The Archer Robin Hood
The
archer
Robin Hood
from Nottingham
Shire aligns himself
perpendicularly
to the target whilst notching
the drawn arrow from the quiver,
and draws the longbow’s bowstring to the
anchor point, aims, and then lets loose the shaft.
That flies through the air, hitting the bull’s-eye
to the cheers and jeers of foresters
in the English countryside, where
they have challenged him to an
archery contest, but
folly beguiles them,
rendering him
the outlaw,
Robin
Hood.
***
Flavor of rain, herbal.....clear
like broth lingering on your lips ,
relishing a taste of limey brew--
its vapor beguiles my senses
with undulated abandon...
For a moment time freezes
in trembled trance, the monsoon rivering
as your kiss seeps inside the bones,
and in gradual mount of liquid thrill
the concave grip kneading
into an embrace within
one evening's quiver rescues me,
Reminding me how surrender
can be subtle like the slow movement
from piety to rawness of gust,
gathering all that's aflame
and gentle... and I will wrap
your fingers around my soul
through hidden blue of eyes ,
that cleavage of spine
dressed in lavish caresses,
that nothing else will fulfill me
...but the nectar of our misted dew.
¦¦¦¦¦ the Road of Life's so ¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ frail ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ driving home
¦¦¦ its latest Stage, the Tomb.
¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ in Harness strong,
Marches ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ along:
¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ to smooth the Pace,
Fills the next adjoining Trace:
Independance leads the Way,
Whom ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦
Truth an equal Part sustains,
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
In the Box fits vig'rous Health,
Shunning miry Paths of Wealth:
¦¦¦¦¦¦ with ¦¦¦¦ Smiles,
Ev'ry ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ Step beguiles;
¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ Nature, or ¦¦¦ Fate
Only This I wou'd intreat:
The Equipage might not decay,
Till the worn ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ drops away.
(Blackout of The Equipage by Anne Kingsmill Finch)
Contest: Moon
Sponsor: Seth Pina
Date: July 9th 2026
In the wonder of the night
The Moon's a glowing pearl
Bidding all sweet dreams and to rest well
As in our beds we curl.
In those restless hours
We gaze up out of the window
And marvel at the glorious Moon
And its happy glow.
This pearl rests itself upon
A vast black satin sky.
To realise this beauty is alone
Almost makes one cry.
Yet there it is and there it shines.
It features in so many stories.
The Moon, the wonder of the night
Beguiles with its glory.
I wound my heart around your love
in threaded silhouettes of wonder
where your beauty offers a glimpse of enticement
from your smile
that bewitches and beguiles my soul
to burn in love's flame of intoxicated simmering passion
Where the fate of love is known
to the garden's heart of blooming seduction
and allurement
with its breathless beauty of bountiful splendor
Where each sigh shapes our tomorrows
into the image of love, with its heartfelt melody
played on the unbridled strings of desire
and its enduring gift of tenderness
Binding us to our beating hearts
tethered to arms of our shared sanctuary
where we find peace and serenity
in love's abundance
My heart may evermore be broken,
but she has left the light
of love, unending token,
brought by morning to the night,
wherein I have too long slept
who must awaken now to see
the vision she has swept
into silent majesty,
promised always by her smiles
full of innocent discovery,
which every wondering day beguiles
with wonder: some things, dear Susan, are
too gorgeous for my eyes,
but my heart has learned better far
to keep the answering surprise,
or, tell me, how could I refuse
the constant presence
of my muse?
I don't want her kiss,
don't need to hold her hand.
nor feel her arms around me.
All of that has evolved into
her most constant presence
in my heart.
You have not made me
angry, sad, hopeful, worried,
but amazed by your shining self
I stand out from my shadow
see the brilliance of your
ever-spreading day and I am
touched like this ocean
by the currents
of your smile.
Christopher M. Swan, “Song of Susan,” 2008
bedraggled beetle-headed Beelzebub befuddles,
bullies, beguiles, backward blustery birdbrain blockheaded
bigots. Boisterously building up these bold-faced blowhards,
bamboozling them into bee-brained befuddlements.
Math of life
Math for life
Life you make
Life you bake
Bake and decorate
Bake and percolate
Percolate to breathe
Percolate to wreathe
Wreathe what pleases
Wreathe not teases
Teases that brands
Teases of strands
Strands in slumbers
Strands in numbers
Numbers you count
Numbers not discount
Discount what beguiles
Discount what defiles
Defiles of adding
Defiles of subtracting
Subtracting what multiplies
Subtracting what amplifies
Amplifies what cares
Amplifies what shares
Shares of joy
Shares of toy
Toy that inspires
Toy never expires
Expires like remission
Expires like division
Division of labor
Division of glamour
Glamour of you
Glamour in you
You are beautiful
You are honest
Honest in naughtiness
Honest to goodness
Goodness in Math
Goodness in path
Path to Wonderland
Path in Neverland
Neverland of magic
Neverland so hypnotic
Hypnotic in loving
Hypnotic and caring
Caring with less
Caring and penniless
Math of penniless
More or less
Rained upon any place else
Would just be unpleasant.
But this is an English dell.
Fairy-lit. And not scant
In all what beguiles therein
Aspects Spring's majesty.
Only those drops, might I add
As soft her breath demure
Are requested down. Balking
Which scent wash's allure
Would, by each a petalled cheek
Be seen as irreverancy.
The revolving season’s ever-changing sensitive facade
dons the new ambiance of hues designed by nature.
Autumn’s fiery foliage bursts with mélange of colors,
shines with the last golden glow as the wilted leaves fall.
The aureate leaves hear the December wind’s whisper
as they crumple with the rhythm of the attuned rustle,
composing the melody of the song of winter wonders
that beguiles me as the mist melts in the sapphire sky.
The defoliated trees shiver in the waves of arctic wind,
following its flow I see you return to me from the cold.
You melt the miasma enveloping my glacial memory,
enter the crypt of old times through the icy door I open.
The polar winds blow with chilled tunes across the clouds,
swans fly singing in the December sky on wings of winter.
The morning mist melts away over the sunrise horizon,
gleaming with joy spectrum of Christmas time in the air.
I feel delighted the warmth of winter sun you raise for me,
from behind the fog I see the ascent of a new dulcet dawn.
As I hold your hands, ecstasy defrosts the memory lane,
my mind wanders in the winter wonderland of December.
Coated from fine sugar
Crackling joy on taste buds ,
Comes in hard or fudge rolls
Cravings peak like tonight
Children's Hallow beguiles
Crazed by spooky magic --
Candy love , you're a treat!
TIME AND GRACE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
time and grace intertwine
time gives us moments
grace restores and bestows
time unfurls
seconds dance
minutes waltz with hours
time marches forward
days turn into years
never rewinds
time beguiles
always alludes
denotes impermanence
grace guides
illuminates life’s labyrinths
makes us whole
grace whispers
moves with elegance
ballet in motion
grace soothes
flows like river
brings purpose and ease
time and grace a duo
subtle yet profound
transcendent and unbound
Buds burst spring colors beneath blue skies,
fragrant lure beguiles butterflies.
Share our big happies,
You are best of chappies,
Having spirited love,
Blesses our daily dove....
Laughing fun smiles,
Your charm still beguiles,
Trade future today,
In our favourite way....
Yes, happy dance,
Always our romance,
Blissful love haze,
Happy good old days!
autumn tints garden
flushed flowers wither and fall
they return in spring
to sapling of yearning heart
life blooms with luster of love
petals of roses
waft patina in spring air
like hue of your luscious lips
quiver with my longing lilt
unsaid words float in fragrance
mist melts from blue sky
buds burst colors in garden
air wafts floral scent
enthralled by surreal scene
beauty of spring beguiles me
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