L Milton Hankins | + Follow Poet |
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Finding Beauty In Life

I find beauty in the unkempt places ~~
Sticky beehives with perfectly formed combs,
A child's playground sea of dirty faces,
An overgrown garden with ugly gnomes,
Sagging gables of long-deserted homes.

I look for more than people likely see ~~
Wondrous events occurring in past tense,
Places long untouched, lovely by degree,
Feelings of beauty lit from innocence,
Well-crafted stories hinging on suspense.

I long for beauty in the dour mundane ~~
Making the minus a clear positive,
Finding some loveliness in the profane,
To be learned in the raw provocative,
Turning low grades into superlative. 

[LIFE]

SECOND PLACE WINNER
Written July 1, 2022
For "It's All About Three Q's" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Constance La France
[15-10 syllable lines in 3 Stanzas checked by HMS
The ababb of the English Quintain with rhymes
checked with Rhyme Zone]

#16 on Poetry Soup's 100 Best New Poems List
August 24, 2022
#20 on Poetry Soup's 100 Best New Poems List
August 15, 2022

Copyright © L Milton Hankins | Year Posted 2022

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Ann Peck Date: 8/8/2022 3:36:00 PM I love your poem, Milton, and am faving it. I'm with you in the looking for beauty in the mundane; also, the tiny, the old, the discrete. I might pass on the sticky beehive :) Congrats on your win! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 8/8/2022 4:32:00 PM Thanks so much, Ann. I'm so pleased you like it.

Sam Kauffman Date: 8/5/2022 9:11:00 AM Milt, congratulations for your win! It is a true heavenly gift to make lemonade out of lemons - to find the silver lining - and live in the Divine. You truly go beyond appearances to find the gift of the blessing. Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 8/5/2022 9:15:00 AM Thank you so much, Sam. Always I love hearing from you and enjoy your thoughtful comments.

Constance La France Date: 8/5/2022 6:15:00 AM Milt, congratulations on your win in my contest with your lovely Quintain, wonderful writing, blessings ~ Constance Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 8/5/2022 7:35:00 AM Thank you so much, Constance. I really enjoyed your contest. Having read the winning entries, it must have been quite a task judging them, and you did so well!

Paula Goldsmith Date: 8/1/2022 11:01:00 AM Congratulations on your win. What a Lovely write. Beauty is everywhere. Most people do not see it. Today be blessed as you write away............... Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 8/1/2022 12:08:00 PM Thank you so much, Paula. I hope you are having a marvelous Monday and that your week will bring you everything you enjoy.

Linda Alice Fowler Date: 8/1/2022 5:33:00 AM Lofty ideal Milt. Only special people look beyond to find the beauty and to understand. Congratulations to a special poet on your win! Linda Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 8/1/2022 7:23:00 AM Thank you so much, Linda, for your thoughtful comment on my poem.

Unseeking Seeker Date: 8/1/2022 4:30:00 AM A mindfulness continuum ~ congrats on your well deserved win, Milt! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 8/1/2022 7:23:00 AM Thanks so much, Unseeking Seeker. I always appreciate hearing from you.

Caren Krutsinger Date: 7/3/2022 1:51:00 AM This poem went straight to my FAVE list; it reads like a happy upbeat tune! Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 7/3/2022 9:06:00 AM Thanks, Caren. I hope Constance likes it, too.

Jeff Connelly Date: 7/2/2022 3:43:00 PM Wonderful imagery L Milton. I especially like: "Wondrous events occurring in past tense". Really nice. Thanks. (I hope you win the contest!)... Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 7/2/2022 7:04:00 PM Aw, thank you, Jeff. What a very nice thing to say. I appreciate it.

Tom Cunningham Date: 7/1/2022 10:40:00 PM I think we're often so critical of things in life that we often don't see the forest for the trees, but you're right Milton beauty is everywhere. Tom Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 7/2/2022 9:14:00 AM It is, indeed. Sometimes in the most mundane things in the most unlikely places! One of the things I like about Poetry Soup is that I find a lot of beauty here.