Surreality

whirling, twirling, swirling clouds in a liquid sky
mother says be careful dear, have some tulip pie
mongrels, thieves and vagrants dream of life beyond the sun
daddy says he's coming home cuz war was too much fun
cats and dogs and lizard things are raining all around
grandma's flying toward the moon and won't stay on the ground
truthful lies and purple skies, chaos at my door
dragon kings and pigs with wings search for evermore
comets crashing, sinners flee as rivers turn blood red
candy canes and chocolate drops, everyone is dead
dreams and schemes and vision quests, reality's a blur
am I sleeping or awake, wish I could be sure



* This one won first place in a poetry contest at the local library some years ago

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Evelyn Judy Buehler

Date: 5/8/2025 2:33:00 PM

Tom, I really enjoyed this delightful poem, with its wild occurrences, eccentric people, dazzling colors and terrific rhyming. Congratulations on your win. This is a fave. :)

Tom Woody
Date: 5/8/2025 6:52:00 PM

Thx Ev

Mickey Grubb

Date: 4/16/2025 10:21:00 AM

Tom, what a kaleidoscope! Is reality the dream, or is the dream reality? You're an incredible poet, my friend.

Mickey Grubb
Date: 4/16/2025 11:14:00 AM

Okay, cool...I'll look for it, thanks.

Tom Woody
Date: 4/16/2025 10:31:00 AM

Jim Carey did an awesome impersonation of Matthew McConaughey that asks that same question. It's on YouTube you gotta watch it

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 12/7/2024 11:32:00 AM

Congratulations on your win. A wonderful expression of feelings. Kind wishes, Kai

Tom Woody
Date: 12/7/2024 12:30:00 PM

It's not a win, but thx much

thriveni c mysore

Date: 12/4/2024 9:19:00 PM

congratulations on your win dear poet. cheers.

Tom Woody
Date: 12/5/2024 5:07:00 AM

Cheers back

Susan Ashley

Date: 12/4/2024 5:28:00 PM

Dear Tom, I see you're getting extra bonus miles with this fantastic poem too haha! It's a great piece, rich, trippy imagery and metaphors wrapped in wonderful rhymes. Hmmm, I thought I had commented on this earlier... Congratulations for your success in Kai's contest. Warmest wishes, poet friend.. ~Suze

Tom Woody
Date: 12/4/2024 5:31:00 PM

Thx Suze. My muse is out of town at the moment

Lisa Ricci

Date: 6/16/2024 6:36:00 AM

Good Morning Tom. Hi. Congratulations on your winning entry. How grand is that. Very. You took us all on a journey of the mind. This was creative and well executed in its entirety. And yes, you named your entry well. (smile smile smile). Thank you for sharing your skilled talent. May this day find you well. Peace and Blessings. (another smile)

Tom Woody
Date: 6/16/2024 3:58:00 PM

Just a silly little bit of nothing but thx so much for visit :)

Gary Radice

Date: 5/23/2024 10:22:00 AM

I enjoyed this trippy read Tom. Lennon's Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds meets Arthur Lee's Love and Floyd. Even the image should be a prog rock album cover. You've labelled this free verse..'really free' maybe but brilliant rhyming too. Worth re-reads. Nice one. Cheers - Gary

Tom Woody
Date: 5/23/2024 2:31:00 PM

Thanks for visiting my bit of funk

Joe Maverick

Date: 5/17/2024 10:51:00 PM

Hmm..? Yes a good write Tom. Not suorised it Got one.' I'm not sure it would have garnerd one On soup though...Would have been viewed to Mundane like as not lol)) Anyway just arisen Here' wondering what nightmare nuances will Be hinted at today (by the far crazy) leaders we Have?? Have you seen the mirriored view of The English kings portrait yet?? Seems like bahomet got added in there.? Or is it a crazy Theory.?? I'm beyond surprised now.. But he Says he is (against his brother?) Its enough

Tom Woody
Date: 5/18/2024 5:27:00 AM

I'd call her Bertha, but that's jus me. Thx Joe

Joe Maverick
Date: 5/17/2024 10:54:00 PM

To cause a lizzard to overheat.!! Btw?? If lizards had A queen 'would we call her lizzie.??? Its all so poetic somehow lol)))

Jim Slaughter

Date: 5/4/2024 1:39:00 PM

The imagery here is awesome, Tom. No wonder it did well in a contest.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/18/2024 5:27:00 AM

Much thx jim

Tonye George

Date: 5/4/2024 7:08:00 AM

You write so amazingly dear Tommy. Where have you been? I could ask myself the same. There are lots of things we wish were real, however being a poet gives you the ability to bring them to live. A lot is going on and I wish war was really fun. "truthful lies and purple skies, chaos at my door." Wake up dear Tom. And this won because it's so good I want it to be real. Cheers.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/4/2024 10:23:00 AM

Very sweet. Thx Tonye

Eileen Manassian

Date: 5/3/2024 6:33:00 PM

It was definitely a Poetic trip you took us on with psychedelic undertones. Great piece of writing. Each line outdid the one before. Surreal in every sense of the word.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/4/2024 6:03:00 AM

Thx for visit Eileen. I saw your poem on hating this world. I'll comment shortly

Connie Pachecho

Date: 5/3/2024 3:52:00 PM

You built a beautiful house here. Nicely done. Great wood, woody.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/4/2024 6:03:00 AM

A visit from Connie Paycheck? Way cool. I'll be over your way soon

Maria Williams

Date: 5/3/2024 4:39:00 AM

A fascinating piece of poetry that I found to be quite imaginative and thought-provoking. Your skillful use of vivid imagery throughout the poem was truly captivating, especially the experience of eating a pie made from tulips. Despite the surreality, I found the poem to be quite mesmerising and well-crafted. Your ability to paint a picture with words and evoke emotions through language is truly impressive. Well done Tommy. Truly enjoyed and i can see why it won. Congrats and a Fave for me.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/3/2024 5:01:00 AM

It's an oldie but thx for visit Maria

Panagiota Romios

Date: 5/2/2024 6:33:00 AM

I unblocked you,)))) Request supportive comments!! If you dont like any poem, move to any poet you do like. Thank you. I saw your commebt at keiths. Pangie

Tom Woody
Date: 5/2/2024 9:01:00 AM

I'm free, I'm free, I'm freeeeeeee

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 5/2/2024 2:30:00 AM

Have you lost your muse? You are so imaginative.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/2/2024 4:45:00 AM

Thx Victor. I don't write under compulsion or out of need. When I'm in the mood or when something strikes my fancy I'll write. This one is many years old, but I've written quite a few new ones of late as well. Thx for checking in

Brian Sambourne

Date: 5/1/2024 2:26:00 PM

Such imaginative verse, Tom. There is such a fantastical flow from one surreal image to the next. The internal rhymes are exceptional like "truthful lies and purple skies, chaos at my door." Certainly a winner in so many respects. Congratulations! Brian

Tom Woody
Date: 5/1/2024 2:55:00 PM

Hey thx for stopping by

B. Andrew Kelly

Date: 4/30/2024 10:43:00 AM

i wanna try some tulip pie that sounds lovely. perfect kind of springtime dessert

Tom Woody
Date: 4/30/2024 3:04:00 PM

That's what she said. Idk. Thx

Ink Empress

Date: 4/30/2024 9:51:00 AM

Gosh! What a brilliant write this is! I love the surreality that youv delivered in a very creative manner here. Your opening lines with those internal rhymes and also the way youv painted imagery of raining cats dogs and lizards! Whoa! Youv really used poetic techniques in this one and i love especially the lines “ comets crashing, sinners flee as rivers turn blood red candy canes and chocolate drops, everyone is dead” this gives me the fantasy vibes and is so whimsical! So magical! Love it. Definitely a fave for me too!

Tom Woody
Date: 4/30/2024 3:05:00 PM

Thx inky. It's an oldie. Been a bit lazy of late

Karen Jones

Date: 4/29/2024 6:03:00 PM

Delightful and fun! I see why it won!

Tom Woody
Date: 4/30/2024 5:13:00 AM

Thx karen

Mystic Rose Rose

Date: 4/29/2024 1:00:00 PM

Really enjoyed your creative surreal poem Woody

Tom Woody
Date: 4/29/2024 1:34:00 PM

Thx Rose

Sam Kauffman

Date: 4/29/2024 10:40:00 AM

What a crazy, topsi-turvy world, Tom - "sleeping or awake?" Nothing is as it seems in the light of the sun! Definitely a place of the surreal. Enjoyed this with my morning tea! So much fun. I especially liked the "candy canes and chocolate drops!" Yummy!! Blessings!

Tom Woody
Date: 4/29/2024 1:35:00 PM

Yeah mostly nonsense. There may be a lesson in there somewhere. Or not

I Am Anaya

Date: 4/28/2024 2:27:00 PM

Love this whimsy, surreal piece!

I Am Anaya
Date: 4/28/2024 4:04:00 PM

Mine was too late, it went quickly!

Tom Woody
Date: 4/28/2024 3:45:00 PM

Thx. Some of the entries in the contest put mine to shame. Oof! Humbled

Regina Mcintosh

Date: 4/28/2024 1:25:00 AM

Wow. Love this! God bless you, love, Gina

Tom Woody
Date: 4/28/2024 5:07:00 AM

Hey thx

Keith D Trestrail

Date: 4/27/2024 7:09:00 PM

Each line more surreal than the next. Sounds very close to a trip I went on once after I took some bad acid. Granted, I didn’t see grandma flying to the moon but the flying dragons and crashing comets definitely. I can see why this won the contest. It’s entertaining, it’s other-worldly, and full of eccentricity. A bit like you, Son of Spock!

Tom Woody
Date: 4/28/2024 5:06:00 AM

My only goal in life is the attainment of a pure state of logic. Well, and to eat lots of pie