Best 23Rd Poems
" I remember that day
As clear as the crystal springs in June"
only it wasn't June, It was August
the morning air was thick like smoke
it choked me awake
the first blush of day
flushed across the sky
blood red clouds
colored her path
I lay still
like the air
without a hint
of summer's wind
the clock on the wall
tormented me
with the tick, tock,
tick, tock,
its bony hands
seemed to skip along
until I arose from bed
I sipped on coffee
as I took in the news
unsure what my day would bring
...and then I could hear a buzz
as if a fly was making circles
beside the bed, then a ring, ring,
ring echoed within my purse
I stared at the clock
my heart began to beat
faster then time
was it my father
did something happen
I worried as I listened
the voice
was indistinct
as if being choked
I struggled
with my ears
to make sense
of the words
that fell
...and then silence
fell all around
as if deaf
and mute
unable to process
and conceive
the message
my brother,
who turned 49
just the day before
was breathless
like the august wind
no more jokes
or laughter
or candles atop cake
his wick had burned out
within that last breath of air
and it burns, slow
as the years pass
still to this day
yet I'll remember that day
forever more....
pick a line contest
Mustapha Mohammed
"Reflections when the summer breathes"
Sandy Adams 8-22-2013
“The Lord is my Shepherd”
Unless there’s somewhere I want to go
I pretend I’m seeking guidance
Yet my pace doesn’t slow.
“I Shall not want”
But really I know that isn’t true
My appetites are plenty
and I crave what is new
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:”
Still I am so quick to rise
My Father resides in Heaven
Why do I choose the prince of lies.
“He leadeth me beside the still waters.”
From which I should drink
My soul cries out to be quenched
But it’s blocked by the things I think.
“He restoreith my soul:
So why do I stray
Just a foolish sheep
Who wants to go my own way
“he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.”
I’m willfully foolish
with each step that I take
“Yea though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death.
I will fear no evil:”
As I take in each breath.
“for Thou art with me;”
You haven’t let me go
By softening my heart
you free me to grow
“Thy Rod and thy staff they comfort me”
I no longer fear your correction
Yours is an abiding Love
I’m under your protection
“Thou preparest a table before me
In the presence of my enemies:”
They cannot harm me
I’m as safe as a summer breeze
“Thou anointest my head with oil:
My cup runneth over.”
I no longer seek foolish things
With You I walk among clover
“Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me
all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.”
The 23rd Parody
Loch David Crane
1979
The Hawk is my ship, Sir;
I shall not want.
She maketh me to lie down
in a hard rack.
She bounceth me over
the rough waters.
She unsettleth my stomach.
She leadeth me into
the Indian Ocean
for our country's sake.
Yea, though I sail through
the ocean of the shadow of Communism,
I will fear no aggression,
for she is with me.
Her helos and Tomcats, they comfort me.
She prepareth a fine mess for me
in the presence of the bear.
She anointeth my head,
except during water hours;
my cup runneth dry then.
Surely, good ports and fine memories
shall follow me all the days I am short,
and I will dwell
under her nuclear umbrella forever.
Thirty two years ago
I was married on this day
It should have been forever
Things shouldn’t be this way
That love I had is dead now
I feel so much alone
There is no-one here to comfort me
No heart, so soul, just stone
I always thought we’d be together
I never thought we’d end
There’s so much love I had for you
My heart may never mend
My life has much more quality
More than I’ve ever known
But still this heart inside of me
Yearns for a love unknown
The lonely days and lonely nights
Don’t make up for lost time
But still I have this trouble
Of trusting one for mine
I listen to the lives of some
There’ve had just so much fun
And I realize with a start in me
That mine was never done
There’s very few times to talk about
Of love and fun we shared
It always seems when I look back
We worked and never cared
We never dined, never went out
There was never a rose just given
There was never a time that I recall
A present just for living
It’s the 23rd and here I sit
Alone with memories
Of dreams I had so long ago
When I did marry thee.
My world back then was full of love
Full of happy thoughts
I felt back then that life would be
So full of love and sorts
For thirty years we were as one
Many a year too long
It’s over now, and I can say
I sing some lonely songs
I wish you well in all you do
And wish you harmony
I hope one day that you will find
A happiness that’s free.
‘ King David’s 23rd Psalm … ’ (Classical-Tribute) 61st Senryu
The Brave Should Know Song:
King David’s ‘ 23rd Psalms ’
Makes Warriors Stay Strong
L ively
I nteresting
B rilliant
R ational
A stute
‘ Walk With Me … ’ ( Based On 23rd Psalms )
‘ Walk With Me ’… my Lord Said,
‘ Walk With Me and Be Unafraid
Walk With Me, and You Will Know
when You Walk With Me, I Go Where You Go …
I’ll Go Where You Must Go Matt. 28: 20
We’ll Face Storms, That Blow
We’ll Face Every Lion’s Roar
... Even Face Death’s Door …
Because, If You Walk With Me … I Am The Key John 11: 25, 26
I Open Faith, To Set You Free
I Open Miracles and Possibilities
I Open Proof … So You Can Believe Gen. 1: 1
… and I Walk, Beside Your Trail of Tears
I’ll Be The Light, Thru Your Darkest Fears
I’ll Walk Beside You, Thru All Paths of Pain
& I Promise You … We’ll Reach The Rainbow, After The Rain James 2: 5
… All I Ask … is, ‘ Walk With Me …
and You ... Will Walk For Eternity … John 3: 16
For Rhonda Hero – Stay Strong, Brave and Believe,
My Poet-Sister … Our Prayers and
Christian Love Are With You
MoonBee
Am I waiting for you or destiny?
You fell into my hands once but I let you slip away.
On June 23rd you didn’t say a word, but I guess it started before my mind could grasp reality.
What was I thinking? Maybe I wasn’t thinking at all.
I looked at you with a face full of shame or…was it embarrassment?
I can’t remember what I was I feeling or what I was looking at.
Was it you or someone else who devoured my ability to talk?
I stood there. Isolated from the world as if I were some crazy lunatic holding a gun in my hand.
Why was I here?
I didn’t need to be next to her or in the same room as her.
She breathed down my neck or was it just the wind?
My teacher began with a monotonous voice.
“First five seats of every row are to be filled.”
My heart became heavy like an anchor.
I blocked the sounds that came from her mouth, until I heard “John.”
I knew who was next… I just hoped that she wouldn’t continue her protest but time went by and not a single word or good-bye.
I guess that day really was the end of my smooth stainless literature.
‘ Mimicry ’ 23rd Senryu
Is That Mimicry ? …
Yeah ! … A Caged, Enraged Polly
Parrot-Parody !
23 The Lord is well peppered;
I shall add salt,
2 He laid out the green peppers;
and poured the chili sauce,
3 all into my bowl;
that's filled generously with cut steak.
4 In the taste test, my eyes began to water.
He smiled at me, as I ate happily.
5 He set the table for my friends who said that they
were sorry as He poured the hot sauce,
and their eyes began to water.
6 We were full and begged for mercy, no more please,
and in the following days;
We all ate at the house of our Lord;
Forever.
One day, I'll find my way,
Until then, I'll continue to stray,
Stray I will into an endless void,
My universe cannot be destroyed.
I seek wisdom and knowledge,
But not from any college,
I wish to learn the mysteries,
Of future and past histories.
And if by chance I meet you there,
We shall gaze at the stars and compare.
Sit for nine eternities,
And discover all of these.
We'll wander through every dimension,
All twenty-two that have been mentioned,
And create our twenty-third,
Where all our poetry can be heard.
happy birthday
my sweet friend
this is a date
i don’t forget
my wishes to you
sent telepathically
you were my highschool
best forever friend
each year I think of you
it saddens me that
the forever part
of our bond dissipated
i wish life had not torn us apart
growing up has
its aches and pains
still i reminisce
and think of you
especially on this one day
it’s quite inconceivable how
so much water has flowed
under the bridge of time
i wish you all the best
happy birthday
my sweet friend
AP: Honorable Mention 2021
Posted on February 23, 2020
Born again,
but was never dead,
just constant sinking
arms and legs made of lead
Square One and city-centre
the wandering to and fro
memories laced with scattered birds and trees
and cookie-cutter houses
Where lives are private
-I don't intrude-
and mind my own in solitude,
The quietude busy with the clicking of computers
and open eyes in study
never quite the same...
My 23rd Psalm
My Way was my shepherd
I was never satisfied
It let me lie down wherever I wanted
Then, in depression, it led me to the still waters,
“Medicated” me,
And then tried to drown me
My soul remained in turmoil
It guided me down paths of unrighteousness
For My name’s sake
And as I walked through the Valley of the Shadow
Of Death - a place filled with evil
With many around me,
I was still all alone,
But I was a man!
I didn’t need help from anybody,
I said with my hands outstretched
I didn’t need God to tell me “don’t do that!””
I prepared a table for me
And it fell apart
I thought only of myself
And yet, my cup was never full
Surely, I thought,
I would catch a break and hit the lottery
And all my troubles would be over
And I would dwell on Easy Street ‘til I die.
IT WAS DECEMBER 23RD 2003 LIVING IN FORT MYERS FLORIDA MY POEM WAS AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS EDITORS CHOICE AWARD BECAUSE IT DISPLAYS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND ORIGINAL CREATIVITY WHATS AMAZING IS THIS WAS 3 MONTHS AFTER MY TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY THIS POEM CONTINUED TO RECIEVE THIS AWARD AFTER RELOCATING NORTH DUE TO FOUR HURRICANES CHARLIE LISA GENE HUGO I CONTINUE WRITING OF COURSE AS PUBLISH TODAY OFFERED TO PAY ME TO PUBLISH MY ANTHOLOGY THIS POEM THE WRATH CONTINUED TO CAPTURE READERS ALSO IN 2006 IT'S TRULY AMAZING FIGHT FLIGHT MODE FIGHTING FOR MY BRAIN AND JUST LIKE HARRIET TUBMAN CONTINUED TO LEAD INJURED ILL PERSONS OUT OF SLAVERY I THINK OF VIRGINIA WOLFE WRITING DURING HER NERVOUS BREAKDOWNS BOUTS OF DEPRESSION THE BEAUTIFUL MINDS OF MYSTERY DURING SEVERE ILLNESS WE I WAS IN MY COMA I COULD OOEN MY EYES BUT POEMS CAME ACROSS MY MIND ONCE I AWAKENED I WAS ABLE TO PUT PEN TO PAGE DESCRIBING WHAT OCCURED WHILE I WAS FAST ASLEEP UNRESPONSIVE GOD BLESS NASA RADIOLOGY IN NAPLES FLORIDA AND GOD BLESS THE POET THAT LIVES AND CONTINUES TO WRITE AMONG US
THE WRATH WAS WRITTEN BY
YOLANDA NICHOLSEN 2003 I RECIEVED
AWARDS DECEMBER 23RD 2003 RIGHT
BEFORE CHRISTMAS DOWN THE STREET
FROM THOMAS EDISON HOME WHERE
ROCKEFELLER FORD AND EDISON STATUE
SITS FORT MYERS FLORIDA