The Innocents

Give me the sleep of the innocent and I would tell the tale

Of dreamed of deeds of gallantry then to you, I could regale.


When I lived in times of purity before the living abused my mind

And I left it abandoned, surrounded by its kind.


Those times lived but shortly but in them, there were sown

The seeds of ambition which died before fully grown.


The lifespan of naivety melted before a flame

And now it’s too late for them to ever shine again.


Life is the killer, never blushing as it kills

All the smiling innocents who dream of curing its ills.


© 2023 Daniel Kemp All rights reserved

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About Daniel Kemp

At the age of seventy-six, Daniel Kemp has started his second year of studying the science of Psychology at the Open University. He is a member of The Society of Authors and also a bestselling writer. However, in early September 2025, he was diagnosed with cancer. He is now in palliative care at home, being looked after by his ex-wife. When he was writing his novels, he enjoyed writing stories that appealed to those who liked challenging themselves to solve mysteries that were set out before their eyes, but they couldn't. His introduction to the world of espionage and mystery happened at an early age when his father was employed by the War Office in Whitehall, London, at the end of WWII. However, it wasn’t until after his father died that he showed any interest in anything other than himself! On leaving academia he took on many roles in his working life: a London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver, but never did he plan to become a writer. Nevertheless, after a road traffic incident left him suffering from PTSD and effectively—out of paid work for four years, he wrote and self-published his first novel —The Desolate Garden. Within three months of publication, that book was under a paid option to become a $30 million film. The option lasted for six years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company. All ten of his novels are now published by Next Chapter Publishing Company which has added an edition titled The Heirs And Descendants Collection, which holds all four books of that series, alongside an edition titled The Lies And Consequences Collection which contains all four volumes of that series. He is the recipient of rave reviews from a prestigious Manhattan publication and described as—the new Graham Green—by a highly placed executive of Waterstones Books, for whom he did a countrywide tour of book signing events. He has also appeared on 'live' television in the UK publicising his first novel. Less
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11 Responses to The Innocents

  1. Beautiful, Daniel. And so true. Yet those dreams of the innocent are some of our best memories.

  2. Mick Canning's avatar Mick Canning says:

    Mmm. Where did it all go wrong?

  3. Daniel Kemp's avatar Daniel Kemp says:

    Perhaps it was always the same but now there are more avenues to voice our grievances.

  4. This is very powerful, Danny.

  5. Daniel Kemp's avatar Daniel Kemp says:

    I try my best……. 🙂

  6. dgkaye's avatar dgkaye says:

    Some powerful truth here Danny. Well done. 🙂

  7. Daniel Kemp's avatar Daniel Kemp says:

    That’s very kind of you to say, Debby, thank you.

  8. Pen(n)sive's avatar pennsivity says:

    Loved this…✨

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