Best Attesting Poems
Silver shimmers
reflected by the sea
When dawn kisses each
silhouetted tree.
As sunrise pierces
fleecy clouds of blush
A canvass bides the
eager artist's brush.
Our Banyon bids adieu
to fowl in flight...
Their songs reverberate
in morning light
Attesting to the joy
each dawn excites
In explosive colors
which Sol ignites.
As breezes blow through
azure skies above
I share divinely Dawn's
sweet gifts of love.
12-24-21
'STRAND NO 1042' Contest~First Place~
Sponsor Brian Strand
Merry Christmas (Mele Kalikimaka) from Hawaii….Aloha
“Trust in the LORD*.” Such declares God’s sovereignty
Along His leadership as the supreme Almighty Deity---
We must bow to Him with humility
Submitting ourselves to His authority.
“Trust in the LORD.” Such affirms God’s greatness
Along His omnipotence while manifesting gentleness---
We must shine through His goodness
Consecrating ourselves to His graciousness.
“Trust in the LORD.” Such reverberates God’s warning
Along His rebuke against unbelief, doubting, and complaining---
We must repent with sincerity’s well-meaning
Yielding ourselves to His reigning.
“Trust in the LORD.” Such speaks of God’s demand
Along His precept attesting promises so grand---
We must meditate His Word, whereupon we stand
Dedicating ourselves to follow His command.
“Trust in the LORD.” Such asserts God’s compassion
Along His mercy upon us during our affliction---
We must abide in His will midst COVID19 situation
Laying ourselves to His perfect and wise action.
“Trust in the LORD.” Such announces God’s requirement
Along His statute for us to show our joyous fulfillment---
We must comply to His faith-building agreement
Committing ourselves to His soulwinning-empowerment.
“Trust in the LORD.” Such assures God’s victory
Along His triumph in our obedience to proclaim Gospel story---
We must rely on His might while praying to overcome worry
Surrendering ourselves to His control for His glory.
*Psalm 73:28 …It is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
March 21, 2020
Beside a gilded wall of white a dainty bench is resting;
Victorian accents swirl about the ornate room, providing
An elegance, a beauty in each line and curve, attesting
To cultured tastes and upscale life, and hours spent deciding
What shapes and colors best would suit the airy, springtime feeling:
But looking closely, something there upon the bench reposes,
A lady's fan and soft kid gloves, their jumbled state revealing
What hasty movements cast them all aside when fragrant roses
Arrived in state with baby's breath, and some white note, nigh hidden
In bursting blooms of rainbow hue, by unknown hands delivered:
And having noted thus, the eye could not but roam unbidden
To she who holds the rose bouquet, to she who slightly shivered
With thoughts that youths so oft imagine, thoughts that made her giddy
And blushed her cheeks the color of the rosy dress cascading
With lacy ruffles from her shoulders, looking just as pretty
As her face, which looks for all the world like roses never fading;
Two lips like shiny cherries, or the poppies that she tends to,
Complexion like a creamy rose with hints of pink surrounding
The fragile outer curling of its leaves; brown eyes that send you
A warm, quick-spreading feeling, like the first hot sunrays bounding
Thro' seas of blue to make the greengrass grow. Now look, she's taking
The little note from out among the stems; perhaps with quiet
And careful steps the message could be read; I have to try it.
"My dearest Rose, I never could imagine so befitting
A name for one who does resemble all that man finds charming
In lovely blossoms: beauty surely, grace as they are flitting
In breezes sweet of scent, and frailty, which I find disarming;
So here's a gift no prettier and sweet than you. Sincerely,
A man that loves you more than you could know.
Quatrains of decapentasyllabic verse followed by a single line of iambic pentameter.
Written by Isaiah Zerbst. Published for the first time January 26, 2015.
Amidst great ocean of life --- voyaging
I’m blest with the Lord’s granted fellowship
partnership-bliss in faithful stewardship…
Captain is Christ by His love’s engaging.
Along life's trip, I've learned Bible ships’ facts
attesting the Creator’s supreme hand
working by His omnipotent command
assuring sweet peace from evil attacks.
With God’s sovereign design, notable
Noah’s Ark in Genesis does prevail
as Earth’s first ship fulfilling divine sail
to preserve creation, grandly noble.
As a floating zoo against water might
Almighty-propelled vessel was haven
for animals while showers poured from heaven
bound Noah’s family with home’s delight.
One sea-vessel expressed by the Scriptures
showed baby Moses on his gracious trip
handled by the omniscient Father’s grip
the buoyant basket wrought great adventures.
Victorious ship in the Old Testament
surmounted grievous horrible tempest
when Prophet Jonah passed obedience test
admitting guilt for pardon fulfillment.
The greatest was the ship* of Jesus Christ
encountering numerous miracles
with the Saviour calming all debacles
by His truth and guidance, mercy-sufficed.
In this journey toward eternity
sailing with my Captain in reaching-out
as fisher of men midst soulwinning bout
I’m safe in His friendship of grace-bounty.
*Mark 5:21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
November 7, 2021
4th place, "A Noteworthy Ship" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Robert James Liguori; judged on 11/11/2021.
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
THE POUND
He looked at me with cautious eyes
As I walked by his cage
The white whiskers on his face
Attesting to his age
I wandered down the row of strays
Looking at them all
In hopes I'd find the perfect one
And ones homelessness forestall
There were several that I liked
Most jumping at their gate
Telling me how much they'd like
To escape their current fate
But somehow I could not forget
The old guy by the door
He wasn't cute or young or spry
There was something more
I went back and took another look
While he just sat and stared
As if to say I can't believe
That maybe someone cares
There was a sadness to his face
That stirred something inside
I knew he'd traveled rocky roads
Before being cast aside
This is the one I told them
He's going home with me
Put a collar on him
And I'll go pay the fee
And as I took him home that day
I knew right from the start
I had gained a faithful friend
And he had claimed my heart
Placed 2nd in Francine Roberts Pick A Pet contest
I will follow you to the ends of the universe.
You sing and I will be the note you strain to reach.
Even in your sleep, the dreams of love in reverse,
I will be that scream of nightmares you breach.
Put one foot forward and I will be a foot away.
Fly and I will be the wing that meets the gale force
that which propels the flight to lands faraway
and guides you back home to love and its source.
Laugh, sing and I will be the bubbles of joy overflow.
Cry the tears attesting to gladness, sorrow and pain.
Whatever emotion I will be the candle forever aglow
even in death, I will be your light come shine or rain.
Auras contain your hues
assimilating you
as things change in your life
all captured in photos.
Abiding in your heart
always true to the self
attesting truth to hues.
Written 8-9-16 (my husband’s birthday)
Pleiades Contest Sponsored by Kim Merryman
This titled form was invented in 1999 by Craig Tigerman, Sol Magazine's lead editor. Only one word is allowed in the title followed by a single seven-line stanza. The first word in each line begins with the same letter as the title. Hortensia Anderson, a popular haiku and tanka poet, added her own requirement of restricting the line length to six syllables.
trapped in the category of basic feelings, attesting to the functional regularity of the average human and demonstrating the crystal-clear predictability of their secular behavior, hatred, love, envy and jealousy consolidated practically all the advance and retreat of a race that eternally gravitates around its own navel, growing at the limit of the satisfaction of instincts and collapsing to the exact extent and at the time when it judges itself full and satiated, ignoring or comfortably avoiding understanding that both transcendence and evolution require the uprising of satiety, since this in everything resembles resignation and cowardice.
Spiritedly radiating festive cheer
Exuberant along blest hopeful gear
Prevailing with God’s grace, mercy and light
This month ushers us toward celebration delight.
Eagerly greeting our hearts with triumphant merriments
Mirth-filled September exudes jubilant, vibrant moments:
Birthdays of family members bring reunion bliss
Engaging loved ones together in fellowship we can’t miss---
Reminiscing childhood fun along home bonding zest
Fueled with testimonies of faith, attesting we are blest
Also, we have tribute to grandparents on a September Sunday
Leading our footsteps toward upholding wise legacy’s ray.
Let’s welcome September blessings gratefully indeed
Showered by the Lord* with His gifts to share in word and in deed.
*1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
September 16, 2024
5th place, "September Falls" Acrostic and Rhyme Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Andrea Dietrich; judged on 9/30/2024
I came out of our mother's womb
crying, attesting to the grimness of the tomb;
and taking this journey through the unknown,
I realize how much I have grown.
With deep curiosity and longing, I am bound to discover
the purpose for living either in happiness or grief;
there'll never be complete joy, and with this belief
I praise this very existence and the need to go farther.
I have hung on drudgery, increasing anxiety all the while
and toiling away, nothing has rewarded me with any glory;
I hovered to the side to catch glimpses of folks looking happy:
laughing and showing their glitz in diamonds with elite style.
Is there another courageous man standing on the slipping edge
forced to choose life or death? What's my chance at happiness:
failure or success? It all depends on the moods and choices;
what do I ask for besides well-being and peace to subdue rage?
With eagerness I delve in those dark depths of the distant cosmos,
wishing to know the obscure mysteries hidden in the fixed stars...
the ones that control fate and abound with astrological signs;
shouldn't I settle for the things that delight and offer simple joys?
[Our perspective]
Blackness superimposed by glowing blue
Smearing white spiraling cloud icings
Appearing applied by a painter’s hand
Soon to stretch and then to transform
As eventually will happen with all belief systems
The curvature and reflection of oceans
Vast emerald forests and rolling plains
Attesting to generations of hopes and uncertainties
Poverty, lost loves and sparkling newborn eyes
Shadowed by the serenity and wisdom of wrinkled faces
The fluid motion of our sliding blue oval
Across the windshields of descending spaceships
Eyes viewing us as we view our enemies
Our protests falling upon deaf ears
Receiving the same mercy as we have given
Rounding us up for grotesque consumption
With no regard to status or creed
Another food farm for galactic supermarkets
Where the cries of our children fade
Outcries unheeded by universal apathy
Being dragged kicking and screaming
From a cage of indignities
Fear so great we urinate our pants
Praying to God for deliverance
Oh God, help me, please, please, please!!!
[Their perspective]
They cling to their beliefs, don’t they?
Yes, whatever idea is most popular
That’s what they always call “faith”
Their mind is just like a computer
But with a richer and much tastier texture
Faith? So they think they’re right?
Sure do, right into my stomach, hahaha
Christians and Muslims, they both call us Satan
Pretty much, they taste about the same
But they’re not the tastiest of all
The lawyers are the tenderest
See, they’ve never done an honest day’s work
Bring me that one right there
“Now wait a minute, let’s talk this thing over”
Let’s don’t, but if you like we can say we did
Crunch, crunch, crunch, gulp
I love God since He first loved* me indeed
He reached down to me with His caring heart
Rescuing my soul, fulfilling my need
the LORD from Whom I can never depart.
With grace and bliss He constantly bestows
I love God since He first loved me indeed
He keeps blessing me by goodness He shows
Nourishing my spirit with Scriptures’ seed.
Midst sin-guilt’s chains, He had me freed
Bracing me with His assurance
I love God since He first loved me indeed
Securing even my faith’s endurance.
I’m His, granted with life everlasting
Sealed by His worth’s wealth, no one can exceed
Forever, ceaselessly I’m attesting
I love God since He first loved me indeed.
*John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
April 4, 2019
2nd place, "I’m Crushing On You" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Julie Leigh Rodeheaver; judged on 5/7/2019.
You’re great with omnipotent might
Wondrously perfect of no blight
Creator marked by victory…
You be praised*, our God of glory!
Compassionate, indeed gracious
Offering love --- very precious
Saviour Christ of Gospel story…
You be praised, our God of glory!
Goodness You grant, so abundant
Eternal life's bliss, triumphant
Redeemer from hell-wrath’s fury…
You be praised, our God of glory!
Merciful, granting forgiveness
Your pardon champions kindness
Freeing souls from guilt’s misery…
You be praised, our God of glory!
Holy, blazing with righteous zeal
Attesting immaculate seal
Hope's glowing peace at Calvary…
You be praised, our God of glory!
Generous Who always blesses
Rich provider despite crises
Supplier of heaven’s dowry...
You be praised, our God of glory!
Sought with blissful hearts' gratitude
Braced by service-faith's fortitude
Midst worship, divinely merry...
You be praised, our God of glory!
*Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
December 2, 2019
2nd place, "IN PRAISE OF GOD" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Kim Rodrigues; judged on 1/18/2020.
The Question, Translation of Carlos Bousono’s poem : La Cuestion
« …Oh ! God, Oh ! Centre »*
for Vicente Puchol
(* Note by the editor, Alejandro D. Amusco, attesting that the above quotation was not included in Bousono’s Antologia poética, 1976, and on the « mysterious Centre » on which the poem is a cogitation. T. Wignesan)
Yes, we know it : would you like to find the secret precinct,
the invulnerable enclosed sanctum,
to enter through any hole into the incredible spectacle,
to penetrate the labyrinth and find the powerful Centre.
As if a thief could rob the totality of light
to find, as I say, the powerful Centre, the absolute Centre,
the immobile Centre of the tempest which moves by itself,
a Centre where nothing is found to budge,
where everything is absorbed into itself, like love, containing
itself in itself,
not on its periphery, but fully wrapped in its contents,
overflowing like the apparition of a card in the suit of Spanish cards,
like an enormous cup of manifestation which augments,
like a wave which continues to mount higher and higher and beyond
its highest limits,
farther yet than possibility’s horizons ;
and keeps growing afterwards, going on for days, and the spectacle of its extermination – the hideous knowledge and the joy of recognising its loss ;
and which continues growing for an immemorial duration in the
direction of its own centre : terrible,
like a persistent cascade pouring down its interior, a flooding within
the experience of feeling well in one’s being,
an existential waterfall without end which retracts - having stopped
flowing – inwards into its own Centre.
Ai ! The crucial question is therefore to enter the labyrinth,
The big question comes down to making the move.
Be warned that it is only an act of penetration,
a simple act of transfer ; it would suffice to make a gesture with an
idea that brings joy,
perchance it might suffice just to find water in the barn
or a path in the woods, or in the woods
to fall upon an exit
through the hole (where we came in), to proffer with the key to the
enigma
the solution of the charade,
and discover the other side of the abysm, the reversal of the plot,
before the roof deteriorates
under probing fingers…
© T. Wignesan – Paris, 2013