ALONE IN A CROWD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
she’s alone in the bustling crowd~
around her, river of faces,
a current of hurried footsteps,
briefcases bumping, hushed goodbyes
archipelago of motion
no one notices her quietness~
train arrives, and she steps forward
departure’s anonymity
Archipelago, a word rarely spoken
Dictionary lists it as a token
gesture to eggheads and nerds
who have to know every word
Just don’t ask Humpty-Dumpty
~ his recollection’s broken
Green waters circumscribe an island’s pallid face,
Hexagons of light, scattered jewels on the waves.
Earthly hues, against litharge seas, shimmering gleam;
Albatross wings glide, an immaculate blue dream.
The scene suspends time, and worldly cares release -
A whisper for the human eye, a quiet aurora’s peace.
Your eyes a dark archipelago
Mysterious then exotic drifting across
my shore;
I perceive their warmth inviting
While those lips blow a tangy flavour-
Irresistible, poised to reach for a kiss
Brewed by the kiln of summer’s
ember…
Carefully, my logic examines the
prospects
Between reason and wantonness,
As the fluid air spins amorously
And the evening grows too blind,
naked--
The waves within my navel dilate,
fluid as current's unknown motion...
I forget what happens next except, I
was
Drunk with the body- rhythm of something
untenably spontaneous;
Coasting on a body outside a bend
ebbing flowing through a belly and
tendon
Of a conniving sea.
The island is rich
In natural coal minerals
A company begun mining it
People come in to force labor
For national copper
They mined the sea under it
The island turn to a fortress wall
To house the industry and the five thousand workers
They made apartments, schools, courtyards
Stores, gym, and other amenities
And made ten meter wall around the island
They name the island, "island without greens"
The island became famous and well known
Throughout the archipelago for many decades
They produced the country's coal energy
Until, one day, the island is not enough
To sustain the coal country's energy supply
The industry is soon to stop
The people begun to abandoned the island
Surely, the island is now a ghost island
The apartment begun to crumble
The newspaper scattered in the courtyard
The breeze is now freely wafting all over
For years, the island begin to have greens
Finally, the island came back to where it began.
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Born in Funchal, Madeira's archipelago.
Played for Real Madrid and Man United.
Now his flair gets Al Nassr fans excited.
Messi is Ronaldo's biggest rival,
always vying to give fans an eyeful.
With a flick and a trick,
both make football look slick,
adding awards into their archival.
Although Messi has the Ballon d'Or awards record,
no one can match the goals Ronaldo has scored.
He started as a winger, but now plays as a centre forward.
When he misses a chance he's known to scream a swear word!
June 04, 2024 For Anoucheka Gangabissoon Contest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thrilling explorations enlivened with adventure,
As my soul longs for a most special blue venture.
The indulgent warmth of the sun revitalized me,
Once having landed in this paradisiacal arcady.
Palm twigs drift in a gentle breeze,
Infinite stretches of exquisite white sand seas.
Crystal-clear waters define a sapphire-sand idyll,
Archipelago of high-quality atoll and island tidal.
The locals saluted me with such a wide smile,
Their warmth and compassion are a lifestyle.
Finding heaven filled me with immense pride,
Embraced by the breathtaking scenery to abide.
Weeks turned into months, and days went away,
As I danced beneath the sky, I felt freed to sway.
However, an enormous urge sprang from inside,
For the sake of my native nation and kin pride.
I finally reached a choice as time passed,
I started to obsess over my house, never stashed.
The island, however, will stay in my mind,
I retain them as a spiritual treasure left behind.
Manifestations of your Gauzy Fantasies
Unravelling Bonds of Tangled, Mangled Destinies
Sun of Man Set His Right Eye on Me
Tenaciously Searing, Calculating
To Entrap Me, A Prisoner to His Needs
Inspired A Premedimated Deed did He
With Intent To Plant a Seed!
Stormed Wrecked and Invaded My Archipelago
Pirate Prowess, Sophomoric,
He Stared, I Jeered, Blotted Proviso Smeared
Drenched In Salted Sweet, Freshly Spring Showered Awhile Ago
Armpits Crying, Young Sun, I've Done No Wrong
No Shade to Evade the Soundless Seranade
As The Father, Not the Sun, Pearched In a Chariot
Cascaded, Paraded Crusade
Blazing Rays, No Mercy, No Refrain
Solar Purgatory, Solicited by the Solar Nova Hovering above Port-of Spain
Evaporated Senses, Smothered Disdain, Budding Foliage Scorched and Drained
Organically Syphoning Hydration Reserved for Lack of Rain
Heat Rashes, Depleted Cortizone Stashes
Senses Assunder, Lost in Wander
Drifting Sun Stroked, Begging Pardon, Parched and Punished In Port of Spain!
We are all creatures under the sun
With both borrowed breath from the air
Live a full life, live a fun
Live a life so right and fair
For on this earth you're just a dust
And from a blow, your breath was made
Make a deed that will shine and last
Because one day, you will soon fade
(For my die hard fans, male and female, young and old)
Live from one of the mountains of the central plain of the biggest of the three main islands of the archipelago
February 15, 2024, PST, SPC
Donning splendiferous landscapes stretching for miles,
A culture that aptly prides, in bold, welcoming smiles;
A thriving land of islands~ an archipelago evincing awe,
A resplendence of nature, an exclamation of hurrah.
Sandy beaches embrace realms of pristine coastline,
Harboring lush foliage, embodying sublimity divine,
Of marine life, corals, reveling warmth of idyllic clime,
Reminiscent of paradise, of placidity, stilled in time.
Fun loving, amiable, proud tradition extolling grace,
Quaint, yet modern, is the vibrant vibe of this place;
Of museums, antiques, art galleries, buzzing cafe,
Of hotels, casinos, of famed sunsets on Manila Bay.
Luzon, the Visayas, Mindanao~ gems of the blue sea,
Living in tranquility, projecting utter beauty and glee;
Islands of hospitality, homeland of a privileged few,
A magnificent portrait, upon sea-canvas nature drew.
Philippines~ an acclaimed, lauded, pearl of the Orient,
Rich in diverse culture, her allure citizens augment,
Pulsating rhythms of hearts and souls, worthy of praise;
A treasure preserved, revered since the ancient days.
SEVEN THOUSAND ISLANDS
Some five hundred miles East of Vietnam
The Phillipines is a multi-island archipelago
Named in honour of King Phillip of Castile
It was Spain’s mid sixteenth century deal
But colonisation and ownership a farrago
Won by Spain but then lost to Uncle Sam
Conquered by Japan in Second World War
Won Back by US but became independent
Restoring a Filipino focus with some urgency
And fighting regular communist insurgency
In mid 60’s, Marcos was elected president
After economic growth, he changed the law
Since he escaped the country in disgrace
It’s been ups and downs in the economy
Marcos’ son, Bongbong, recently elected
By Covid, all has been severely affected
Yet few challenge the nation’s autonomy
And as for its future, just watch this space
Zigzag criss-cross sculptured archipelago love exchange
Mountainous scapes interrupt the coastal contemplation.
Sands, like peerless pure pearls, split and spread into a dune range.
Glee and glow with gorgeous islands in scenic temptation.
Our faith is strong like igneous, and metamorphic rocks
Like our rare gems, our spiritual jewels radiate
We grow in communion with animals, fish, birds, and flocks
With rice, rhy, wheat cool weathers, our will and wish are temperate
With multiple languages, Alleluiah too is our tongue
With Baro't saya (shirt and skirt), we have our baptismal wear
Cariñosa, Tinikling, and Singkil of old and young
Unite places and people into Almighty God's heir
Amidst the posh panoramic play of cosmic wholeness
Philippines bears innately brim-filling divine fullness.
From the lacy green coconut tree
I fell into monotony of the vapid sand
a golden quilt embraced my senses
under the majestic umbrella of pines.
still reminiscing the happy moments,
nestled in gentle swaying branches
where nests of weaving birds hanged.
still craving the comfort of an anchor
where a bedrock of trust cradled me,
I stay lost in shade of warm memories
But the vast deep blue beckoned...
freedom of sea... freedom of sky.
as stars and clouds steered me
in the new path of storm and wind
I paddle into my Aquarius adventure.
aimlessly I float paved by waves
island to island to unseen shores
a solitary moon my lone soulmate
a vagrant bristles in twists of fate.
weary wanderer in waters richochet
my rumbling ride to a horizon astray.
Will I ever find my archipelago?
a turquoise lagoon with dolphins to play
and a virgin cove where palm trees sway.
The Bahama Islands
our nation of shallow seas
our archipelago in the sun we live on
which the Lord our God
laid our foundation of life
upon the shallow plantations
of The Atlantic Ocean
We are a consecrated nation
the envy of our Greater Antillean siblings
the best kept secret
for in the eyes of our Creator
our seas as transparent
as the bottom of a glass window boat
and prickly coral reefs
glistening like Christmas lights
an easy targets for astronauts
to choose next year's tropical vacation
while spying from deep space
Columbus and the Spaniards
even called us "Baja Mar"
because of our glorious foundation
upon the shallow seas
from our Mighty Creator from up above
hence our area code being 242
"Despair is generally defined as a loss of hope. In existentialism, it is more specifically a loss of hope in reaction to a breakdown in one or more of the defining qualities of one's self or identity." Søren Kierkegaard
St. Kilda is a World Heritage Site.
Birds persevere;
rock houses
empty
now.
Last
count topped
one million
resident birds.
Sheer numbers endanger other species.
Humans have not lived on St. Kilda for
nine long decades.
mind-boggling
man's choice -
move
Man
fought the
elements
two thousand years.
Wind, water, weather and wildlife won out.
April 27, 2023
Sponsor Constance La France
Contest Name Writing Challenge - Words with 'X' -
St. Kilda is a remote archipelago off the coast of Scotland.
The remaining 36 residents chose finally to leave
an environment which had become unsustainable. Imagine
their despair in leaving - displaced, adjusting to a new existence.
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