Best Announced Poems
Royal blue sky scattered sapphire clouds
On horizon embroidered in navy blue attire
Summoned by the onset of marigold sun
Emitting amber gold on tuscan yellow fire
Where tapestry of fluffy lavender floats
Decorating patterns of designs periwinkle
Mosaic of colors then spray-paint the water
Spreading a layer of golden yellow cover
Shimmering gold dust on twilight ripples
Abutting brushstrokes of dark blue egyptian
I saw you briefly where first time we met
On the lonely bridge that extends into bay
But as the dark landmass peeked its head
And the lifeless vegetation glinted despair
The tangerine breeze announced your exit
Quivering our aura beneath glittering riffle
For you refused to witness impending flame--
Broken vows ablaze in last breath of sunset
Written: August 4, 2018
Submitted on February 6, 2023 to:
2022 Poetry Marathon Qualifiers' FINAL Placement Contest
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Submitted on December 7, 2022 To:
Placed 3rd: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 22 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Poem of the day on August 7, 2018
Placed first in standard contest #180 by Brian Strand
Categories:
announced, heartbreak, sunset,
Form:
Free verse
He has announced his arrival. She waits,
Listening to the thunder cracking through
the layers of air. Looking at the lightning,
brightening and frightening the darkness away,
Lapping up the sweet petrichor that comes her way.
He gushes and rushes down to meet her.
In warm welcome, she opens up
to quench her unsatisfied thirst.
The twain meet and a silence follows,
As thick as the mist that envelops this inexplicable gloom.
Emotions flood the watery lane...
His constant showers drench her very soul...
New life awakens as old lives are cleansed, refreshed.
The earth has had her fill...
For now...
Drip...
drip...
drip...
Slowly the gentleman rain recedes...
He will come...
yet again...
to meet her...
With this rainbow promise, they part...
06/08/16
2022 Poetry Marathon Qualifier's FINAL placement Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Categories:
announced, earth, rain,
Form:
Personification
Look up! Snowflakes appear in streetlights
Hear children cheer as snow days are announced
Watch the powder fly during snowball fights
Listen as faith through joyful hymns is pronounced
Join snow angel brigades while on wintery landscapes we pounce
Walk briskly with me through the winter woods
Where boughs of evergreens droop with white frost
Don your boots and pull up your jacket hood
Let’s slide on the lake until our energies exhaust
Then trudge back home as snow drifts are crossed
Place damp clothes on a chair by the fireside
Pour a glass of wine and snuggle with me
Whispers of passion, ‘neath a blanket confide
Lights from the fir tree fill our hearts with glee
As you offer me your ring on bended knee
Categories:
announced, happiness, love, winter,
Form:
Quintain (English)
Sarah’s Story - Mental Illness
Sarah, the “Crazy Lady,” was a familiar sight,
roaming the streets any time of day or night.
Her foul body odor announced her presence,
as she paraded around in her filthy, smelly garments.
Walking barefoot regardless of the weather,
in her state of mind, she couldn’t do better.
Children teased and made fun of Sarah,
reciting ridiculing ditties, adding to the drama.
Behind her a lively entourage would follow,
taunting and calling her names creating a sideshow.
They howled with childish laughter,
as Sarah hurled angry profanities after.
An avid collector of all kinds of trash,
she transformed her abode into a garbage stash.
Sarah’s odd behavior made her fair game,
to unkind people who had no mercy or shame.
While many folks turned a blind eye,
young boys threw rocks and other missile,
at the roof and windows of the shack she occupied.
Behind bushes, they would scamper away to hide,
as Sarah furiously dashed outside,
brandishing a machete, cudgel, or broom,
screaming out curses, damnation, and doom.
Like a cancer, her mental illness had devoured her brain,
and before long, she was officially "certified insane."
Most agreed it was for her own benefit,
and for the good of society to be rid of this "misfit."
But even though she was locked away in an institution,
no psychiatric treatment could cure her mental condition.
When Sarah finally died, she was unloved and alone;
her passing was hardly noticed, and she was mourned by none.
Note: This piece was inspired by a true account. While we have made great strides in the study of mental illness and understanding it, unfortunately negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have mental health conditions are still common. Thus, as a society, we still have a long way to go to improve our attitudes and to show more caring and compassion for those who suffer from various types of mental illness.
08-06-2015
Contest: Mental Illness
Sponsor: Nathan D.
Placement: 7th
Categories:
announced, crazy, depression, hurt, mental
Form:
Rhyme
A cute gentile pig in New York
plays hopscotch over turtle hurdles
which eased her bunny
until a smack talking turkey announced,
'Did you hear how the skunks in bombay
lost a spelling bee - to an
artistic aardvark named clark?'
Around her, muttering mosquitoes
Dear teddy bear, my teddy bear
While a mynah bird confesses
to freeing an elephant
Who stands where dragons roam
dreaming of dinosaurs, as
King Doberman eavesdrops on
Seagulls talking to a sock monkey
Don't have a cow
The little red squirrel told my lioness-
Koalas love a cooling tang.
7/21/19
For 20 Titles from 20 Friends contest
Sponsor: Richard Lamoureux
A cute gentile pig in New York - Gershon Wolf
Turtle Hurdles - Mark Toney
Eased Her Bunny - Rico Leffanta
Smack Talking Turkey - Freddie Robinson Jr
Skunks in Bombay - Pat Adams
Spelling Bee - Line Gauthier
Artistic Aardvark named Clark - Caren Krutsinger
Muttering mosquitoes - sand blown
Dear teddy bear, my teddy bear - Connie Marcum Wong
A Mynah Bird Confesses - Kim Rodrigues
Freeing an Elephant - Suzanne Delany
Where Dragons Roam - P.S. Awtry
Dreaming of Dinosaurs - Jan Allison
King Doberman - Tania Kitchin
Seagulls Talking - Rhona Mcferran
Sock Monkey - Nina Parmenter
Don't Have a Cow - Alexis Y
The Little Red Squirrel - Pixie Dust
My Lioness - Anisha Dutta
Koalas Love a Cooling Tang - M.L. Kiser
Categories:
announced, animal, friendship, fun, silly,
Form:
Free verse
Engelbert Effleflump put on his disguise
Climbed in his orcetector and rose in the skies
For his mum hated flying and must never know
That Engelbert’s job was in an aerial show
Poor Engelbert hated deceiving his mother
He’d go out of the house under cloud cover
He’d loop the loop in pink polka dot skies
Twirling in his orcetector each time he flies
Over mountains of candy and lollipop trees
Floating on green clouds and lemonade seas
Only children knew his secret, they’d point with delight
Look there goes Engelbert - he’ll be home by midnight!
But disaster happened on one foggy day
Poor Engelbert crashed at a flying display
He was not badly injured - only his pride
But how could he tell his mother he’d lied
Unable to continue flying he told his mum of his work
When she discovered his secret life, she went BERSERK
She shook her gold furry arms high in the air
Now confined to his room Engelbert did despair
Engelbert begged and he pleaded, but she wouldn’t listen
Tears formed in his orange eyes, oh how they did glisten
That night he decided that he must simply be free
Couldn’t live with his mother – how they did disagree
Next morning he munched on his wigglerly grub
Drank his foaming juice from the chocberry shrub
He announced to his mother that he had a plan
We would get a new job, become a delivery man
Engelbert moved into a chocolate house
He lives there with his purple pet mouse
His new job lets him work at his own pace
Delivering dreams to Effleflumps in outer space
* an orcetector is a word that was made up by the little girl I used to be a private nanny to - she was just 2 years old and she couldn't say helicopter.
Contest:- Children’s story Dr Seuss Style
Sponsor:- Casarah Nance
~awarded 4th place~
08~21~15
Categories:
announced, fantasy, flying, kids, mum,
Form:
Couplet
For some reason, this morning her alarm clock failed to sound. With eyes half closed,
she glanced at the clock. It was around 8 AM. She got dressed as quickly as
she could, hurried to the train station. When the train arrived; she managed
to get a seat . She put on her glasses and took out her crossword puzzle.
She became lost in the clues. She had finished one puzzle, was on to the next,
when the voice of the conductor interrupted her thoughts. A delay was announced.
As it turned out, the train ahead had derailed. Many were seriously injured.
It was then, she appreciated the silence of her alarm clock.
-----
a peal of thunder
shatters the peace of the day
rain comes crashing down
Categories:
announced, life,
Form:
Haibun
Ash - grey chemised
she shifts her shape
as silver flakes float coat
stripped naked places,
sheath curves and angled spaces
Angry glitter tingle stings
thick earth skin with prickly flames
and rumble rise regurgitates
shimmy - shake shudders
in magma's deep thrombosis.
Her feather boa plume
tightens hot cloud chokehold,
acrid smoke flung up in air
without a care, heat exhumes
her arrival, announced fiery flounce -
Hot air blast flicks ash everywhere
Grande dame, her vital force runs hot,
and bold, red and gold- full blooded flow,
feisty fight to escape fate,
inner pulses push a violent urge
to bleed and drape red lava's cape
across green fields, human habitations
Unplacated, rising up, proud impairment
anger virulent, out of hellbent
immolation via pyramidal vent.
She lifts her tiara, red ruby globs,
hurls evidence in defense - great blobs
of royal reign - no abdication!
Throaty roars rend intonation
into screeching supplications -
She knows full well, soon enough,
her phoenix fate infarction
Too late for earth's burst heart
High drama is a living, dying art
Impassioned pleas too late for some,
Earth's burnout buries victims in her wake
High on an island hill,
the boy lay crushed, and still
on temple altar, throat cut, bled out
Hurried offering, did not appease,
nor bring softening release
for angry, ancient mountain
Head caved in by falling blocks
of measured, square cut stone,
the priest grovelled on his knees
Gravel filled their mouths, no space for pleas
No one heard half- whispered final groans
And Earth, once she settled down,
murmured not another sound
Posted 17/08/2018.
Categories:
announced, natural disasters,
Form:
Alliteration
Winds were among first to notice
Fragrant air blowing fresh breeze
Stemming from your pristine vicinity
Extolling prospects of your visit,
Announced by the birds in flight
Message circulated far and wide
Into the emerging scenic twilight
Pushing far away the opaque skies,
Cotton clouds then adorned charm
Scattered in ways of scenic art form
In orange hues peeking from blue
Amid aerial vistas painted for you,
Sprinkling rays on mosaic colors
Layers of fabric spun florid display
Anxious for you to take your step
Into this arena of majestic stage,
But all that passion suddenly erased
Prompting egress of darker motifs
When sun plunged below horizon,
Dismayed that you never showed up.
April 12, 2018
Placed first in contest 515 by Brian Strand
Categories:
announced, longing, love, passion,
Form:
Free verse
At the edge of town stood, a government research centre
It was heavily guarded, no unauthorised persons could enter
The authorities put down rumours, saying its just a research station
But word got out they were trying, to open an other dimension.
One night a massive blast took off the research station roof
If anyone doubted the rumours, here now was the proof
The gates of hell opened, with the sound of blood curdling screams
And out poured tall green creatures, only found in hellish dreams.
They were humanoid winged reptilians with eyes a blood red
The townspeople heard the blast, many of them were in bed
All the streetlights went out and the sky turned pitch black
Under the cover of darkness the creatures launched an attack.
They entered every house and mutilated everyone inside
There was pools of blood everywhere; hundreds had died
The police and army arrived and fired shell after shell
But they too were slaughtered by these demons from hell.
They kept coming out of the portal and went from town to town
They were annihilating mankind and they weren't slowing down
By the next day they'd invaded, across the world every land
No weapons could stop them, they had the upper hand
World leaders held an urgent meeting and agreed a strategy
But that strategy would mean, the end of humanity
The plan was to launch nuclear missiles, it was the only way
If mankind couldn't rule the earth then neither would they.
The countdown time was agreed and it was announced worldwide
Everyone told to stay at home, with your loved ones by your side
People were crying, religious leaders urged people to pray
Ten minutes later earth was vaporised on mankind's darkest day.
Written on 30th April 2021
A Poem of Horror Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Funom Makama.
Categories:
announced, death, horror, world,
Form:
Narrative
Midfall and nearly all the trees
Stand brown as broken sticks
Against a sky impossibly blue,
I in shirtsleeves a walking go
With love and longings as my companions
Kicking through the drifts of colored shards
Fallen with another Summer's stealthy fading
Feeling, marveling at this piece of heat
That dropped unnoticed from Her pocket.
I could believe today
In America untamed,
A place full of wild things and untamed peoples
A place where Spirit spreads
To ride the clouds
To sing its songs unhindered.
Nature has let down her locks today;
Who will look on her
To let themselves be consumed, entranced
By the beauty that lives on in spite of all our assaults -
Who will be distracted by the miracles we move through,
Feel the surge of the sea of life all around us,
Hear the whispered prayers
In the windsigh of the sleeping trees
Watch the sacred night come on
Announced by the rose glow behind the thumbnail moon -
Who will stand amid such things,
Yet not put aside for the moment
Those little cares we circumscribe our lives with,
To stand amazed to be here breathing,
Alive to feel how loving-close
Infinity holds us, claims us for its own;
Surely, not I alone.
I rest a hand on my sleeping child's chest;
Feel the heart fluttering beneath the skin;
I can sense a great wheel turning.
I wander out in the still warm darkness
That follows this day,
To look up at the starstrewn sky
See that great wheel begin its turning,
Stand amazed to be here breathing.
Stand, amazed to be.
Categories:
announced, introspection, mystery, nature, seasons,
Form:
Free verse
Blood mixed with dirt was still moist on the ground
Traces of battle were scattered around
The man entered slowly, a snare on his face
Trying to hide his contempt and disgrace
Announced by the cheers of the people above
Among all the fighters they showed him most love
Never defeated, no matter the foe
With him they all knew they would soon see a show
The man was all muscle, and seven feet tall
Compared to his size, all the guards appeared small
His skin was tanned golden, his eyes piercing green
His hair long and braided and dark with a sheen
His helmet of metal was fitted just so
His sword and his shield had a rich, shiny glow
A belt made of leather protected his waist
His greaves, thick and sturdy and perfectly laced
Suddenly silent, the crowd had grown still
Awaiting arrival, expecting a thrill
And then there was thunder, the roar of the beast
Declaring his entrance, predicting a feast
The man and the lion began in their game
Predator, prey, they both looked the same
They circled and circled and then in a blink
The cat had attacked him, so anxious to drink
They struggled together, the two locked in war
The crowd cheered them on, hoping for gore
And then he was bitten, the wound on his leg
But he would not fumble and he would not beg
He reached for his weapon so close where it lay
He would not accept this would be his last day
And just as the creature had pounced in the air
He killed the great cat with his sword and a prayer
The fighter stood up with his blood dripping down
The steel of his helmet concealing his frown
The great gladiator continued to reign
Another he killed, one more smile he must feign
Categories:
announced, cat, imagination,
Form:
Rhyme
Stage 1
Trick-or- treating long after dark, we knocked on an old lady’s door.
Her annoyed look clearly did not match our Halloween glee.
But that did not dissuade us from dashing to the next lighted porch.
Stage 2
I took my two small kids out in cute costumes Halloween night.
Once Trick- or- Treating was finished and my children were tucked in bed,
I busied myself sifting through their bags for the Snickers bars!
Stage 3:
Sometimes before 5, the Trick- or- Treaters appear at our door,
announced constantly by our barking dog. Although they may look cute,
after 9, I become the old bothered lady from my childhood.
Oct. 25, 2016 For the Halloween Contest of Eve Roper
Categories:
announced, halloween, , cute,
Form:
Sijo
A Better Day After All
A ring of the phone announced
A holiday call to say “hello”
The news from working days,
Days sometimes bringing nostalgic yearning,
That feeling of being a part of things,
A desire for the perception of good old days
Days when accomplishment was joy, and
There was news of friends gone by,
There was news of politics and meetings,
And then, then, the realization like night arc lights when
You’re gone, you’re gone, left behind, but
Today you didn’t have to drive on slick streets,
Today your frig had a grocery, and you could stay in;
Today you could write this little offering.
A better day after all.
Categories:
announced, blessing, retirement,
Form:
Free verse
Cheese curds make my day.
My wife has a daily habit
Of caring for all my needs.
She keeps her eyes wide open
To see what she can see.
This week was no exception
As she neared the dairy case.
Greeted by one of my favorites
Now staring her in the face.
You see. . . I love cheese curds.
I even love their squeaky sound.
When she finds real fresh ones
I can eat them by the pound.
Several months ago,
A nearby dairy closed its door.
Never to make great curds again
No. . . never “curds” no more.
Shullsburg, Wi. was the next place
We’d make the day long drive to.
When we’d go so far fetch,
We’d always buy more than a few.
But it goes against my “system”
When those curds are in the home.
I’m always “digging” in the frig
I can’t leave those curds alone.
But as sometimes life will go
Our local grocer now has in stock
So we can buy fresh curds
Without driving a "million blocks”.
She announced as she returned
From the weekly trek she makes.
“The store had some ‘new’ curds”
To mention curds is all it takes.
I quickly fought open the package
To taste and hear that sound.
I scarfed down several chunks
Before in the frig they’re bound.
“Oh my !” is what I shouted.
These curds are really best.
But at my age, I must control
The quantities I now ingest.
For my old system can’t tolerate
All the cheese I’d like to eat.
So I must regulate the flow
Save my curds for just a treat.
My son, however: doesn’t seem care.
He can mow them down full feed.
But I know “our kitchen tender”
Will supply us all we need.
So “Thank you” Homestead Dairy
And all the folks involved in that.
I’ll be up to see your operation
Maybe get to see you “stir the vat”. :o)
A parting note to all Christian readers,
I’ve a thought about life’s end.
With all the banquets talked about,
I trust my curds “someone” will send.
Written by oldbuck to commemorate the discovery of a “local” supply for fresh curds. Curds and crisp bacon are two of my favorite foods.
Categories:
announced, appreciation, farm, food, poetry,
Form:
Rhyme