Best Alit Poems
PROLOGUE
The Flame, aflicker, licks and flays,
illuming evening’s negligees
With braided curls she swirls and sways,
and flits and floats in light ballets
APOLOGUE
A Flame, to conquer creeping fog,
flew dancing towards a random log
Her flight perplexed a leery frog
beside a silent somber bog
The Flame, a ripple, all alone
alit on leaves where birds had flown
The aching twigs began to moan
A rising breeze began to groan
The Flame arrayed an ancient oak
with torrid tongues and veils of smoke
A beaver bailed, the dam had broke
The leery frog soon ceased to croak
The Flame uncoiled and lashed midair,
consuming crowns with utmost care
A crazed coyote fled her lair,
left in the lurch bewildered bear
The Flame, unfurled, went wild and grew,
enkindled cats and caribou
Remaining... not a residue,
as reeking vapors bade adieu
The Flame revealed her strength unshackled
Flora, fauna crisped and crackled
Fire Witches clucked and cackled
One more forest stripped, then hackled
EPILOGUE
The arsonists were well aware
the Flame would travel everywhere
The weirs are gone, the land is bare,
and soon you’ll find a city there
Categories:
alit, life, light,
Form:
Rhyme
The Color of Space
His spaceship alit on a foreign world
deep in the midst of the outer space
two moons gazing down devoid of all air
he kept his mask on and walked down the plank
opened the door to retreat from the hull
He was there for a purpose
for diplomacy’s sake
to seek a new race and find a new place
in hopes that they trade
since the earth needed more
an avatar sought
for the future of lore
The leader approached
his habiliment WHITE
and his face a pale GREEN
he exacted his speech
with authority and grace
I promise the cargo that you request
in the time that is due it will be our best
for our BLUE men work as we command
to produce what you need or they will be replaced
and another blue man will fill in the space
to satisfy your monthly needs
He gazed at the workers bedraggled with sweat
their uniforms worn not a word from their lips
he considered his quest and returned to his ship
He removed his mask and stared out of the hull
he pondered the planet that he will leave
A million miles from Earth and the stigma remains
he grabbed a BLACK towel and wiped his BROWN face
will MANS inhumanity to MAN ever change
Categories:
alit, racism, planet,
Form:
Free verse
Upon my fence alit a pretty sparrow
Her stay was brief, and yet I felt more noble
Than if the visit were of king or pharaoh
(inspired by writings of Henry David Thoreau)
Categories:
alit, bird,
Form:
Rhyme
Eloquent, ethereal,
an artist through and through.
Her words alit on gossamer wings
as through our hearts they flew.
Each poem was written from the heart
and soul of our Linda Marie.
A visual portrait painted with words
for us, her audience, to see.
We thank you for your friendship.
You will be missed Sweetheart.
We thank you for the words you left us
before your sad depart.
Your beautiful soul, full of grace,
is in a far, far better place.
27/01/2014
Categories:
alit, death, friendship,
Form:
Sonnet
If I could Harken to thee, a sonnet,
of loves most great desires,
the mere utterance, would warm thine ears
as the soft crackles of lusts fires
The ambiance, of shadows dance
across the Scottish tapestry,
Muses, light footed, pirouetting
my symphony, my love for thee
Fairest is thy silken mane
of the finest Irish Auburn,
brilliant as a cool autumn day
as the leaves of the maple turn
The tower bells, they toll for thee
as pale moon, illuminates the night
hark, the far cry, my dearest dove
of the owlet, so yearning flight
The petals of the Royal Rose
silken soft, compared to thy blushing skin,
or the Emerald glow, of thine own eyes
alit, passion, kindled from within
Mine own heart, burns with ever fire
that, which only thee, can conquer,
Conquer thee not, my dearest dove
for our love, forever, must endure
Harken to me my dearest Dove
sweet sonnets, from silken lips,
for I know thou shall be to me
as close as my finger tips.
Categories:
alit, dedication, love, passionautumn,
Form:
Rhyme
A flock of Christmas doves
carried a turquoise veil
through a white winter sky
and found a willow tree
weeping and alone
in the cold of a December day
The veil was pinned in the sky
and twenty five doves
alit in the bare branches
so the tree was no longer alone
as it listened to the song
of the doves in the chilled morning air..
Categories:
alit, uplifting
Form:
Personification
you …
came to me today
(from anon)
wholly untold to your concerns
but real enough …
I was plodding the beach, tending wounds
when you tossed your smile at
me from a shrouded sun
off whitecaps, bursting into dazzle -
echoes, alit
each a memory, recaptured
brief as a blink …
but I was transfixed, as always
immersed in your burnt ochre irises
gold flecks like shiny confetti, fluttering
they hadn’t held me since …
forever, really
and as then, the brilliance within
was unsettling -
a piercingly perceptive acumen that
probed, unchallenged
though your countenance always
smoothed the edges -
a bubbly exuberance and gravity
an eager affability -
thawed everything around you
and … everyONE
effecting the grandest of illusions
that whatever you aimed your attentions at
was your dearest concern
and your one TRULY careful involvement …
when in all actuality
we -
the matter and matters about you -
were just a multitude of
merry moths …
to your flame.
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, June 8, 2023
Categories:
alit, analogy, imagery, lost love,
Form:
Free verse
It’s okay, you don’t have to worry
You’ll do fine, so don’t you hurry
You’re alright and shine so bright
Like a star that twinkles at night
Today. we will take flight as we see fit
We will dine in heaven tonight, all alit
I think you can stand tall, even without me here
I think you can steady your fall without any fear
It's okay, you'll achieve possibilities
You'll do fine - there are other opportunities
To shine with your might and stand tall
Like a knight, you will not make a mighty fall
Categories:
alit, deep, encouraging, words,
Form:
Rhyme
A practical man with a talent for wood
viewed each morning as an omen for good
He tilled the land wisely
and preached the goodness of God
but as each day passed there was much to portend
his land had grown evil and God was displeased
one day God called out to him and said
I will destroy this earth of animal and humankind
and you will be cited with your family united
to construct a craft that I see fit
space for two species of each to share your ark
and hark
there will be a flood of great dimension
and it will not cease until all life is gone
As time passed on it began to rain
uncessantly with tremendous waves
overlaying the mounts
extinguishing life as the ark floated on
a raven sent out but never alit and soon it was gone
then a dove returned with a leaf in its beak
and left again but never returned
Noah then knew there was land yet to seek
months had passed and the earth became dry
he directed his family out from the ark
and the animals came also two by two
with Noah, God had made a pact
never to destroy but just to endure
for the manner of men needed much to explore
day and night will never cease
let us prepare a fabulous feast
to rejoice in new life riddance to the old
and embrace in its warmth and force out the cold
Contest
Categories:
alit, faith,
Form:
Epic
(THIS POEM IS FOR THE CONTEST - BEAUTY)
Oh my beloved!
Golden gulmohars bloom in abundance
where your dainty feet dance in delight.
The whiff of our love drifts in the air
intoxicating the buzzing bees unabashedly
to feel the fragrant faces
of radiant roses,
The mirror of the pristine pond
fondly holds shining reflections of our togetherness ,
The mother-white pearl of passion peeps
from the oyster of your smile.
Your dimpled cheeks are to me
the twin whirlpools of laughter.
Monsoon clouds of your dark damp tresses
hang over your stripped shoulders,
In you glowing gaze I see
thousand lamps alit in the temple of our love!
Your wet lips gleam in ecstasy
with the lightning of our stolen kisses!
Minty flavour of your mouth
still lingers in my breath.
Bewitched by your beauty
the porcelain moon turns pale
sighing with envy,
and my poetic dreams
come true.
Oh my beloved!
Categories:
alit, beauty,
Form:
Free verse
A crescent moon, sharp enough to prick one’s finger on
A Sun that could sear one’s eyes
Clouds buoyant enough to float away upon
Through endless cerulean skies
Soft shoulder to rest one’s head on
Soft breath upon one’s cheek
Amazing Grace sung by a brace of Angels
What more could a mortal seek
A dragonfly alit upon one’s finger
Tresses tossed by capricious breeze
Eyes tight closed in profound repose
This is indeed Heaven…at one’s knees
Best seize the moment, hold tight the day
Hear the Cosmic song
Heed close the sound that’s all around
Far too soon
…twill all be gone…
Categories:
alit, appreciation, beauty, environment, faith,
Form:
Ode
Noah and the Flood 4-3-14
A practical man with a talent for wood
viewed each morning as an omen for good
He tilled the land wisely
and preached the goodness of God
but as each day passed there was much to portend
his land had grown evil and God was displeased
one day God called out to him and said
I will destroy this earth of animal and humankind
and you will be cited with your family united
to construct a craft that I see fit
space for two species of each to share your ark
and hark
there will be a flood of great dimension
and it will not cease until all life is gone
As time passed on it began to rain
uncessantly with tremendous waves
overlaying the mounts
extinguishing life as the ark floated on
a raven sent out but never alit and soon it was gone
then a dove returned with a leaf in its beak
and left again but never returned
Noah then knew there was land yet to seek
months had passed and the earth became dry
he directed his family out from the ark
and the animals came also two by two
with Noah, God had made a pact
never to destroy but just to endure
for the manner of men needed much to explore
day and night will never cease
let us prepare a fabulous feast
to rejoice in new life riddance to the old
and embrace in its warmth and force out the cold
Deluge Contest
Sponsored by Julia Ward
August 26,2016
Categories:
alit, power,
Form:
Epic
The Color of Space
His spaceship alit on a foreign word
deep in the midst of the outer space
Two moons gazing down devoid of all air
He put his mask on and walked down to the plank
Opened the door to retreat from the hull
He was there for a purpose
for diplomacy’s sake
To seek a new race and find a new place
In hopes he could trade as the Earth needed more
An avatar sought for the future of lore
The leader approached, his habiliment WHITE
a clean crisp collar and his face a pale GREEN
Exacting his speech with power and grace
I promise the cargo that you request
In the time it is due it will be our best
For our BLUE men will work as I command
To produce what you need or they’ll be replaced
And another blue man will fill in the space
To satisfy your monthly needs
He gazed at the workers bedraggled in sweat
Thier uniforms worn not a word from their lips
He considered his quest and returned to his ship
He removed his mask staring out of the hull
He pondered the planet that he will leave
An Alien world and the stigma remains
He grabbed a BLACK towel and wiped his BROWN face
Set course to return no more to explore
And boldly leave where he had been before
To boldly go where no poet has gone before Contest
Sponsored by The Seeker , August 31, 2016
Categories:
alit, discrimination,
Form:
Free verse
a winter sun rise
barren trees aglow with frost
a blanket of snow
alit like fire from the sun
cover all that once was green
Categories:
alit, snow, winter,
Form:
Tanka
France gave America the Statue of Liberty,
In 1865, from Edouard de Laboulaya, his act;
It begot Joan of Arc who insisted that,
Nationality bet religion as a matter of fact.
The Free French were renown in WW II,
For an innate determination which alit,
The will of those sinking around them,
For the democratic heart that was split.
It produced Thomas Piketty with his book Capital,
Which called for a global tax of all richer states,
To redistribute income for egalitarianism,
For freedom and for the poverty liberation straits.
The death of Jihadi John set it all off,
As he was the symbol of the Islamic State,
Most definitely and without reservations,
He was the one with the credal slate.
But France today has an interventionist policy,
In Syria, and is the most vocal nation of all,
Insisting that President Assad needs to go,
To enable free democracy to stand tall.
In 2010 Qatar, an Arab state with oil and gas,
Won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup;
When a UK government employee questioned this,
In November 2014, he caused a very real hiccup.
France was said to have validated Qatar,
To chief Sepp Blatter who was eventually removed;
I can’t dismiss that Qatar would have reciprocated,
With gifts of money for the French to be proved.
With some of Qatar’s money, flowing and free,
France would’ve strengthened its foreign policy,
Doubled its presence in Syria, or even tripled it,
With the USA and others following likewise - oui.
So the French people’s ability to fight ISIS,
Is important to Syrian Islamists who are fully aware,
That the size of an army determines its success,
Thus Qatar’s allegiances are ISILs concern to beware.
Categories:
alit, america, education, football, freedom,
Form:
Rhyme