my marihuana modified me
in humming faintness
through this catoptric polariscope ,
I extract misdirection
a narcissus could never negotiate
with nonvisual mockery
or serious stillness
will sag .
are you unalterable ?
(Weekly Magnetic Poetry Challenge • August 24–30, 2026)
ALTERED CONSCIOUSNESS
Consciousness is a curious thing.
Is it real or just a scam.
An alien simulation,
or "I think therefore I am."
Does it live unto eternity,
or switch off upon one's death.
The rub is one can't know, or not,
at least while one draws breath.
Where does it go when you're comatose,
or in a vegetative state?
Painful memories get tucked away,
and there's mirages it creates.
Is one more conscious than another,
if so, has one then faltered?
Consciousness can't be quantified
I'm just glad it can be Altered.
Sweet soul embracing
From small to big infinitely
Consciousness behold
ALTERED SENSE
most sentences have a second meaning, often cleverly disguised
In ancient times,
Before the predators came
Africa stood tall
With its vibrant flame
A land of secrets
A land of wisdom
Thriving in glory
Flourishing in pride
The beat of the djembe
The sound of the ekwe
Filling the night with
An enchanting display.
History has been lost
Africa has been altered
Trials and tribulations
But our spirits are unbroken.
Through oral traditions
History did unfold,
Preserving legends,
Preserving wisdom.
The sound of metal scraping on asphalt, echoed through the frosty morning air, as the trailer slid and skidded, leaving chaos and destruction there.
The semi-truck came hurtling fast, its trailer swerving, out of control, I felt the impact as it struck my car, a moment that shook my very soul.
My mind was racing, filled with fear, as I fought to keep control, the truck careening all around,a scene that was beyond my goal.
The trailer flipped, in slow motion it seemed, a moment is frozen in time, my heart was pounding, my breath was short, as I braced for what I feared was my last climb.
Though I walked away, the injuries were real, more than just a few bruises to reveal, my back was sprained, my pelvic bone cracked my life was forever changed, my future attacked.
Sometimes late at night
Before my dreams take flight
I lie in a peaceful state
Where I observed the finale fate
Of what could come to be
This is something we all could see .
In this place where our inner mind is set free
What could come to past for all
Or maybe it is our very own fall.
In this altered state
With time and space you relate .
Present future, past come together as one
Where time comes undone dreams , nightmare, hate, love are one and the same,
it is your interpretation that is to blame
What you see
Is not always how it will be
What is real ,what is but a dream
Knowing the difference is not as easy as it may seem
Realities may get lost
Your faith the cost
Do we even have a soul to lose
is it as easy as which way you choose.
How you live
From your heart what it is you give
All is clear somewhere between sleep and awake
Just have to know what is real what Is fake
Which path should we take
Which is real
You will know by the love you feel
In this new world, voices run free.
I left that other part of me with my family.
In this alternative universe-
I feel welcome.
I feel embrace.
The voices don’t seem so evil.
It is reality that is evil to me.
Time matters less to me.
But I feel guilty-
Because my family is fighting with time.
I have the power to go back.
Let me wander first-
Because I feel cold and peaceful.
Let me explore first-
And maybe I will remember the lessons in this dream.
He skips in
With a large happy grin
Full of himself
He continues walking in
The sun is shining
The sky is clear
All his worries disappear.
He walks in
with a stale simple look
Confused by himself
He stops at the door
Rain is patting down the windows
Light clouds in the sky
His worries begin to appear once again.
He stutters in
With a small noticeable grin
Not sure anymore
He walks back out
Heavy rain is attacking the windows
Dark clouds in the sky
His worries are much stronger than before.
He never showed up
Didn't even show his face
Completely carefree
He never showed up
The sun is shining
The sky is clear
And all his worries have disappeared.
An altered state of reality,
Could there really be a duality?
Who determines if everything is twisted?
I always thought everything just coexisted.
It’s just a matter of perception,
Outsiders just see a complexion.
It really comes down to perspective,
It’s all subjective.
Who are these fellow creatures?
They claim to be our teachers.
© Deborah Seale Schnadelbach
3/4/2022
i am dizzy right now and i am unable to be able
i simply refuse to reestablish my common sense
i choose stubbornness and it has now caused me mad pain
maybe i will grab my sweety's throw blanket and sleep in front of the chiropractor's door
i am lightheaded right now and i am unable to be able
i create stanzas of excuses moonlighting as poems
i am an unfinished basements salesman specializing in repetitive wolf tickets
maybe i will grab my starlight's forest green furry bathrobe and sleep in front of the orthopedic doctor's door
i am confused right now and i am unable to be able
i am a right handed pitcher of habitual lies in a dry desert
i am a left handed denialologist with only disorted images on the obvious picture
maybe i will borrow my lady's always warm brain and go to the wall of her primary doctor and knock some sense into myself until opening hours
Altered States
Woke up this morning, I was lying on the floor
The windows were all covered, bars upon the door
People came inside I said,” What is this all for?”
They said, “You need your medicine!”
After taking the medicine, I walked on down the hall
Comic book writing was all over the walls
Grandfather clock was talking with a drawl
What he said I don’t remember
I came to a room where Nuns were all tripping
The Priests were all stoned, the Altar boys were dipping
I could not tell what the Bishops were all sipping
The Pope he was just lying on the floor
Went back to my room, thought it would be safe
The people there were talking about how it was too late
They said, “Come in we do not have long to wait
He is coming for dinner!”
clouds
of
incense~
inhaling
exotic
dreams
AP: Honorable Mention 2020
Have you heard
Rams and sheep's in a herd;
A human as a shepherd,
But he has to fed his family
like the wolves do,
So whose wrong?...
Life's course so difficult
But we all gotta make it,
Even though we carrying the world;
Backs against backs
A strange war- the battle against self
Family and friends...
For talents and acceptance,
Mutants vs humans
The unknown are the X men,
Using our abilities for
the greater good of humanity,
And the villains created obstacles
For aeons: they had been plotting our ending!
But we unit to shine,
Blasting across the earth's core:
The belly of the beast,
Delivering us....
New born's: emanating light;
Infant beings and infinite in might,
Sending salutes to the stars-
as we reflect light,
humans to celestial
Yes we shine,
From humane to intrusion;
Trespassing through the pinnacle spheres,
Reaching heavenly bodies and planes
Moving forward and exceeding expatiation's,
From earths 360 revolution to humans evolution...
Life's course altered
altered state of mind
take a puff
A puff from the hookah pipe
Gives a trip of a different type.
while you're on the ground
your thoughts are floating around
take a puff
A puff from the hookah pipe
Gives a trip of a different type.
© 6 months ago, Bonnie J Hollywood-Cutts
the poem above won silver. but my thought was stunted with the few words I could write. so I expanded that thought in this one below
Continuing the thought
taking a trip outside this world
Inhaling deep from the hookah pipe
Takes the mind to a different plane
People go crazy with all that hype
For with this thing you feel no pain
Though the body is heavy in weight
Your mind feels lighter and lucid
The troubles of the world quickly dissipate
Breaking free as if they were fluid
The world thinks this thing is bad
That nothing good comes from its use
Those tightwads think it's a fad
Something we outgrow, if we choose
In the mysterious Wonderland, Alice found out.
it's opposite. down became up and up became down
Loud became quiet, a whisper became a shout.
A perplexing endless trip in the crazy hidden town.
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