David Kavanagh Poet Rhyme

The Reclusive Verses

Wanting to shrug off this shell, break loose from me
Silence that damn hermit, hiccuping under his tree
Trapped inside too long, dormancy dreams to wake 
Disgorging bubbly lava, fills in soporific landscapes 

Longing to escape soft tissue, cast off mortal bones 
Break shackles of mundanity, rid life’s infernal drone 
Out there lies all answers, beyond the hermits void
His space mostly perfect, til our Big Bang destroyed 

Go forth and multiply, primal stars hypernova like hell
Filling a cosmos with elements, configuring him as well 
Hold your tongue hermit, stop humming about in bliss
Stay quiet down that hole, cease fumbling at the abyss

Deeper and deeper, below where basements depress
Sits an altar of incremental tables, poets go to confess 
Forget truths algorithm, they’ll fool any polygraph test
And the hermit lies all day long, he meditates for a rest

Breathe in, breathe out, forget about terminal breaths
Don’t underestimate the ether, chants a monk in Tibet
Fill your mind with mindfulness, peace will set you free
Watch them hiccups abate now, our hermit’s all at sea



 February 6th 2023 / 2022 Poetry Marathon Qualifiers' 
FINAL Placement Poetry Contest / Sponsor: Mark Toney

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Laurentine G April 22, 2026 at 3:05 AM Just thought I'd select a poem at random from your archives - love the comments on this one, they are like a room full of high fives for a job well done :) bliss and angst really do love to wrestle for dominance - quieted by the simplest of things (but never by overthinking it). Belated congratulations on your placement in the marathon, the trophy and the deserved accolade of POTD :) David Kavanagh April 22, 2026 at 8:31 AM Heya LG, this poem has been good to me over the years, and is one of my own personal favourites, I was definitely angsty at the time over being unable to meditate, because of various distractions, which I equated with (the hiccups) don’t think I ever completely shook them off, as I still cannot meditate properly, it was fun to write though, and gave me ideas for a couple of other poems at the time, thanks so much for stopping by with great comment and congrats, cheers David

Susan Ashley March 10, 2023 at 7:34 AM Dear David, it's my great pleasure to arrive at this trophy winning masterwork and offer you my heartiest congratulations for your excellent final placement in Mark's Marathon contest and for POTD honors (a worthy and well-deserved choice!) I'm thrilled to partake of this soulful poem, brimming with angsty, intriguing imagery, lush rhymes and expressive, thought provoking verses. It is a grand honor to share the podium with you, David, you are a wonderfully talented poet. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan David Kavanagh March 10, 2023 at 8:37 AM Heya Susan, thank you for such an uplifting comment and assessment of my poem, it’s one of my personal favourites, and gave me great pleasure writing it, I sincerely congratulate you on a most deserving 1st place in the marathon, cheers David

Lin Lane March 5, 2023 at 10:50 AM I love seeing your name on the Marathon list, David. David Kavanagh March 5, 2023 at 10:55 AM Heya Lin, I fell over and didn’t finish every stage, still I’m delighted you lapped me a few times, and left me some water to drink lol, cheers David

Mark Toney March 4, 2023 at 1:37 PM David, after 267 days, 27 contests, and 945 submitted poems, we've reached the finish line of my 2022 Poetry Marathon Contest. Congratulations on placing 20th overall in the marathon! Thank you so much for contributing to the success of the contest. There is no provision to denote this in the Standard Contest other than Honorable Mention. The poems of the 28 qualifiers can be accessed from my current "Finish Line" blog post, along with the top 15 placements and their overall stats. Write on! David Kavanagh March 4, 2023 at 2:32 PM Thanks Mark, I appreciate your honourable mention, and acknowledge proviso, an enjoyable marathon nonetheless, cheers David

Andrea Dietrich July 3, 2022 at 11:35 AM DEEP poetry and so well expressed. Big congrats for your trophy win here. David Kavanagh July 3, 2022 at 12:40 PM Thank you Andrea, this is one of my own personal favourites, so was even more delighted to get a trophy with it, cheers David

Jenna Logan June 26, 2022 at 2:11 PM Congratulations on your top win, dear David. I'm proud of your write. I'd like to shrug off the world about now. Jenna Logan June 28, 2022 at 4:16 AM Thank you. ;) David Kavanagh June 26, 2022 at 2:32 PM Great comment Jenna, this world can indeed weigh heavy on us at times, but then I try remind myself that it was always this way throughout history, (We Didn't Start the Fire) by Billy Joel probably sums it up, your a fighter Jenna, and that will always stand for you going forward, cheers David

Paula Goldsmith June 26, 2022 at 8:02 AM Back with Congratulations on this new win. A creative rhyme story/write. Have a great/blessed day............... David Kavanagh June 26, 2022 at 8:21 AM You remembered this one Paula which is great, I resurrected it from my back catalogue, to try get into the race, I’m delighted with the response, cheers David

John Watt June 25, 2022 at 10:34 PM Very intelligent writing, David. So thought-provoking and creative. You'd be an interesting guy to crack open a beer with. Congratulations on your new trophy and good luck with those hiccups ~ John David Kavanagh June 26, 2022 at 4:45 AM Thank you John, hiccups where indeed the bane of my meditation attempts, yeah I’d certainly have a beer with you or anyone with an open mind, who cares to peck my brains without running for a straight jacket to put me in, your thoughts on my poem are indeed a fine endorsement, and I’m delighted to get a stage win in the marathon, cheers David

Mark Toney June 25, 2022 at 4:17 PM "The reclusive verses" a/k/a "The hermit verses." David, from my perspective this is an excellent description of existential angst, the solution to which is your response to Jenna below: "chill out with a book and a beer." Love it! Congratulations on your first-place finish on Mile 4 of my 2022 Poetry Marathon Contest. Mile 5 has already started! David Kavanagh June 26, 2022 at 4:34 AM Thank you Mark, I’m totally delighted with the win in mile 4 of your marathon, your existential angst comment, is definitely another way of interpreting this one, we really do have to find whatever personally works for us to chill out, meditation I find impossible, yep it’s a beer and a book for me, cheers David

James Peranteau August 29, 2021 at 4:34 PM i wuz in the neighborhood and decided to reread your intellect and i am inclined to iterate Mr. Wolf's exciaim dear poet*sm...i enjoyed the bombastic approach to delineating the ascetic pneuma...i at times am he, yet, mine wonder causes mine wander...have a great one, congrats....much love, james David Kavanagh August 30, 2021 at 12:49 AM A bombastic poetic approach, I could go along with that James, especially when in soliloquy with oneself, things do get a little heated, I am all the time he, at my altar of incremental tables, cheers David

Gershon Wolf August 21, 2021 at 7:13 PM Whew! I'm out of breath from this one, David. Belated congrats on POTD, Gershon David Kavanagh August 22, 2021 at 12:58 AM Thank you Gershon, chasing after the hermits high is hard work indeed, who would’ve guessed, cheers David

James Peranteau August 21, 2021 at 4:53 AM Your fans have spoken! Much love, james David Kavanagh August 21, 2021 at 5:00 AM Thank you James for looking in with good vibes, Cheers David

Jennifer Proxenos August 20, 2021 at 12:29 PM Congratulations David on POTD for this epic write - an honor bestowed on you that was certainly well deserved. Hugs and blessings, Jennifer. David Kavanagh August 20, 2021 at 1:09 PM Thank you Jennifer, all down to my inability to meditate, I have the attention span of a goldfish, this one just kept going on its own, was delighted it got potd, cheers David

Krish Radhakrishna August 19, 2021 at 2:00 PM Congrats on POTD! very good write! breaking away from the shell! Nirvana! David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 2:35 PM If only I could Krish, the only Nirvana I can reach is the band, which I love, meditation is way out of my league, I get lost just thinking about it, lol, cheers David

Jennifer Fenn August 19, 2021 at 1:36 PM Wow! Sounds like a wish for freedom. Congrats on POTD! David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 2:29 PM Heya Jennifer, freedom has so many forms, you could well be right, I have definitely subconsciously embedded many layers into this one, thank you so much for looking in, cheers David

Christuraj Alex August 19, 2021 at 12:24 PM Great Mystical Write. Congratulations! David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 12:31 PM Thank you Alex, glad you enjoyed, cheers David

Heidi Sands August 19, 2021 at 10:59 AM Congratulations for this great POTD :) David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 11:10 AM Thank you Heidi I’m delighted you called in, hope you are keeping well, cheers David

Mark Koplin August 19, 2021 at 10:43 AM Congratulations on potd brother! David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 10:46 AM Thanks Mark, I appreciate you stopping in, cheers David

Paula Goldsmith August 19, 2021 at 10:26 AM Congratulations on your p.o.t.d. win. A creative rhyme story/write. Love this line, "Hold your tongue hermit, stop humming about in bliss" Many do not know how to hold their tongue. Have a blessed day........... David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 10:43 AM I stand accused Paula, I actually don’t know where that line came from, was on a roll so kept penning, perhaps my subconscious is telling me to calm down, cheers David

Beryl Edmonds August 19, 2021 at 10:16 AM A splendid write David, congratulations on poem of the day… Belle David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 10:40 AM Thank you so much for looking in Belle, an enjoyable write, writing off my meditation skills, cheers David

Constance La France August 19, 2021 at 7:12 AM David, wonderful writing and congratulations on a deserving POEM OF THE DAY enjoy the honor ~Constance David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 8:28 AM Thank you Constance, I really appreciate the honor, as well as you stopping by with congrats, I’m delighted with this poem, I found cathartic to write, cheers David

Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart August 19, 2021 at 6:26 AM Stilling the mind an act I have not mastered yet. So many hiccups. Fantastic piece, more depth achieved with every read. Lovely to see your talent highlighted in POTD, congratulations! Have a fabulous day! xomo David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 7:10 AM Aw shucks Super Mo thank you, high praise indeed, I’ve all but given up on meditation, too much interference from the background radiation in the void, I’m delighted you enjoyed reading my poem and found some depth, cheers David

Unseeking Seeker August 19, 2021 at 5:14 AM Congrats on POTD, David! If we cannot meditate, let’s celebrate! It’s the same thing actually :) David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 9:21 AM Be silent hermit! your rubbing it in now, I’m definitely jealous lol. Unseeking Seeker August 19, 2021 at 7:18 AM Melding with the sunset, exuberance without cause … thought rested stillness, vibrant nonchalance David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 5:23 AM Thank you seeker, I appreciate you stopping by, I definitely cannot meditate, and am probably a bit jealous of those who can, though you probably wouldn’t have guessed, from this piece, cheers David

Anne-Lise Andresen August 19, 2021 at 1:32 AM - Congratulations on your p.o.t.d. ... a thought-provoking writing, David - hugs // Anne-Lise :) David Kavanagh August 19, 2021 at 2:08 AM Thank you Anne Lise, for breaking the good news, today, it’s indeed an honour to get potd, I thoroughly enjoyed writing this poem, mostly about my inability to meditate, due to the random chaos of life, even more problematic in mundanity, cheers David

Sotto Poet August 17, 2021 at 4:45 PM Davis, your poem is fantastic. While you do an excellent job with powerful images and fantastic symbolism, the reader may appreciate it more if he delves into its details. Freedom from limits in body and mind, no matter how awful meditation is, allows negative energy to be evacuated to free of the demands of reality. We are used to focusing on the present moment, yet reality extends beyond that. David Kavanagh August 18, 2021 at 12:05 AM Thank you Lasaad, this one is about most peoples inability to meditate properly (I’m one of them) hence the hiccuping and distractions, some minds are too fixated on multimedia lies, and spin, with myself it’s the urge to break free of human constraints, not into the void but into the reality of creation itself, cheers David

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