Poetry for Florence

Poems by Kenzie Ivy

1.

The moment when we held hands,
At the concert in late June of 2023,
Is etched in my heart forever,
A memory that's both beautiful and bittersweet.

It's a reminder of what once was,
And what can never be again,
A connection that was so powerful,
That it's hard to know where to begin.

But even though it hurts,
I'm grateful for that moment in time,
For the singer who saved my life,
And the hand that was once mine.

---

2.

Florence, I love you more than myself,
For you saved my life when I was in hell,
And with your music, you showed me the way,
To live each day in a brighter way.

She is no mother, she is no bride, she is king,
A ruler of hearts, a siren that sings,
And with her music, she conquered my fears,
And wiped away my every tear.

So I'll keep listening to her songs,
And I'll keep dancing along,
For she's the one who saved my life,
And with her music, I can survive.

---

3.

Florence Welch, a singer so kind,
Her music helped me to unwind.
I struggled with alcohol in the past,
But her new album helped my sobriety last.

I saw her live, in Dublin town,
And she held my hand, and turned my frown.
Her voice was like magic, and filled with delight,
It made me feel like everything was alright.

I created a fan page, on Instagram,
Where you could share your love, with other fans.
I made a group chat, called Mermaids,
A place where we could all feel unafraid.

We bond over our love, for Florence's voice,
And we know that we always have a choice.
To talk about life, and all of its wonders,
And share our love, that we hold under.

We feel like you're part of a family,
A group of people, who are so lovely.
Id never feel judged, by them ever,
And i hope they know that they’re all so clever.

The Mermaids group chat, a place so dear,
Where you can share your love, and your fear.
A place where you can be yourself,
And find support, on life's rocky shelf.

Florence's music, a beacon of light,
That helped me through, my darkest night.
And the Mermaids group chat, a family so true,
That helped me find, a love that's new.

---

4.

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out,
But I found a singer who I can't live without,
And so I stayed in the darkness with her,
And with her music, I found a way to endure.

I thought I was gonna drink myself to death,
there was no dawn, no day, nothing left.
But she gave me hope, she gave me light,
And with her music, I found a reason to fight.

I would give all this and heaven too
Just to make it through,
And I'd do anything to make her stay,
For she's the one who showed me the way.

She's got a strangeness and charm,
That makes me feel like I'm in her arms,
And with her music, I let go of my pain,
And found a way to live again.

For some things you let go in order to live,
And with her music, I figured out where I belong,
And I know that as long as we hold onto each other,
We can get through the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

She's the only thing I've ever had any faith in,
And I know that with her, I can win,
For she's an angel, sent from above,
And with her music, I found heaven is here, with love.

I don't know where to put my love,
But with her, it fits like a glove,
And sometimes you get the girl, sometimes you get the song,
But with her, I got both, and it feels like I belong.

We were young and drunk and stumbling in the street,
But with her music, we found a way to be,
In a state of cheerful oblivion,
And we cried over the love of you, with shining trinkets of grief, gone.

For too much is never enough,
But with her music, we found a way to be tough,
And we're too fast for freedom, but that's okay,
For with her, I know that everything will be okay.

Sparking my inspiration with musical solace

After so many years, I finally attended the show (Chicago Sep 7, 2022). It was cathartic since I lost my mother a day to the month before. But then again I found your music as I was on my way to visit my father in the hospital.
Looking for any kind of relief I scanned the radio band and instantly the sound struck me deep. 'No Light, No Light' was playing and I still feel an echo in my chest from the memory of its impact in that desperate moment. Even with my horrible attention span, I waited for the DJ to tell me the name of this band, praying that the signal would not be distorted.
"Florence----Machine"
'Florence... something machine?' 'AH! the signal must have broke just enough not to get the whole thing! I chanted 'Florence Machine, Florence Machine, Florence Machine!
Even with all the fear of death and pain of possible imminent loss; I made a mantra in my mind as I whispered on my lips the source of this ensorcelled sound, medicine of the mind. When I finally had the chance to look it up, my fate was sealed.

I can not believe the breadth of experiences that I have enjoyed and mourned to your music. To never know those who've impacted you so much is such a strange thing, I am grateful to have taken so much in anonymity.

In honor and honesty of what you've given me. I'd like to share a simple piece that came to me thanks to seeing you in person.

inspired by Florence and the Machine

What’s left to make
What’s left to take
What’s left in hold’n my hand…

No need to fake
No need to brake
It’s all been done before hand…

Your in my eyes
Your in my throat
An empty space in our plan

And In every passing car
Around every body’s back
A part of me longs
to see your face again.

No party comes to call
No flowers petals fall
A ghost of my hope
Still strings me along

Still stilted as I dance
Still beckoned to your call
A shadow of romance
Unrequited as I fall

~ Mark Rajca