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Tarnished Dreams

"Midnight cast its cloudy beams From the gloom the shadows went Smudging all the tarnished dreams" Lying deep inside my mind, it seems, My thoughts become twisted and bent “Midnight cast its cloudy beams” Run strangely amuck in painful extremes Synapses spark, mixed messages sent “Smudging all the tarnished dreams” With motion pictures in flashing streams My overworked brain completely spent, “Midnight cast its cloudy beams” Kaleidoscopic visions a hundred memes Some cruel, others entirely unmeant, “Smudging all the tarnished dreams" The time will come--beyond the screams, When the mind will most certainly relent. “Midnight cast its cloudy beams Smudging all the tarnished dreams” THIRD PLACE WINNER April 24, 2021 “Choose Your Form” Poetry Contest Sponsored by Joseph May [Villanelle using provided quotation]

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Jan Allison

Date: 5/18/2021 2:55:00 PM

you used Joseph's lines so brilliantly, many congrats on your win:-) hug jan xx

L Milton Hankins
Date: 5/18/2021 6:02:00 PM

Thanks, Jan, for your thoughtful comment on my poem.

Paula Goldsmith

Date: 5/14/2021 1:23:00 PM

Congratulations on your win. You did a wonderful write. Have a blessed day/weekend..................

L Milton Hankins
Date: 5/14/2021 2:39:00 PM

Paula, thanks so much for your encouraging comment.

Joseph May

Date: 5/14/2021 6:06:00 AM

Very nicely rendered Milton, Congrats on your win

L Milton Hankins
Date: 5/14/2021 8:03:00 AM

Thanks so much, Joseph. I appreciated the opportunity to submit to your contest.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 4/27/2021 3:26:00 PM

I have not understood how to do this challenge, so I will take yours as my model. It seems you did a splendid job here!!

L Milton Hankins
Date: 4/27/2021 6:19:00 PM

I hope so. You're welcome to it. I really don't like working that much with other people's words, but there was no choice. We'll see how it works out. Good luck with yours.

Poet Tellaferro

Date: 4/25/2021 12:03:00 PM

Love the imagery and use of repetition. This is my speed.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 4/25/2021 12:35:00 PM

Good. You should try the contest. Thanks so much for your thoughts. I like repetition, too.

Robert Pettit

Date: 4/24/2021 7:23:00 PM

Clever use of your lines. Good luck with this entry in Joseph's contest.

L Milton Hankins
Date: 4/24/2021 7:26:00 PM

Thanks, Robert, for your encouraging words. I found it difficult to work with someone else's lines and get into their spirit. Anyway, hope I was successful.