On a mild Spring’s night
In the heartlands of Ulster
A prodigious child was born
For Ireland, to save her
A man of modest means
Yet formidable wit
The mystics he joined
A cause to commit
In poems and paintings
He found self expression
Yet through a noble pursuit
Would leave his impression
He traversed the country
On a campaign of recruitment
To free the impoverished through struggle
And the Co-operative movement
With Horace Plunkett and Connolly
He struggled for justice
Yet the Gombeens and the despots
Outweighed Caesar Augustus
Though Russell did not stop
In this quest for social reform
From misery to prosperity
One sought to transform
But the inconsiderate dogma
Of the Irish Free State
Meant to delay his mission
As the ‘Homestead’ must wait
George William Russell grew older
Crippled by usury
To wretched cancer, succumbed
Rest in peace, ‘AE’
So you will know finally
use your ears ‘til they’re boiling;
Gather knowledge faithfully
until that skill set’s glowing;
Soon you will be addicted
to this creative bouquet;
Batteries not included,
got to walk down this highway.
I knew a land not far from here
where stories kissed goodnight
- a land like Oz before the storm
when all was black and white.
Yet now as ruby tinted mists
add colour to that time
- a distant land of spires and farms
awakes as church bells chime.
I see a land beyond the clouds
where people stop to talk
- a land of blue remembered hills
where poets often walk.
I see a land from way up high
where children still believe
- a land of snow where brass bands play
on every Christmas Eve.
Those happy highways where I went
had homes with open doors
- and lemon drops and chimney tops
in worlds that had no wars.
When one looks closely at a butterfly…it is difficult to dismiss….
the beauty it acquires through it’s metamorphosis…
To marvel at the changes made since the moment of its creation
How every stage is vital…to the butterfly’s transformation.
When one looks at human beings…it is difficult to dismiss
the beauty we acquire through our metamorphosis
To marvel at the changes made since the moment of our creation
How every stage is vital to our ultimate transformation.
When one thinks of all the changes…
It takes for both of us to fly…
we find we are not so different…
we humans and butterflies.
The man enters a bar and says
"so what's the deal with airline food?"
then he dies lol. \o/
Reaching…..
Reaching with long duration
of prayer not attending
to subjects, no creation
of thoughts, finally reaching.
~x~
Sunyata
Feeling of pure readiness
complete thoughtless, no thinking;
Sunyata, full emptiness
in mind with dauntless feeling.
~x~
Count First
So you're too cool to finish up high school.
consider that no one will hire a fool.
Count first.
You might be fine with selling fries and burgers.
Take some classes, sell some bigger orders.
Count first.
Before you cut along the penciled line,
Get out your ruler, measure one more time--
Count first.
Before you cook your specialty times three
Make an ingredients inventory.
Count first.
You won't impress that pretty girl so fine
If you can't pay the bill for wine and dine.
Count first.
Before you finally pop the question,
Give her an honest evaluation.
Count first.
If you want a newly-wed apartment,
Think smaller--there is a big down payment.
Count first.
You covet a car with high performance.
Can you even afford car insurance?
Count first
Before buying a new high-tech gadget,
Is there enough in the household budget?
Count first.
When maneuvers are in the planning stage,
Before you commit to a shell barrage.
Count first.
Before overdoing your Santa Clause,
Can you pay the rent? Read the fine print clause..
Count first.
Before you walk up to the Pearly Gates,
What's on your conscience--ask before too late.
Count first.
Mark Halliday 17 May 2014
Dixdeux O
Zenith of mount
Apex of all
No peak too high
No aim too tall
He reaches, he strains;
He wears himself thin.
He toils, he strives;
His drive to be perfection's kin.
O mighty indeed
But the goal causes fall.
Prodigious intellect
But not wisdom for one, save all.
He hath tried and hath fought for
What he still wills to attain.
"Eminence" and "Pinnacle";
"Crown of Man" the title he wishes to claim.
But how you have strayed!
The world watches and waits.
Sneering and jeering
As languishes one who was great.
To be escalated and elevated
Indeed he did intend,
Instead stumbled and staggered
And only did he descend.
Shadow of self
Shell of past
A look none will give
To him a glance none will cast.
"Dunderhead" and "Derelict";
"Schlemiel" is his name.
Ne'er to be remembered
Is his former fame.
There are few who know
Fewer who understand
But should you be aware
You would weep o'er this man.
Power, glory, and strength
Were to be his right hand
But dishonor, poverty, and disgrace
Are now the garland upon his head.
The form is not in the list. This form is Ae Freislighe
Calliope tutelage
“There be tales from times not told,
brought back through your lineage,
dreams dredged from dark days of old”
Animate lost Anima
place a new thinking cap on
hang up hero’s panama
parlay phrases till past dawn
Here sit I, laptop clicking
chickens chiding privilege
wrapped in writing, clock ticking
Calliope tutelage.
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.