Best Tragedy Poems


Premium Member There It Sat

It was a gorgeous house
Dated in its style
A stone-walled bungalow
Quiet sitting up on a hill

I’d never seen a sign of life
And the stories lurked about
Owned by an old photographer
Whose son had hung himself

A house that seemed abandoned
Where everyone had left their soul
In some form passed away and died
Leaving just the ghosts to roam



AP: Honorable Mention 2020

Posted on February 13, 2019

Tragedy In Black

by:  Eric L. Boddie
"A History Of..."

As it has come to be
Foundations of slavery define my destiny
Relentless jealousy continues our oppression
Only the Black American is subject to such obsession

African American, naw, I prefer black myself
Me being a native to America ever since my first breath
Every act of discrimination, every possible form of abuse
Reflections of the Word Of God being just one excuse
In actuality, only hate can bestow such cruelty upon a fellow man
Can you imagine your mother tortured with observation as your only stand
And that is the history that I and others like me must endure
No humanity exists in my ancestors being three fifths of a human and that's for sure
Something wicked has been revealed....after all, my people are continuously killed.....

written:  August 16, 2015
contest:  Tragedy in Black
sponsor:  Bev Smith
Form: Acrostic

Premium Member Ophelia: the Evergreen Heroine of Shakespearean Tragedy

The quintessential of nyctophilia, wrapped in bridal attire, slowly and slowly as in somnambulism there goes the heroine of timeless tragedy to supersede her lovers feigned insanity.

Her beloved father is no more, being killed by her suitor's intrigued tyranny;
ignored to be drowned, to burn in the flame of plotted felony.

Jilted, to be startled by the selcouth performance of her handsome wooer's vile strategy;
there goes the most beautiful heroine ever to be the victim of fated irony,
immersed in senseless lunacy, to vanish from the sight of Hamlet's fatalistic eyes to bid adieu to the agony,
slowly and slowly to be disappeared into melancholic darkness from the dazzling maniac opaque sight;
there goes the  Danish heroine of evergreen tragedy.


Premium Member In the Aftermath of Love and Tragedy: Heloise and Abelard

"Then there is no more left but this, that
in our doom the sorrow yet to come shall be no less 
than the love we two have already known" 
(Words of Heloise to Abelard after her pregnancy)

Like moon on nights of skies un-starred
she lived without her Abelard.
A parched still plain was Heloise -
like moon on nights of skies un-starred.
In death she would not lose regard
for him who’d been her rain and breeze.
Like moon on nights of skies un-starred,
she lived without her Abelard. 

When Abelard put love away,
with Church he mightily aligned.
The world was not like ours today
when Abelard put love away.
Not even Heloise could say
were she to often cross his mind.
When Abelard put love away,
with Church he mightily aligned.

By Andrea Dietrich

For the Famous Couples/DuosPoetry Contest 
of Heather Ober

(based on one of the most interesting love stories
I have ever read: Abelard & Heloise)
Form: Triolet

Premium Member A Soup Tragedy

Since Kash revealed "her" secret, I have turned red.
All day I cried onto the pillow on my bed.
I think the whole true awful tale needs to be said.
A tragedy! I now feel like a blunderhead.
And though she is a vixen, I have to say I led
Kash on that “love rail” with me. Bold-spirited,
with lustful Soupmail, eagerly I visited
this "lass", who seems so manly! Lies had been fed
to me by her. She’s not a man, and I misread
her amorous responses. All my hope has fled!
There’s more!  I’m gay. My real name's Andrew. Now with dread
I face the fact I can’t have Kash. My poor heart’s dead.

(I decided I better put an explanation here because I wrote this more than a year
ago for a contest in which we were supposed to write a poem that could be either
a lie or the truth.  After Kashinath, my good friend and a MAN, wrote a very funny
poem proclaiming himself a woman, this was my way of doing a fictional poem in  
response to his funny contest entry!  OH, the poem of KASH POET is called A SECRET FUNNY TALE, I hope you will read it!)

For Shani Fassbender's really cool contest: Tell Me a Secret

And now for PD's contest: Make me Laugh
Form: Monorhyme

My Only Son 9-11 Tragedy

"Put on channel seven.
My Lord!! What have they done! 
I can not believe it..
they killed my only son!"

Raised with respect.
Never a problem.
Worked hard as a Man.
Problems..he would solve them. 

He did well in College.. 
He struggled..but made it through. 
Held his chin up when he was down.
Gods help..guided him through.

He put down his cup of coffee.
Kissed his daughters face.
Ran to catch the bus.
To join the daily race.

On the 105th floor, 
"Ding!" and he steps out. 
He can already hear. 
His boss’s vivid shouts.

It’s 9:15.
We are staring at the screen. 
The worst disaster I have ever seen.
The building collapsed.
My heart went numb.
Where..Oh! Where, 
is my only son?

Did he make to the office?
Lord tell me..it’s not true.
God, take me instead of him!
Please help him get through. 

"Where is my Daddy?" 
I was staring in her eyes..
I saw it then..she realized.
"Why would they do it?
..What have they done?
I said, "We are not to hate but..
..but they have killed my only son."


One More 2020 Tragedy

Jan's cucumber* got quite a spin
From a lady who did not like men
It worked like a charm
And caused her no harm
But got dumped in the rubbish bin

*queuing_for_his_cucumbers_-_bawdy_1277298
Form: Limerick

The Children of the Sun

The lights are out tonight,
But our struggles still ignite
The hay of hope, like hearth
Amidst the cold and dark.

To the temples in the sky,
For Heaven-on-Earth we cry.
We're our own Kingdom Come,
For we're the Children of the Sun.

The sinners passing by
Might greet us with goodbye.
Is it their guns against us might?
They wouldn't stand against our light.

Come Hell or Highwater,
With our sons and our daughters
We'll stand together as one,
For we're the Children of the Sun.
Form: Quatern

Premium Member A Greek Tragedy

I knew an old woman from Greece
Whose whinging words would seldom cease
She’d constantly whine
When drunk on red wine
Her husband’s in dire need of peace!


How much cash does a Grecian earn -
such questions I tried hard to spurn
Her husband went mad
and did something bad -
she’s interred in a Grecian urn!

8/20/19
Form: Limerick

Premium Member California's Tragedy Exposed As The Fires Burn On

They love creating chaos that's their plan.
Look at the wild fires out West, here we go again!
Devastating families with no end in sight.
Canceling their fire insurance, as their homes burn bright!
No water in the fire hydrants, can you imagine that?
The Controllers planned it that way, such an evil act!
Chaos they love and they love to destroy.
Starting off the New Year, Newsom's their boy.
This world is full of evil, and it will get worse!
If the people don't take a stand, there will be remorse!

(No syllable count)

PLEASE DONATE TO THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY
FUND. IT IS A RECOVERY FUND DEDICATED FOR
HELPING THE VICTIMS OF THE WILDFIRE.
Thank you and please pray for the victims of these
wildfires. God bless all that do.


It is sad to know these Hell bound
Satanist have planned the destruction
of California through their manipulation,
aiding in not implementing a plan to 
have water in the hydrants with 7.5 Billions
put aside to do so, they did not implement.
Cutting the Firefighters budget by 17 
million dollars. Creating the fires like in
Hawaii using lasers. They have targeted
California, Hawaii, and Canada. You know
this was planned because the fires were
started with 100 miles an hour winds in
place to fan the fires. What are the odds
of having no water in the hydrants, 100
miles an hour winds to fan the fires, and
the start of fires, all at once... Also months
before the insurance companies started
cancelling homeowners policies against
fires. Who tipped them off these fires were
coming to take such action. This tells you
it was planned and someone knew ahead of
time the fires were coming? This has to stop. 
I hope there is an extensive investigation from
a private company not by their own 
administration.
Davin Newsom has to be charged for this
planned destruction, loss of life, and suffering
caused by his alleged deliberat actions.

Important: Please go to YOUTUBE and type in
The Fires are "the plan" This is Disturbing. Off Grid
with Doug and Stacy...      You will be amazed what
is in this video...
Form: Rhyme

ONLY YOU

[Verse 1 – Sparse piano, falsetto opening]
Sailing toward a horizon I’ll never touch
Whispers break me, it’s all too much
I’ve left the beach
The sun stood still, the breeze was kind
Now I’m adrift and out of time
I can’t find peace

[Chorus – Ambient synths begin layering, slow build]
Only you...
Even in the deep, I dream of you
Even when I fall, I fall for you
I reach for light, but it's breaking through
Only...
You

[Verse 2 – Light beat pulses in, tension builds]
The waves, they crash, they carry pain
Salt on my lips, it calls your name
And I'm to blame
My love has gone, and stars don't shine
Each tide I face pulls back my mind
To when you were mine

[Chorus – Bigger, higher range, backing harmonies begin]
Only you...
Even as I drown, I fall for you
Even when I’m lost, I’m lost in you
The tide won’t turn, but my soul knew—
Only...
You

[Bridge – Choir-like harmonies, ambient textures swirl]
I’m sinking low, the silence screams
You were the light inside my dreams
If love could breathe, I’d breathe again
Just one more chance to hold you then
Salt in my chest, your scent remains
A final kiss through liquid pain
If this is death, then let it be...
Where you and I still meet beneath
The waves...

[Final Chorus – Gospel-style climax, emotional peak]
Only you...
Even in the dark, I shine for you
Even as I fade, I burn so true
This heart won’t stop, it’s beating through
Only...
Only you...
You.
© Lyric Man  Create an image from this poem.
Form: Lyric

Premium Member A Christmas Tragedy

There was a boy who liked to drink beer
He'd been more naughty than nice all year
   Sudden drop of energy 
   Caused by sudden allergy 
Sadly made for sober Christmas cheer



AP: 1st place 2025

Submitted on November 19, 2019 for contest HOLIDAY THEMED LIMERICK sponsored by TANIA KITCHIN  -  RANKED 4TH
Form: Limerick

Tragedy

The field is wet with sunshine,
Ripe grasses green and high;
With a reaper in the meadow,
And a bird flies in the sky.

There's a nest with little babies,
With three beaks opened wide;
A reaper's in the meadow,
And a song hangs in the sky.

The meadow's ripe with summer,
And a tragedy passes by;
With a scythe in the meadow,
And a song up in the sky.
Form: Elegy

Premium Member Into The Blue

Bowing to the mighty ocean 
Relentless is her pull,
Into the blue depths
'Til she's good and full

Ice took it's first shot
As steady we ran right in,
Sailing along so freely
As a whale on his fin

Crashing, just scraping by
Then onto a dead stop,
I write this letter now
While I sit safe atop

The iron walls creak
The frigid waters seep,
Tilting the floorboards and 
The last tears I weep

A message in a bottle 
Dropped into the blue, 
Do pardon my absence...
I shall not be joining you.
Form: Rhyme

Premium Member October

October is a tragedy
Written by the ghosts of summertime,
Discharging promises and platitudes
Like an old man seated on a rocking chair;
Reciting them time and again,
Building false hope
Like a child
Building a house with playing cards.
Ferocious wind, a gentle thump,
They crumble;
Returning to a predetermined purpose,
Bound by a preexisting oath.






Copyright © 1994-2018 by Benjamin Toney.  All rights reserved.
Published 2016 in "Up In Smoke" via wattpad.com

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