem itself, rather than letting the reader get hung up on any technical aspects or questions. There are no areas of this particular poem where I would say...maybe if he had changed this or maybe if he had written this. Overall I am very impressed by the writing, as well as by the meaning of the poem itself. I also thouht the title was simple and accurate.
~M~
Edited on Jul 20, 10:55 because ''. -
i think everyone can relate to this poem. It is so meanng full
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whims, this is one of my absolute faves. Before I changed my author's page, I had the following line from this poem on it...
"My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone."
It is essentially a part of me, that feeling at times. I am so happy to have been directed back to this poem today, as it has been some time now since I read it last.
A big thankyou for leaving me this link.
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This is one of my favourite writes by Mr.Poe. There is something in the poet.. I think that sets us apart, though I think we may not be able to classify it, I think this speaks of it. Be it madness or merely a perspective of altered sight, this thing which sets us apart leaves us on the outskirts of the common.. somewhere beyond the lines. Perhaps he meant many other things ..and I'll never be able to know that answer as he is no longer here to question.. but to me 'Alone' speaks of being set apart not just a little.. but a lot.. The mind of the genius .. speaking of what it is like.. to know brilliance.
Edited on Jun 23, 12:27 because ''. -
Edgar Allen Poe was a very talented writer. I think because I read his work so much that I have picked up on the gloomy side of his writing and incorporated it into my own writings. This poem is one of my favorites by Poe including "A dream Within A Dream
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beautiful work here...astonishing... , Olivia
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I feel Edgar Allan Poe, was alone for the most of his life. While standing on the cliff, he finally came to face his demons like most people who are drawn to depression of ones lost or something tramedic experince he faced, like the lost of his wife. Saddie23
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Whereas a lot of people can relate to this poem,its funny. Poe was the king of macabre and he kicks ass in my opinion.(am i allowed to cuss here?o well) But the thing is,Alone is so well loved because people can relate to it. A lot only do it because of the title,but f you look at the metaphors,theres a different meaning(which a lot of people can still relate to). All in all,Poe had a talent with words and making something that can be appalling or depressing be loved my all. That takes some talent in my opinion,but then again,thats just lil ole me.
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very vivid and sorrowful... gives much insight into poe's tormented soul. brilliant as usual.
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the utmost perfect poem ever written in history. i can relate to you highly on this.
From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
that i can relate to the most. amazing poem with out a doubt. -
Alone and the Raven are my all time faves by Poe. i love his rhyme scheme and the flow of all his poems, i just wish he would have written more, (tear) but at least we can remember him with something.
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One of the early, classic American writers. Perhaps he should have enlisted in the Navy, or preceeded Mark Twain to visit Egypt.
Edited on Feb 04, 2:40 p.m. because ''. -
I Love this poem so much. I've read it so many times, I've got all his books, and I've got some of his poems on audio. It always has such a nice rhyme scheme to it.
Wonderful man this person... He really is 
Really great you have this Oldpoetry thing on here. 
Hehe anyways, I'm outtie.
×Kati×
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i just love it..
Edgar Allan Poe,the dark melancholic poet the king of macabre,fascinated me by Alone,it reflects poe's dramatic life it's so expressive that it makes u cry...
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innocent melody
This poem is a typical poe style poem I mean this is a thought of a philosopher with all of is innocent realistic expressions. He is a magician. Very darling sweet lover. -
Ahh. I love Edgar Allan Poe. Hes my God. =). I love this poem!
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"alone" is one of my all-time favourite poems. edgar allan poe was a rad guy who had the ability to create and write damn good stuff. his short stories rocks, but i prefer readin his poetry. i can understand why "alone" is so well-loved by many.
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Great imagery and metaphors!
This is a great poem, especially the use of imagery to create many extended metaphors. It seems many people have been too quick to incorporate their own feelings into the poem, before really taking the words in. For one, he is alone because he is different, not because he is like anyone else (which is oddly ironic that so many people relate to the poem). Secondly, though the overall tone is rather dreary and depressing (like his "stormy life") he does not stop there, but points out the positive as well- especailly the imagery of most of heaven being blue. Though this is intentionally kept underneath the smaller, but more significant image of part of Heaven clouding over like a demon- clouding over his understanding of life, especially his childhood! -
100% good
I can relate to this so much I could cry. If i had a little humanity. Hahahahahaha! -
I love this poem and I'm reading a book called demon in my view and I love reading stories and poems he has written for other people to read.
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awesome!
I like the way he says that he's alone and he loves alone, it's easy to see what he's trying to say... i didn't understand the end... i guess i'll have go read it again and try to work it out.
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