The plot thickened
Thinned…then
Thickened again
As idle thoughts perused the air
Each page a hero
Facing fear
Then a shift
Plot’s deviance
A character
That makes no sense
Inserted
As an after thought
Reshuffling the lies I bought
Lightening flashed
The book took flight
Monsters from all ages
Ran amok
And brought to life
The terror
Of the pages
I found it hiding ‘neath the bed
A place I knew quite well
For I had gathered woolies there
In midnight’s game
Of hide and shriek
Dreams drift while dancing in my bed
A million stars dangling overhead
I'm hypnotized by their shimmer
My eyes dazzled sleepy by their glitter
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
Bedtime Battle
My momma said,
“It’s time for bed,”
but I’m not
sleepy yet.
I shook my head
as if to say,
“I’m not
even ready.”
In my defense,
I wasn’t really tired.
“Put your PJs on,
go brush your teeth.
It’s time to go to sleep.”
I thought of
a quick rebuttal:
“If I slumber now,
I’ll wake up much,
much too early.”
It only took
a single look
at Mother’s tired face
to know I must comply—
Mom was both judge and jury.
Her verdict:
off to bed.
I could not win this case.
I dragged my feet,
gave one loud sigh,
my face all wet with tears
as I stomped off to bed.
I don’t know why
I have to go to bed.
I told her
she should go instead.
Rumple Stein opens his great
book of old,
Under the blanket, a tale will
unfold,
Magic and monsters and
heroes so brave,
Pointing his finger to a deep
hidden cave,
Leaving you dreaming of
secrets he gave.
With shimmering wings and
a wand of bright gold,
A beautiful fairy tale waits to
unfold.
She sprinkles her dust as she
tells of a brave knight,
Then tucks you in cozy and
turns down the light.
Goodnight, little dreamers,
sleep tight until dawn.
Night time Battle
Side by side we run the tests!
To find which path to sleep is best!
Sleep is more elusive now.
That we don't get up to milk the cow!
Is eight a bedtime just for me?
While he sits up to watch TV?
Does his back do better on the floor?
Do earplugs help him when I snore?
We want to get up strong and tough!
But stay asleep just long enough!
To make it to our kitchen chair
And maybe find some breakfast there.
No infant wakes us in the night,
No burglers or a dog that bites.
But as the moon through darkness glides!
We find that sleep from old folks hides!
When my mother says it's time for bed
to relax and rest my sleepy head
A kiss goodnight, then off I will go
I do love my pretty bedroom so.
On my window seat I love to sit
at night when my room is candle lit
I look to moon above and stargaze
a scene of which tranquil dreams are made.
I'll read from my book of fairytales
that's when my imagination sails
Fairies dance from out of the pages
in adventures my heart engages.
Afore I climb into bed to sleep
I pray for happiness, joy and peace
On all the worldwide stages that be
for everyone, family and me.
111 Contest Picture Prompt 1-22-26 Eve Roper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Up Past Her Bedtime
Midnight magic floats
Through a warm candlelit nook
Little heart takes notes
Of butterfly tales in books
Lost in soft starlit chapbooks
I have a strange fascination with
revenge bedtime procrastination
fear of missing out
won’t let me sleep til
just shy of passing out
yet still caught in the middle
like a hen on a griddle
on the roof with no fiddle
perplexed by life’s riddle—
betwixt betwiddle
(Ahda bhada)
I am Winter and almost here,
you must give me a huge cheer.
I will bring you a day that is clear,
but watch out for the ice my dear.
My white snow can be so much fun,
sometimes I can bring you a ton.
Now go out and run ~ run,
before I am melted by the big bright sun.
I can bring a real cold time,
making for an early bedtime.
My wind will make the bells chime,
giving off a pretty rhyme.
Before you know it Winter will be gone,
Spring will bring in a new dawn.
Next year I will bring back a pretty white lawn,
until then just carry on.
Time for me to go to bed
Close my eyes and rest my head
Snuggled up so cozy warm
Dreaming sweet things until morn
Sending my friends everywhere
Lots of loving heartfelt care
Good thoughts being sent your way
Until night turns into day
As a young boy
when not very old
I did enjoy
being told
grisly bedtime stories
by my Mother
the favourite was
none other
than
altho' I was just a nipper
Whitechapel Fishmonger Murders
perpetrated by
Jack the Kipper
Sitting in my old armchair
By the open loggia door
Am I here, or back there
Where I’ve been before?
In the stilllness of the night
Sounds of racing cars
Mingle with the distant light
Of the faded stars
I look out into the dark
Little lights around
Cannot put on me the mark
Of this foreign bound
Its a saddest joke, this land
Not the thing I own
And I clearly understand
This is not my home
Looking at the trees below
See the branches sway
“Soon to bed we have to go”
Is that what you say?
The thunder rolls as the sky flashes bright.
The clouds roll in as the lightning strikes.
The children all tucked in snug in their bed,
as mom walks away, "I'm scared", they all said.
You hear that sound, she says, the thunder rolling,
Do not be afraid, for it's only God and his angels bowling.
But the lightning, they cry, it's just so bright.
Oh that lightning, she says, means God has bowled a strike!
It's a fun game to watch and listen to,
you see God and his angels like to have fun too.
Let's lay here for a while, just listen to the rumble.
I bet when God plays, he is very humble.
Let's count all the strikes when they light up the sky.
Tell me, little ones, who can count that high?
One big rumble, one loud strike,
as rain rolls in and fills the night.
As we lay there counting one strike, two,
the worry passes from each of you.
Slowly they drift off, peacefully rest.
If in your dreams you bowl with God, remember my loves, just give it your best.
A New Etheree Poem Any Theme Poetry Contest
Tania Kitchin
I
Dated
A sweet man
We fell in love
To a drummers beat
All was fine and dandy
Except his love for Brandy
His secret lover tore us up
He loved the liquor, hops, and spirits
And I'd fight her off and send him packing
Sub Categories
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.