Home » Poems » John Watt » Into the Badlands

John Watt | + Follow Poet |

Into the Badlands

Poet's Notes

(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like John Watt.

Into the badlands I must flee escaping those who wish me ill. Good judgement failed me, now I see, into the badlands I must flee. O wretched hand, such villainy in one rash act that haunts me still - into the badlands I must flee escaping those who wish me ill. Written 3 Nov 2020

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/13/2020 6:26:00 PM

congrats, my friend. Well deserved win.

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 6:31:00 PM

Thanks. I'll have more to say about triolets in my next Soupmail

Paul Callus

Date: 11/13/2020 1:29:00 PM

An excellent Triolet, John. Now you have placed first you don't need to stay on the run any more:) Congratulations! // paul

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 1:59:00 PM

Ha ha, I guess it's time to settle down and raise a family. Thanks for the delightful comment, Paul

Edward Ibeh

Date: 11/13/2020 11:46:00 AM

Heartiest congratulations on your top win in my contest with this brilliant triolet, John:-)

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:00:00 PM

Thank you, Sir Edward, for another challenging and illuminating contest. I am enjoying reading through the winners you have selected, and am honored to be among their ranks. ~ John

Janice Canerdy

Date: 11/13/2020 6:55:00 AM

John, this is an excellent WINNING poem! Janice

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:01:00 PM

Thank you so very much, Janice!

Sara Kendrick

Date: 11/13/2020 6:25:00 AM

Good one. I hope you don't get bitten by a rattler. Congrats. Sara

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:00:00 PM

Ha, that would not be a good day! Thanks for dropping by, Sara.

Beata Agustin

Date: 11/13/2020 2:29:00 AM

Wow! Congrats! Thanks for presenting such realistic perspective in your awesome poetic style. God bless you. Thanks likewise for your edifying comments.

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:01:00 PM

Thank you, and you're welcome! God bless you, my friend ~ John

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 11/13/2020 2:27:00 AM

- Congratulations on your great win, John :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:08:00 PM

Thanks for the visit and hugs, Anne-Lise!

Eve Roper

Date: 11/12/2020 9:31:00 PM

Congratulations , John, on the win!

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:08:00 PM

Thank you for coming by, Eve. Hugs ~ John

Sam Kauffman

Date: 11/12/2020 6:16:00 PM

John, congratulations on your win! Your triolet is filled with regret and the consequences of "one rash act." Now life is on the run, looking over its shoulder. This is a full length movie in these short lines. So well done my friend. Harvest blessings!

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:11:00 PM

Thankfully, this is pure fiction (though there was that time I took a bite of my friend's Twinkie in grade school, unbeknownst to him...) Thanks for coming by with your edifying comment, Sam

Linda Alice Fowler

Date: 11/12/2020 5:34:00 PM

Great one John! Congratulations on the win! Linda

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:11:00 PM

Thanks for the visit and congrats, Linda. I appreciate it!

Alexis Y.

Date: 11/12/2020 3:09:00 PM

Hi John, This is a well executed triolet. Congratulations on your 1st place win. It was well deserved:-) Alexis

John Watt
Date: 11/13/2020 2:12:00 PM

Thank you, Alexis. Always appreciate your poetry friendship j~ John

Newton Ranaweera

Date: 11/12/2020 3:06:00 PM

Congratulations, John, on your number 1 win for this piece with great imagery!!

John Watt
Date: 11/12/2020 8:16:00 PM

Thank you, Newton, I appreciate the visit ~ John

Jennifer Proxenos

Date: 11/8/2020 8:39:00 AM

This is indeed very descriptive poetry John - but why did you have to go to the badlands - were you naughty!!! John a great trilolet, I'm certain of a win. Have missed your so deep and appreciative comments, I mustn't be greedy though you keep up to date more than I do, but then I answer a bunch. Stay safe and well my friend. Hugs and blessings, Jenifer

John Watt
Date: 11/9/2020 5:12:00 PM

Thank you for this comment, this was purely fictional, but imagining the loneliness and guilt of having to go on the lam after committing a regrettable crime. Thanks again for your many heartwarming comments!

John Watt
Date: 11/8/2020 10:43:00 PM

I read your Hubby's Folly again, and was disappointed to find my long comment there disappeared! I wrote you another one, hopefully it was close to what the first one was. I so appreciate all your kind visits today, Jennifer, I will try to repay the favor soon. God bless you, friend ~ John

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 11/7/2020 11:11:00 AM

This brings to mind those black and white Westerns, and the lonely journey they faced, it has a pleasing flow and cadence too, hope it does well in the contest! (by the way, I spent one fall in my early twenties working at Death Valley, so I can relate in that way too)

John Watt
Date: 11/7/2020 12:17:00 PM

Wow, I'd love to hear what your work entailed at Death Valley, park ranger perhaps? Thank you for the generous comment Michelle.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/5/2020 3:01:00 PM

If you are a cowboy, you have chosen a good place to flee. Cowboy/Indian territory for sure. Very nicely done. Have you been to the Badlands? we went as a family and visited some great old western places like where Annie Oakly hung out (I think she was one of them) and saw Mt. Rushmore during that trip.

John Watt
Date: 11/5/2020 3:40:00 PM

Not the Badlands, per se, but the Mohave Desert here in California comes close (Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Salton Sea). We camp in the desert for a weekend every January. Wouldn't want to live there!

Joanna Daniel

Date: 11/4/2020 1:02:00 AM

A brilliant triolet, John, wonder what the crime was:)

John Watt
Date: 11/4/2020 9:48:00 AM

It is whatever the reader is feeling guilty about. Have you read the Telltale Heart by Poe? Thanks for the visit, dear Jo. ~ John

Susan Ashley

Date: 11/3/2020 6:38:00 PM

My dear friend, your wonderful triolet wraps smoothly around with rhythmic flow and the eerie escapism of the repeating line; "into the badlands I must flee" Another masterful line, John, "O wretched hand, such villainy", piques the interest even further in this already intriguing situation, thus allowing my imagination to run wild with speculation and my heart to melt with regret over his having to flee to the badlands for one rash act.. Your talented pen shines! Best wishes for a win and best wishes for you, dear poet.. ~Susan

John Watt
Date: 11/4/2020 9:46:00 AM

Another rich comment from your generous heart, dear Susan. Thank you for liking my first triolet, it was a bit of a challenge to make the storyline flow the way I wanted it to, but realized I needed to leave out some details and let the reader's mind fill in those gaps, a tactic I'm rather new at! I guess that's where the art of poetry resides: somewhere between the opaque and the transparent, the too much said and too little. Thank you and enjoy your day! ~ John

Jack Horne

Date: 11/3/2020 11:41:00 AM

love this - I find this form very difficult, but you've made it look so easy! A sure winner here

John Watt
Date: 11/3/2020 12:21:00 PM

Thank you, Jack. I agree, not easy, this is my first attempt. I'll feel lucky if it ends up a winner.