Best Antony Poems
Who Art Thou?
Thou carriest me to distant clime, to Egypt in my mind.
I’m Cleopatra, naked. In thy folds, I solace find.
Thou art gentle, like sweet Antony. With body splayed, I lie
Upon thee in a valley, and above us is blue sky.
Those times, I come to visit thee with arms outstretched, for peace.
Other times, with steady strokes, I find in thee release.
Thou holdest me though I cut thee; thou art soothing like a balm.
I love thee when thou art able to flow, clear and calm.
At times, thou canst rage. On those days, I've no need of thee,
But other times I move within thee, working mightily.
And when my body’s spent, I leave thee for a while
Until I see thee next, and thou wilt be for me, my Nile.
This is a Thing!
A riddle poem for you, Rob
Dispatched by Mark Antony to fetch his queen
An Egyptian with beauty of world renown
Five-thousand mighty Roman warriors sailed
Committed to driving Egypt’s army down
Cleopatra was basking on a Nile barge
While the fleet remained offshore waiting for night
‘Neath the cloak of darkness warriors arrived
To surprise defenders and battle incite
Fully armored Roman forces held the edge
Razor-sharp swords pierced Egyptians’ tanned skin
Into the gently flowing Nile, Egyptian blood spilled
The desert soldiers’ garb was softer than tin
When heat rose with dawn’s light on the pyramids
Only a few hundred Egyptian soldiers remained
But they fought with the courage of a thousand more
Determined to protect Cleopatra’s reign
Defenders fought with valor; none sought mercy
Just as victory seemed within Rome’s grasp
A bloody trail to the palace had been carved
But Cleopatra lay dead, bitten by an asp
Noble Antony awaited his army
Rejoicing when the first ship came into view
But they’d waged their fiercest fight futilely
Now they mustered to strength to tell Antony too
Warriors’ hearts were filled with compassion
The sign of a truly devoted band
As they offered support for their ruler’s loss
Antony felt the power of each and every man
*But for the fact that Antony and Cleopatra
were lovers, this poem is entirely fictional.
Antony and Cleopatra actually wed and
Antony moved to Egypt.
Entry for the “Roman Legion” contest
Relishing a dream of voyage;
though the sky lit by the glory of rays,
my eyes squinted at the ray
fluttering my lashes says,
not now,don't wake me now.
Impeccable sunlight splattering
on to the window
making a tiny purslane buds to grow.
In a fantasy,I say,
not now,don't wake me now.
Beads of morning dew sets humbly
on my pristine pink roses
and haughty dew on the edge of the leaf
filling in a light from the sunbeam.
Be-worried to dispel from cloud-land,I say
not now,don't wake me now.
Am exploring the vault of heaven
loosing myself from within
under the blanket of murky rain.
Then heard a crooning songs buzzing into my ear
wakes me recalling the tangled memories of cheer.
Plunged into a new day with smiling eyes
and with a prayer of good angels of heights.
Written by,
Rekha Antony
Throwback February 2020
Modified to refrain form
suffering by the sentence made,
the pain wave breaks the surface,
the whips cut and the slicing blade,
the masters bloody purpose....
to be owned by the master,
and treated like a curse,
resentment burns hereafter,
karma is ten times worse,
time repays the master,
the next life reimbursed,
not blest with this life with laughter,
so miserable so cursed
"Indentured Servant" thanks Antony Nutter
great poetry mate.....Don Johnson
Written: February 26, 2025, for Antony Biaanco Contest
*************************
City hum drifts through spurious ways,
teeming in a wild, woody ward.
The jasmine vine twists down to
a jagged sill for a moment before
sinking into a cool, katabatic pit.
Early rush-hour sounds—farts and snorts—
cram the air, moments blending
into the drive-by without a stroll,
as rain-soaked, worn stone slabs
Mark the corner store—
where you used to grab milk,
soap, or other staples.
The chill of an icy night—
gives way to a sun-kissed morning glow.
Sitting at my desk, chatting on the phone,
canceling appointments for the boss.
He’s staying a little longer in Honolulu,
musing over which states—
the neighbors moved to.
Do they remember how
crabgrass took over?
The streets are empty except—
for a fridge that somehow
made it to the avenue,
lingering there,
its story is low and uncertain.
Does this questionable life count?
We can’t amend it,
it won’t yield precious plums,
only a mournful structure,
shadows lurking,
and worn trousers that tell tales.
The horizon lies obscured—
by haphazard highways,
stretching into stark,
barren spaces,
where even the flowers have wilted.
Countless scorched dreams,
strained savings,
and buried letters—
linger in forgotten corners.
The fire hydrant no longer
cries out for the world.
"Honky Chateau" continues to compel—
as it meanders the sporadic streets,
streets cloaked in anonymity—
and emptied of life.
The dwindling dirge of
a forsaken place hangs heavily,
with dreams dangling—
in line for food stamps
and community cheese.
Buildings shatter, splinter, and crumble—
crashing, crushing, collapsing
submerged with rivers of fire within.
Crisis tamed,
calamity curtailed,
the police stroll in pairs,
collecting discarded shopping carts.
Dust gently falls—
as yesterday's laments hush
the pigeons to sleep,
mold mingling with the memory—
of barbecued ribs,
those hardened bones
left since last year.
JULIUS CAESAR
When you start reading
You show your feeling
But not in Julius Caesar
Whose chapters dip you in eager
Onto the streets of Rome
Lay a royal home
Caesar's it was
Who was the boss
He was the king
Bright as a diamond ring
He loved all his mates
who finally decided his fates
Mark Antony , his noblest and loyal friend
Did not leave him till the end
The story started fine
But no answers why it turned as a sorrowful line
On the night ,
Which was not bright
Filled with thunder and lightning
Caesar came shouting
Calpurnia, his lovely wife
Feared his life
She dreamt of bad omens
That spoiled her faith in her husband's Romans
Caesar neglected
That her dream as amiss interpreted
He was a lion
Who punished evil in a line
His famous quote
"Cowards die many times before their deaths ,
The valiant never taste of death but once"
Lies in all our minds
At last he gave up going to the senate house
But the evil Brutus spoiled his thought like a mouse
He took away Caesar to the senators
By telling false rumours
In the senate house, they killed Caesar
His voice grew hoarser
He believed Brutus and shouted ET TU BRUTE [ you too Brutus ]
But Brutus was happy with his killing lute [killing of Caesar ]
Caesar died,
The heavens cried
The happiness of senators did not last long
As they became small before Antony's anger bong
Antony waited for revenge and took Caesar's funeral as a starting point
Brutus, unaware of his mind , gave the joint
His tears flamed up as fire
And also lit Caesar's funeral pyre
Antony takes oath to finish off the unfaithful dogs
And lit the fire of revenge with his speech logs
Antony's speech became world famous
For its opening line
"FRIENDS, ROMANS , COUNTRYMEN "
He succeeded in winning the people's heart
And people came in to help him for a start
Antony also took the help of Octavius Caesar,
Caesar's nephew for a war with their anger
Against Brutus and his mates
At last Brutus and Cassius decided their own fates
They were defeated against Octavius and Antony
And finally, they commit SUICIDE........
- manasvini surya
Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Cleopatra fell in love with Mark Antony
She became ruler of Egypt by Antony's decree.
Forced to flee Egypt, her rumored suicide plan...
She let an asp kill her over the loss of her man.
Antony so beguiled by love for his Queen's desire
Giving her much land provoked Roman senate's ire
After Cleopatra became Mark Antony's wife
He thought she was dead, so he took his own life.
1-15-19
Clerihew Contest ~ Second Placement Premiere contest
Sponsor Carolyn Devonshire
Note:
After Caesar's assassination, Cleopatra set her sights on the dashing Roman general Mark Antony. The two began an affair, resulting in twins in 40 B.C. Antony wed Cleopatra in 36 B.C., and appointed his new wife ruler of Egypt, Cyprus, Crete, and Cyria. This abuse of power so outraged the Roman Senate that they denounced him a traitor. After losing a major battle at sea, Antony and Cleopatra were forced to flee to Egypt in 31 B.C. In desperation, Cleopatra spread rumors of her own suicide. Antony, unaware of her plan, stabbed himself to death. When Cleopatra heard of this, she took her own life by inducing a poisonous snake to bite her.
River crab , river crab,why do you not sleep?
I have opened my eyes to see the big and the small.
The mackerel that only sees the small sprat
And not the big shadow it casts on the river bank
Shall soon float in the smaller and hotter poll.
River crab, river crab,why do you not sleep?
I have opened my eyes to see all around me,
For what we ignore today and say it is harmless
Tomorrow often casts big shadow on our path.
Brutus once bragged; Antony is a small ant.
River crab , river crab, why do you not sleep?
I have prohibited sleep from my eyes
To pay attention with due diligence
To everything at the river bank
Mama had warned me at my birth:
Even the smallest ant casts long shadow;
No matter how minute a factor,
She said it is a factor.
In that hours of light when the ocean
adorned us with the kiss of the waves,
affection for its beauty
reformed to a worshiping deity.
Oh my sailor,you've anchored my heart
making me a perfect fit queen of your paradise.
My mind heeded a love song playing on a harp
dreaming of the day walking down the aisle
with bouquets of orchids,pulling down the veil.
Oh my sailor,it's more than a year
that ocean waves hitting your ship
cradle you to sleep
a sleep for an hour sketching blood lines
in your eyes makes me sigh.
Oh my sailor,sail back home
break your groove,rest sleepy head on bosom
get tuned into the lullaby from my heart
walk-in to the land full of love
far away from the seagull squawk
where the cuckoos sings at the sky's first blush
no more frozen sausage you see
nor the ship that roars
black headed gull emptied your tin of nuts
which we bought from a valley hut.
Oh my sailor,sail back home
you're brave as knight and strong as storm
but you are the one my sight do seek
no matter you glide through the ocean
or let the sea breeze to whoosh
sail back away from the wrath of kyaar
and wrap me safe within your arms
Oh my sailor,sail back home.
Written By
Rekha Antony
To the Sailor Ajesh Joshi
“The lover who reasons is no lover” – Norman Douglas, English writer.
Its spell made Antony to fall in love with Cleopatra, and marry her. Threats from Octavian only made their bond stronger.
Its spell made Tristan to fall in love with Isolde, as he escorted her back to Cornwall, in England, where King Mark hailed. Tristan had forgotten that Isolde was the fiancé to his uncle, King Mark.
Paris was hypnotized by its spell, going ahead to abduct Helen, and taking her back to Troy. What followed was the Trojan War, and eventually the sack of Troy by Greeks.
Its spell made Penelope to resist 108 suitors, who were anxious to replace her husband, Odysseus. Odysseus was equally devoted by refusing a beautiful sorceress’s offer of everlasting love and eternal youth.
Shah Jahan was cast by its spell, building the Taj Mahal; a monument dedicated to his late beloved, Mumtaz.
Its spell still makes its way into our hearts today, making us to do extraordinary things for the ones we hold very dear.
From the tomb of life my poor heart does bleed
The depth of my grave is so deep I see
I struggle to breathe rich fresh air I need
To climb those deep grave walls to be free
It called from continents afar unknown
A light so bright yet such a long time hidden
To lift my soul from the weight of the stone
The breath of life you gave me unbidden
Oh without you our sweet arabica
When you cast your hot aromatic spell
Unlike Antony and Cleopatra
Our hearts are tied, together they will dwell
To crawl into the light you sent to me
Never leave my life now that is my plea.
© GG 31/7/2013
A ROMAN TALE
By Roy Merritt
Caesar had seizures but Brutus cut him no slack
And though he claimed he was his friend
He stabbed him in the back
He'd taken over the Senate
And they thought he was a jerk
But Brutus himself seldom showed up for work
And soon Augustus and all of his crew
Knew for certain what they should do
And Brutus knowing there was a reward
He did what he must and fell on his sword
Auggie and Antony had become allies
Though both secretly Caesar despised
They just wanted the crown they each did conspire
To wear the laurel to lead the Empire
Augustus took the west and Antony went east
And soon with that woman in Egypt he'd feast
She tempted him with her sweet delight
She herself had Rome in her sight
And Antony you know his wife he dismissed
Forgetting that dame was Auggie's sis
A foolish thing for a man to do
He bit off more than he could chew
And mounting an army he did something dumb
And Auggie crushed him at Actium
Back in Egypt Antony did flee
Hoping once more that woman to see
Knowing now he faced but strife
Antony too took his own life
And Cleo losing him lost her grasp
And she herself caressed an asp
And now they're celebrated for breaking the rules
But if you ask me they were just fools
Inner child, forever confused?
Puzzled by alcohol misused.
His angry dad when so infused,
Did with hand, belt and bat abused.
Inner child, cruelly accused,
With arms and hips then deeply bruised.
His ‘self’ reduced and made diffused,
Mental pain left talents unused.
Inner child, who was once enthused,
Broken by violence, excused.
Mind distorted by truth refused,
Shrouded by lies mum circumfused.
Inner child is with hope transfused
And, by sound help, self-love infused.
Where visceral doubt, once oozed,
This inner child now disabused.
(Disabuse: To persuade someone that a belief is mistaken)
Dedicated to the Rev. Antony Barraclough, whose spiritual guidance and humanity, enabled me to find hope and peace among the living.
Pain, pain and pain, with never a pause,
Could I hear the sound of laughter?
Only around me and everywhere, but –
Never had I the chance to hear my own
Till that day, I heard Him coming!
Yelp, yelp and yelp of agony,
The ache and affliction through the years
Searched and groaned for healing someday
Hopes ‘n I shattered - this is destiny I greet,
Till that day, I saw the light of hope!
Cry, cry and cry, shedding the tears to dry
Had I mourned my sorrow out
Yet the torment within and out never fade
Never could I stop the flowing tears of mine
Till that day, my eyes had seen Him
Hope, hope and hope, I went through the crowd –
Of people crushing Him on every side
A few inches away from the healing
Stretched forth my hand to receive it –
On that day, I touched His garment hem!
Faith, faith and faith, filling my heart complete
Could I see my future, a happy me
With no pain and sorrow, no more tears to shed
But happy moments to surround me full
On that day, was I healed complete!
Fear, fear and fear struck me hard, hearing –
“Who art thou touched me? “ From him
Though his disciples said, people were –
All around Him, He knew He’d healed me,
On that day, though I thought it was in secret!
Joy, joy and joy, was I overwhelming with
Though I stood there afraid in front of Him –
And the confused crowd, He embraced me ‘n blessed,
I thought I found him first, but never had I realized –
Till that day, He had found me, in my mother’s womb!
- Sarah Antony
Hieroglyphs and Holograms
A hieroglyph
Precise but brief
presentation
of terms as icon
symbol, sign,
picture, design
or pictograph
covers enough.
Hieroglyphic
version referred
Egyptian
as Luwian
language
in ancient age.
thought as purity
from antiquity.
Hologram
Precise but firm
3-D image
of modern age.
Photographic
pattern specific
by Laser beam
flashed on theme.
Scattered light
should fall right
on medium dot
to imprint prompt.
06/08/216
Hieroglyphs and Holograms Contest
Sponsor Antony Slausen