listen in—really strain—
this will come in whisper soft:
he writes poems—fame the gain—
politics his other name,
no one sponsoring a liability
leads to financial instability;
arsenic agility—consumption—
chatterton conversations
ending silent and tragic
in the lonely attic.
© 2026 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
First published on tristanrobertlange.com, August 25, 2026.
Tittu
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Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: August 25th, 2026 08:06
- Comment from author about the poem: Part of the Truth, Applied collection. Thomas Chatterton (1752–1770) was an English poet and political writer who died in a London garret at seventeen, his death commonly attributed to arsenic poisoning. This poem was written on August 24, 2026, exactly 256 years after his death. Celebrated after his death as a doomed poetic genius, he became more legend than child. This poem resists that romanticization. It looks instead toward the poverty, dependence upon patronage, and social abandonment beneath the beautiful tragedy later made of him.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 36
- Users favorite of this poem: A.N., nephilim56 ( Norman Dickson), Syd, Teddy.15
- In collections: Truth, Applied.
Offline)
Comments9
Thanks for using poetry as a teaching tool my friend. Unaware of his history it enlightened an old head.
Thank you so much, Soren! I’m glad this introduced Chatterton to you. His story stayed with me deeply...behind the legend was an abandoned seventeen-year-old whose humanity deserves to be remembered. 🕯️📜🖤🙏
My pleasure Tristan
Good write T. Meanwhile, in an attic gloomy, seemingly long-vacated, though they were only there yesterday - lie tins of spinach, socks, and sabres. Strange assortment. Who's been there? Well, WCAT! lol.
Thanks, Orchi! Clearly the Baters have been filming Episode 1, 999, 399, 438 up there. WCAT may have visited, but he certainly wasn’t working alone...and naturally, the production crew left me with the cleanup! 😂🕯️📜🖤🙏
an image that induces suicidal vertigo...
Thank you, Lorenz! His story left me with the feeling of solid ground disappearing...as though the room itself remains destabilized by what happened there. 🕯️📜🖤🙏
read my poem ROMANTIC, its on the site, it speaks of much the same, great write and a fav
Thank you so much, Norman! I’ll head over to yours shortly. Truly appreciated, my friend. 🕯️📜🖤🙏
always most welcome
Hi Tristan, I can't say I'd heard of Thomas Chatterton. Such a tragedy to die in such circumstances so young. I really enjoyed your write, educational and well written 👏
- Syd 🍄
Thank you so much, Syd! I’m glad this brought Chatterton’s story to you. His story affected me deeply...at seventeen, he deserved support and compassion rather than being transformed into a legend after his death. 🕯️📜🖤🙏
Well, I never. Now I'll need to read up on him.
Thank you, Missy! Then this poem has accomplished exactly what I hoped it would.📜🖤🙏 🕯️
This reads like a ghost story.Well written piece amigo
Thank you so much, David! His history stayed with me long after discovering it. Keeping him unseen allowed the empty room to carry the weight of what happened there…much appreciated, my friend. 🕯️📜🖤🙏
Powerful in emotion and imagery. Sad how some have such talent and passion yet cannot demonstrate it with the riches it so deserves 💜 makes me think of Van Gogh 🌹
One of the many merits of my presence here is the new ideas, a history I knew nothing about, as with Chatterton.
The themes of lack of support social isolation and resultant poverty then contrasted with the useless subsequent adulation rings true of many human interactions.
Anyway thanks for opening yet another door for me, Tristan.
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