Best Ascertaining Poems
you and i were the 'good kids'
only spoke when spoken to
never picked a fight
didn't color outside the lines
later we learned that they
were sifting through all our art
ascertaining who lay on the
extremities of the bell curve
who might have a troubled home life
and/or
who might have an aptitude for fine art
... we were somewhere in the middle
fast forward thirty years or so...
we discovered a magic quill
that served as a machete
clearing out the underbrush
of this dense jungle we call
life
we learned to think outside
the quadrilateral parallelogram
and found the outer rim
of that bell curve
we no longer raised our hands
waiting to be called on
we delved deep and found
a singular
phenomenon
inside us -
our voice
I: in the 70s
At sixteen, looking through a magazine,
I came across the picture of a girl
whose character was Mary Ellen in
“The Waltons” show I watched on Thursday nights.
Her look was that of mine when I made up
my face and styled my hair a certain way.
It gave me pleasure seeing someone who
was somewhat famous - looking just like me!
And so I clipped that picture out and saved
it in a scrapbook of my memories.
II: in the 80s
Inside a bank I stood in line one day.
Ahead of me I saw a child who stood
beside a woman and I felt a shock.
The little girl looked like my five-year-old.
In fact, she looked so much like Angela,
I had to ask the lovely lass her name,
ascertaining that kid was not my own!
How very strange to see a thing like that.
III: in the 90’s
My husband had a doppleganger who
lived somewhere in our own vicinity,
for three times Joe was in a hardware store
and was approached by people thinking he
was someone else, a framer too, it seems.
I wish that Joe had learned this fellow’s name
and wonder if today they look same
and if his look-alike was also forced
to find another line of work to do!
IV: in the new millennium
I also have a doppleganger in
this area. A few times I’ve been told
I look just like another woman, but
the time that made me feel sixteen again
was when my chiropractor told me that
the structure of my face and how I looked
was like Mcdonnell’s, star in the best film
of Kevin Costner‘s. She had played a Sioux.
Her name is Mary, like the character
I thought I’d looked liked from the Walton show!
V: now
I have a doppleganger here at Soup,
except we do not look that much alike.
She’s fairly young and I am (almost) old,
but nearly everything she says to me
reminds me of myself; however, she
writes free verse and is wackier than me!
She’s more my doppleganger spiritually,
and if you cannot guess who she might be,
I’ll give a clue: she likes to change her name
here at the Soup, a thing I doubt I’d do!
For Matt Caliri's Doppelgangers contest
A. Anarchy
Amber autumn aflame
An aroma of ash appeases the adamant arsonist; the artful anarchist
An audacious attempt at attacking back at our arbitrary accommodations
The ascended advocate us to abide as they affirm their advancement through annihilation
An abstract artifice, artificial affirmation of all aspects
Treated like an array of aliens in our allowed acropolis with the armor turned against us
Most amused with their asinine aspirations and amaurotic attractions
A few too apprehensive to argue and ask for an alternative, afraid of any altercation
But the agitated and annoyed assemble, ascertaining truth through awareness at every angle
Amateur acts of anger arise and accelerate, accompanying their adverse assault on our amendments
The alliance ablaze and amassing, anticipating an apocalyptic ambush
Absolution remains absent and anger becomes anxiety among those abandoned
The affluent assure abolishment for the average and all under
Enraged muddy storm surges, crashed against
The white and red frame ocean shore tower
Panicking with a foreboding horror
The valiant old sailor gained strong power
Hurricane wind blows like a howling wolf
Darkening the afternoon in umbra
Clouding the vision of the azure sky
Eclipsing golden sun with penumbra
Escaping downstairs to preserve his life
Prayed fervently to calm his distressed soul
Ascertaining it was an angst nightmare
Reassuming the protection controul
For Sentinel Quatrain Form - Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Eve Roper
First Place
4-10-2016
December 26 Relationship to God Bible Meditations Based on Revelation 13-14
Key Verse – Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
LORD GOD, YOU ARE MY LABOUR AND WORK REWARDER
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
asserting Your supreme authority
Thank You that You sustain me for my faith’s stability
With Your power over death’s infirmity…
Let me praise You with all my sincerity.
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
affirming Your abundant grace
Thank You that You invite me to come to You without doubt’s trace
With Your leadership of eternal foundation-brace…
Let me honour You with my stewardship along Christian race.
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
ascertaining Your revival fire
Thank You that You uphold me in my virtuous desire for which I aspire
With Your mercy and might that cannot retire…
Let me trust You along reliance You require.
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
attesting Your loving fatherhood
Thank You that You keep me in Your redemption against religion’s falsehood
With Your precious seal for my sainthood…
Let me follow You as proof of my servanthood.
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
accentuating Your perfect role
Thank You that You freed me from sinfulness-goal
With Your compassion toward eternal heavenly pole…
Let me worship You with all my being’s whole.
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
acclaiming Your glorious presence
Thank You that You bless me along disciple’s license
With Your commandment’s incense…
Let me pray to You, beholding Your favour’s iridescense.
Lord God, You are my labour and work Rewarder,
articulating Your fruitful harvest
Thank You that You build me up for reaching-out zest
With Your commission toward ministerial crest…
Let me abide You and enjoy in Your fellowship’s nest.
December 26, 2023
"all of us are on a journey and the answers are unspoken"
Quote by _Constance La France
As the world celebrates Mother’s Day with triumph
affectionately, I cannot but reminisce my Mom
Artencia (her lovely name) whose vitality upholds me up until now
affirmatively marking my steps along the way…
Always grateful am I to God for my interesting journey
asserting praises for giving me my Mom
along her unconditional love, nurturing and nourishing me well
around her womb at the onset of my existence…
Aware of Mom’s unceasing presence
ah, my heart found haven in her gentle hands
approved by her care, pacified by sweet lullabies
assuaged against fear, especially during visits to the doctors...
Apprehended with misbehavior as a child
assured am I to have Mom as disciplinarian and mentor
amidst her compassion, mercy and grace
ascertaining to impart virtues that I now have as orphanage guardian...
Accompanied by Mom along significant routes
armed was I with choices and decisions by her guidance
and while I confess my stubbornness, contradicting her, still I admit
actually, she aided me in my journey to become the woman* I am today.
Proverbs 31:30 “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” King James Version (KJV)
Dramatic Monologue with Alliteration of A
May 17, 2023
1st place, "Writing Challenge A Quotes" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Constance La France; judged on 5/20/2023
Thank
You
Poets and
Poetess
For encouraging
Words during the pass through the storm
Beholding a reborn point of view of life setbacks
Ascertaining that propitious and gloomy moments encompass growing purposes
4-28-2016
Human race, don’t boast on the casualty coast
Frisking, seeking, pricking and nicking the truth
On a continental coast as to your truth you toast
Sending to Coventry the uncouth
Pummeling the truth, belittling the youth
Whose views you deride
As your rollercoaster swings South
In the company of your petty pride
In tow to brandish the interpretation
You vaunt with no iota of shame
At the place of honour you accord to the incantation
You blurt in the claim
You push far above merit
Twisting the truth, alienating allies
Although the truth you fail to inherit
In the realm where lies and flies
Sometimes cohabit
Dancing in tandem with hubris
Cultivated into a horrible habit
Which tends to increase
At sunup, at sunset
When the truth cries
Causing a major upset
As the zone of the truth decries
Sufferings the truth endures
In diverse fora
Where jesters ensure cures
Arrive fast to prevent error and terror
From decimating puritan platforms
Preventing them descending into the farce
That demeans the truth in its multifarious forms
While ascertaining misinterpretation remains sparse.
Complimenting my future,
Asking for guidance,
Remembering God’s promises,
Ascertaining His direction,
Molding me in His reflection,
Equipped with Thy armor,
Loyal to Thy word and service.
Dial phone number
Inquire about future fate
Tarot cards reading
Ascertaining the deceit
Searching answer in the stars
Example for Destiny or Choices Contest
4-18-2016
God gives me second chances with His love, verily unconditional
Conquering my failures of grievous frustrations
Asserting me His truth; thus “I can rise again by His grace!”*
I thank Him for girding me along my faith…
Anchoring my steadfastness upon His truth
Against doubts and unbelief.
God grants me abounding second chances along His mercy, readily available
Upholding my heart against lamentable losses
Affirming to me that He is sovereign!
I honour Him for uplifting me in my submission…
Breaking my pride thru His holiness
Against haughtiness and self-glorying.
God assures me miraculous second chances thru His power, surely wondrous
Rebuking my pessimism that hinders me to move on
Ascertaining to me that He rules with supreme wisdom!
I praise Him for correcting me of my ignorance…
Guiding my decisions thru His precepts
Against deceit and skepticism.
God leads me toward triumphant second chances by His joy, truly cheering
Securing my salvation with His Word so immutable
Awaking me from regrets of no profit!
I esteem Him for propelling me to work thru my commitment…
Blessing my service-labor with His approval
Against fruitlessness and indolence.
*Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again…”
January 18, 2019
6th place, "Second Chances" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Chantelle Anne Cooke; judged on 1/22/2019.
This peace,
ascertaining it.
Such
A
Struggle.
Yet,
the bird
stayed with me.
Its Snowy-white giving, love, escorted me.
Together finding
this
tranquil place,
and today
serenity
is
mine.
May I write, if you don't mind please?
It seems there's much I long to say,
Haul up the bucket of ideas from my deep wishing well
That reaches Heaven as well as Hell.
Break loose the constraints from the walls,
Chase all the forms down endless halls,
Catch the strange and toothless one And bring it out into the sun,
Hold down the letter and add it's parts until the work is done.
I love to write, what's wrong with that?
In the sound of words and rhythms flowing
I find what seems to me worth showing,
Real or not, cool or hot, whether thin or whether fat.
So I will write, as I do today, again tomorrow, read or unread,
We who write dress up thoughts as leaves adorn the trees,
Planting seeds in minds and hearts as we please,
Ascertaining and dispensing hope instead of dread.
If we choose to rhyme we may, but if not we may not,
We can pun just for fun or tantalize with care,
Immortalize or satirize, do as much as we may dare.
For it is a good thing to write now while still above the family plot.
Megaphone diplomacy disparages diplomacy
Weakens links cultivated at great cost
Only to vanish in the twinkling of a fallacy
Spiced and iced for a tit for tat toast.
Megaphone diplomacy hobnobs with a misnomer
For nations blighted by the myopia
Cooped up in a fallacy grammar
Tinged with a dose of danger drama in Dystopia.
Megaphone diplomacy shunts aside tact
To overdramatize a scenario
That with tact violates no pact
Ascertaining partners to a dispute toast in Rio.
Megaphone diplomacy plays to the gallery
Ensconced in short-termism
To gain a political mileage salary
At the expense of more fruitful long-termism.
i've had it up to here dear for i fear the rear end of the deal makes me feel so surreal that i kneel and repeat which makes me sink to my feet when i meet the one sitting in the seat previously defeated by the one who had been repeated on another shift when they all had to sift through the ones still standing in the lift who eventually had to move position for they wanted to hear the brand new rendition from the one and only expedition which when readily available in stores made top scores and put them on the floor which wasn't against the law at least not back then when you could rely upon a friend to send you around the bend or more than likely mend your mind which would readily defend anyone of whom you could depend until the very end…
at the cessation of the tedious conversation there were tales of a plantation found by satellite navigation and upon ascertaining the location there was an analysis of the seed which when we al read how it fulfilled the entire human race's need for speed on the bus that originally caused no fuss but has since been flushed down the toilet of despair for now we collectively care about what is here and there in our united requirement to restore what is righteous and fair…
now i recently heard a song that described a war zone as paradise but i see that as a head with lice that would eat all the rice leaving us all with a result not so nice and produces something at a costly price that could entice a game with too many dice but as i see it we will all overcome the fun run that needed to be done before it started whilst we reach the paradigm shifting sum that would be a never ending bun for those still remaining hungry on the street now grooving to brand new beat that's so neat we defeat and bring to an end the enemy's deceit…
To Be Continued...