I still write poems in my head
On paper, maybe not
But if you ever wanted one
I'd write it on the spot
See I just have to think of you
To get the words to flow
Then watch them turn to poetry
It's easy when you know
Reading is good and easy
As is loving a pet
Without a noisy jet
Or even Picking a ripe tomato
Deciding what to read
That is what’s hard
As are waiting for the first tomatoes
And avoiding the eye of the wind
Sometimes something seems hard
But is really very easy
Including reading learning
And reading as well!
Judging poetry contests is as easy as comparing a hog to a car
Or a tub of lard to a gasoline engine and a movie star
Trying to be objective is not in the equation at all
comparing unlike things to each other is a likely fall
some are witty, others do not follow a single contest rule
I laugh at some, others are so well written they make me drool
Rght away I sort them into piles of two – one good, one not so much.
Cannot divulge my secret, but it would infuriate my Aunt Dutch
She likes everything to fit into a tidy little clean box up high
Judging poems against each other makes me roll an eye
How do you say this one is good, and that one is not
When none share a purpose, is that all you’ve got?
I used to moan and wail and torment myself with the result.
Now when I second guess my finalists, I yell “Halt!”
Just put the top three in a shake up order and try again.
The gold always rises to the top no matter what shape I’m in.
Summertime
in Louisiana's Big Easy
bass are jumpin'
and the cypress grow high
no your daddy ain't rich
but your ma's not bad-lookin'
so fish a little bayou
won't you try
some of these evenings
they're gonna rise up flyin'
and they'll spread their wings
as pelicans take to the sky
but 'til next mornin'
there ain't no one can charm you
like Acadians or Cajun standin' by
With apologies to Edwin DuBose Heyward (1885 — 1940)
Its easy to dance through
when the hole has broken whole,
I'm shiny holding a fish's tank
nothing rusty but winding the crank.
I can't be the cracked whole of you,
bad enough a demon sold his soul,
I wish for a warmth of fiery coal
but his number is upon my coat
and his grips are throttling throat.
It so easy to be so dizzy so soon
when I feel the thunder upon noon.
Upon the sleep, no-one to weep,
but how many trip wires to sweep,
as the combatants shall creep......
In the ocean, surprising my fleet.
SIMPLICITY
When little things were very small
And no-one worried much at all
The world was wide and very kind
And no-one ever got behind
And no-one had a useless life
And no-one struggled to survive
When school and work were always done
With laughter in the dancing sun
No complicated times to keep
No nights of tossy turny sleep
The world was kind and wide and good
No shortage anywhere of food
And soft the rain on God’s good earth
And black and white the same were worth
The sea was clean the air was clear
Uncluttered skies from far to near
In field and garden,
Home and hill
Those little things are precious still.
John Puckett
Listening to Jazz
Eating my egg, ham and cheese
So easy to please
from vibrations gross to subtle
savouring every sensation
we find God in each pregnant pause
of polarity rotation
dwelling in the gap, in the pause
emptiness paves the way for grace
felt within as bliss magnetism
gripping us in tender embrace
our every wish is God’s command
Who takes us through chakras seven
wherein if we be poised in peace
our soul rises straight to heaven
When love is good,
it's really great.
Unfortunately for most
when the sparkle fades,
they don't know how to fix it.
Seems easier for many
to clear the slate and
go for instant gratification
of finding someone new.
They're addicted to
easy pickings and
the high of novelty.
The other side of that coin
is they are cursed to never
experience the depth
of true and lasting love.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Two paths diverged into the woods,
some choose the easier path.
I followed my heart and chose to go straight.
It was a treacherous path and made me the best I could be.
I’m glad I chose the harder way,
It was the right choice for me.
I hope that you will chose as well,
Blazing a trail only you can travail.
We love to visit cities;
Urban blood runs through my veins
And now that we are older,
We’ve no tolerance for trains,
So instead of checking listings
For the local train or bus,
We just call an Uber and it comes
Real fast, without a fuss.
We aren’t on vacation now,
But wanted to go out.
I read of an exhibit
And liked what it was about.
Since the schedule on Sunday
Says the subways will be slow,
We decided that an Uber
Was the only way to go.
It felt like we were on a trip
And not in our backyard.
My husband loved the ease of it
And yes, in that regard
It made a lot of sense because
Convenience, truth be told,
Counts a lot, but even more so
When you’re (I’ll admit it) old!
When life leaves you lemons
deserved or not
some sunny summer's day
neither fret nor sweat
if citrus is all you've got
to show for your lot
to keep the blues at bay
be creative pull out all stops
keep calm stay cool
either squish or get off the pot
think of a drink
(old fruit)
and you're made in the shade
easy peasy lemon squeezy
simply put... make lemonade
If someday we do profess
Wear your brand new midi dress,
Fun shoes, denim jacket too
No one else but me and you
I'll tie my hair back, nice cologne
Cheshire boots will set the tone
A quiet moment with no fuss
'Til later on when it's just us
life's so E
A
SY ~
When you are
by my
s-i-d-e
I f
a
l
l in l°°o°°v°°e°°
my m*i*n*d at r~~e~~s~~t
l°°o°°v°°e°° is no more a G
A
ME ~
l»i»f»e
b
e
comes f~u~n
Whew ~ I'm all tuckered out
from doing my day-to-day spellcasting business,
conjuring this and conjuring that,
bewitching this and bewitching that,
I hate to say it but I'm not
the young enchantress I used to be.
It's time for a break and have some brew ~
what I need next is to summon my charming warlock
to make me feel those long gone days of youth again.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
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