Best Barden Poems
Can love then, be based
on an index of elements
from which one joyfully tumbles,
or drifts into equations, as we wander
toward a rush of serendipity ...
a metaphysical merging of ardor
writhing in a shared communion
like tuneful whispers in breaths of helium,
unabbreviated oxygen rhapsodies
from unbidden laughter,
invigorating the warmth of co-owned stars
on heaven’s destined oracle?
Love transcends chemical derivatives
of fractals or measurement,
between our atoms, relaxed
in the shuffle of emotional electrons
as we quiver weightless...
the heart’s embrace suspended together
in the affectionate cosmos
of a deep kiss.
-------------
“How on earth can you explain in terms
of chemistry and physics so important
a ...phenomenon as first love? “-- Albert Einstein
------------
Strength Through Adversity Contest: Gregory R Barden
Re-post: 3/25/2019
~ It was a challenge for me to translate in meaningful ways
this abstract concept, 'physics of love,' but somehow
made sense of it by affirming that such is beyond mere science.
Through the years they worked their spells
From drawers and cupboards, taking things
That through them, thus, were given wings
And changed to sweetness meant for kings
With warm and wafting scrumptious smells
My Nana's hands ...
Countless times we'd strolled to town
To shop for what she'd need that eve
(First taking stock before we'd leave)
A shopping list tucked up her sleeve
My wee lad's fingers, safe and sound
In Nana's hands ...
The way back home was twice as long
Our arms filled plump with paper sacks
The makings and some special snacks
Oh, how the groceries bent our backs
Yet even then, I held on tight ...
To Nana's hands ...
Still it was always worth the chores
To watch her mix and bake and cook
While dancing to-and-from her nook
And glancing, sometimes, in a book
Oh, how I marveled and adored ...
My Nana's hands ...
But sometimes they were hard to hold
Curled with arthritis, wracked with pain
She oft' times had to stretch and strain
Though NEVER did she ONCE complain
Through rheumatism's stranglehold ...
On Nana's hands ...
See ...
Those bent old hands in disrepair
Worked twice as hard so we could eat
Thus each night's meal and every treat
Was that much more divine and sweet
All from the love and tender care ...
Of Nana's hands ...
And still, my fingers long to share ...
My Nana's
Gentle ...
Hands.
- by Gregory R Barden
~ 2nd Place ~ in the "Cornucopia Cooking" Poetry Contest, Chantelle Anne Cooke, Judge & Sponsor.
A Last Poem for You, My Mate
If Death comes calling in colorful spring
I hope it will come in the month of May
When our garden is filled with fragrant blooms
That you have tended in your caring way.
Pansies and daisies with their sweet faces
Look up to agapanthus lofty height.
Each bloom as diverse as we are humans,
Each offers beauty to my love's delight.
Please don't come in summer when school is out,
Time with our grandchildren I cherish so.
I can't think of ruining their fun time
I'm pleading, in summer, don't make me go.
The times that we share at the pool or parks
Is precious to me as watching them grow.
They fill my heart with such laughter and joy
I feel their love too...I'm letting you know.
Oh Death, come in autumn, my favored time.
When green leaves turn scarlet, orange and gold.
My eyes feast on beauty of changing trees,
Grateful for my seasons of growing old.
Autumn transcends my soul's true endeavors
To leave with you poetic words, my mate.
My legacy...to our generations
As we must all accept Death as our fate.
In winter, a time of quiet and rest...
When reflections of past mirror our views
And we watch as our life spreads before us
If it’s time to leave, I wish I could choose.
However Death, should you come in winter,
When the Earth like my hair is bathed in white,
I'd embrace your visit in my winter
To dwell forever in God's divine light.
12-12-18
My Muse Mortal Poetry Contest~ Premiere Contest Third Place~
Sponsor Gregory Barden
Prayer For Her, This Wounded Heart Healed
Please keep this dream in my lost life
remove painful sting and life filled with strife
Let her dance and sing another sweet tune
as I hold her under this, merciful God's moon.
An excerpt from: "As I Hold Her Under This, Merciful God's Moon"
(written 7/26/2015)
For- Your Best Poem #2 contest, sponsor Shadow Hamilton
Now Submitted for contest: July 19, 2019
Contest: Arbitrium Divisa 3
Sponsor: Gregory R Barden
Why should one wish the days to pass
Of lush and verdant meadow grass
And butterflies with stained glass wings
Which autumn's burnished hues outclass?
A summer breeze revives the mind
As worldly cares are left behind
And gentle waves of lapping seas
Coax weary bodies to unwind.
Await the golden harvest grain
But may lips linger once again
On luscious strawberries' sweet delight;
Resplendent fruit of summer's reign.
Life's hourglass is finely planned
Why hasten on the grains of sand?
Let scented roses fill the air
And summer's splendour take its stand.
03/10/18
The dog days endure contest : Sponsored by: Gregory R Barden
N/A Second Chances N-A Poems From My Contests Only Part I Chantelle Anne Cooke September 2020
6 years ago, I wrote limericks about 5 PS poets. Today, I've posted
about another 5 and will continue to add more... before 6 years.
I tickled funny bones of five Souper men
So, I gave thought to trying it once again
In the order they replied
My sarcasm was applied
As I gently heckled them with ink and pen
First, Tom Cunningham, who "liked my collection"
To femme limericks he had no objection
But now it's his turn
Tom, forgive the burn
I heard you're headed for a house of correction
Jerry T Curtis said to "keep them coming"
But I think that lately he's been slumming
He's all aflutter
And starts to stutter
When his lady friend starts his heart strumming
Then there is the poet of romance, Tim Smith
His sweet words of seduction are not a myth
I know it to be truth
Don't ask me. It's uncouth
I don't kiss and tell so I'm pleading the fifth
John Gondolf said my limericks made him "chuckle"
His comments are always filled with honeysuckle
But if he wants a date
I'll have to castigate
I have a black belt in the use of my knuckles
"I needed smiles and giggles," said Greg Barden
His poems are flowers blooming in a garden
But some words are couture
Fertilized with manure
Now I guess I'll have to beg for Greg's pardon
The new additions...
Like a brother he comes to my defense
This man wears no guise and has no pretense
Mark Koplin, misunderstood
A modern-day Robin Hood
To me he shines with rays of effulgence
There's a man who took me under his wing
Says what he thinks. Doesn't hold back a thing
Danny Turner, my friend
A helping hand he'll lend
For offering kind words, he's a wellspring
David Kavanagh, true friend from the start
Encouraging advice, he does impart
Throws Monoku lines like spears
I raise a glass to him ~ cheers!
Loyal, his word. A man with a good heart
Canadian, Vaso, we don't see oft
Art doesn't come across as being soft
But has a tender heart
For countries torn apart
His poetic words should never be scoffed
His funny thoughts overflow in a Flood
Terry writes humor that's never a dud
Risque, and sometimes not
His stories have a plot
Rumor has it that he's known as 'The Stud'
Gentlemen, I ask forgiveness for this spoof
My humorous parodies should be the proof
That I like all of you
And don't mind if ya do
Get even in your own limericks of reproof
The Wind and Sea
The mighty wind unleashed its gusty song
across the tranquil, undulating sea,
and stirred her body with his breath-filled kiss.
Set out to resurrect the dormant wave,
with ever-gaining speed, began to ride
her surface till it formed the throbbing swell.
She came alive with joy from wind's strong kiss,
and quivered to the music of his song
to join as one...the wanton wind and sea.
Vibrating life into the waking swell,
as higher climbed the ever-mounting wave,
the wind pursued its frantic, urgent ride.
In rapturous communion, wind, and sea,
succumbing to the magic of their song,
together formed the wave with passioned kiss,
and reached the grand finale of their ride;
with great dynamic thrust, exploding swell,
at last attained their thrill, the highest wave.
Wind's lusty song has left the tranquil sea;
its breathless kiss has bid farewell the wave
to end its ride, and put to rest the swell.
Sandra M. Haight
~1st Place~
Premiere Contest: 2019 Poetry Marathon Mile 11
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Judged: 01/17/2019
~2nd Place~
Premiere Contest: The Poet's Fire
Sponsor: Gregory R. Barden
Judged: 12/07/2017
~1st Place~
Contest: Wordscapes
Sponsor: John Hamilton
Judged: 08/17/2016
===========================================
The Tritina form is a mini version of a Sestina but there are three Tercets
of three lines and a final line which uses all three words; 10 lines total.
The three Tercet's use the same three ending words in a pattern.
I intermingled two Tritina using six ending words in the required
pattern with the last tercet using all six ending words from both of them.
1st Tercet: 1 2 3 song sea kiss
2nd Tercet: 4 5 6 wave ride swell
3rd Tercet: 3 1 2 kiss song sea
4th Tercet: 6 4 5 swell wave ride
5th Tercet: 2 3 1 sea kiss song
6th Tercet: 5 6 4 ride swell wave
7th Tercet: 1 2 3 4 5 6 song sea kiss wave ride swell
So long ago, or so it now seems,
I lost you and all of our dreams
because you'd changed inside,
a stranger you could no longer hide
In all the years of loving you
somehow I think I always knew
we would never make it to the end
but I stayed, trying hard to pretend
that we could save what we once had
Now it's all gone, the good and bad
I'm suffering through the healing years
filling the oceans with my tears
and still I cry; in bitter sorrow they pour
I wish I didn't love you anymore
Do you know what you should've said
on any night we lay together in bed?
"I'm sorry that I've made you cry
Please don't leave. Don't say goodbye
It's not too late. I know I'm wrong
My problems have gone on too long
and I'll get help because I'm to blame
I love you and I feel ashamed
I know I hurt you by closing the door
but I promise not to hurt you anymore
I've been a fool for letting you down
Please tell me that you'll stay around
I need you. Please stay with me
I'll be a better husband, you'll see
I want to keep you by my side
Please, tell me your love hasn't died."
Those are the words I longed to hear
Saying them would've kept me near
Words only in my head, not in your heart
It was your weakness that tore us apart
I wanted to see your repentant tears fall
I pleaded with you. I had to crawl,
but you didn't say any of those things
It was to your bottle you chose to cling
You allowed evil to have its beguiling way
as you became more of a stranger each day
I'll always have regrets. For you I still long
I had to sing the last word of our love song
How I trembled when I had to walk away
My aching heart thinks about you every day
August 3rd, 2017
The Poet's Ache Contest
Sponsored by Greg Barden
Original Post ~ May 4th, 2016 ~
Thank you
“And if the sun refused to shine”
Music finds my sleep and calls
from a bedside table,
slits of light through the slatted blinds
create mini horizons on the wall
Time has caught me once again
as Led Zeppelin reminds me
“I would still be loving you”
For the morning throws me back to reality,
the longing in my heart which faded
beneath the moon has returned
to view this bed of only one figure,
reaching out for what was
“When mountains crumble to the sea”
Finding the rocky coastline depicts the feeling
in my heart, as I stumble
Tear filled eyes a constant,
empty arms waving freely in the air
to the haunting rhythm
of a plastic clock radio
“There will still be you and me”
If only music were truth, and truth was a melody,
easily sung regardless of tempo or flow
Key changes finding a bridge
of lonely footprints that take me to your memory,
remembering the good, remembering the days,
and forcing a smile, for each day I whisper
“Thank you”
The italicized lines are from the Led Zeppelin song “Thank You” which inspired this piece
11/14/16
For “The Poet’s Ear” poetry contest
Sponsored by: Greg Barden
What matters most – advice for the bride and groom:
Indulging in sweet wine; a picnic for two;
a plethora of stars; myriads of blooms!
Listen; believe; do something new.
Alone – entwined – evening delight!
Words so meaningful . . . a silken wait;
Splendid isolation into the dark of night.
Connection of affection -
Always and forever – in the moment – CELEBRATE!
July 21, 2019
for Richard Lamoureux's "20 from 20 friends" poetry contest
I did not add in any filler words. The poem titles belong to the
following poets in this order (some titles of course may belong to other
poets as well, but I am just going by the lists of titles I collected for each
friend.)
1. What Matters Most: Nina Parmenter
2. Advice for the Bride and Groom: Kim Rodrigues
3. Indulging in Sweet Wine: Paul Callus
4. A Picnic for Two: Victor Buhagiar
5. A Plethora of Stars: Emile Pinet
6. Myriads of Blooms: Line Gauthier
7. Listen: Gregory Barden
8. Believe: Carolyn Devonshire
9. Do Something New: Caren Krutsinger
10. Alone: Leslie Allbright
11. Entwined: Chantelle Anne Cooke
12. Evening Delight: Caycay Jennings
13. Words so Meaningful: Edward Ibeh
14. A Silken Wait: Probir
15. Splendid Isolation: Jan Allison
16. Into the Dark of Night: Joseph May
17. Connection of Affection: Lulu
18. Always and Forever: Dear Heart
19 In the Moment: Eve Roper ( friend Jack Horne had this title too and I am
sure other poets here as well because some titles were contest themes)
20. Celebrate: Panagiota
By Starlight
How proud stands the willow
in silhouette of twilight skies.
The willow never weeps alone,
tears of joy stream down cheeks
at the footbridge where she
touched the water, where
Moonbeams dance
In the land beneath falling stars,
In the land of purple thunder as
Lightning strikes in an interlude to a
Fleeting rainstorm revealing
Hidden beauty in moon glow.
O, how heavenly!
A Rendezvous, echoing of ethereal eyes
In a magical stairway to the stars...
Whisper me a song, my love, a soul song.
She dreams of sentient stars forged by fire
In universal streams of light as she
Gazes wistfully heaven bound.
7-19-19
*Names of the poets whose titles are
incorporated into my poem:
Proud Stands the Willow by CayCay Jennings
Silhouette by Paul Callus
The Willow Never Weeps Alone by Sandra Adams
At the Footbridge by Jan Allison
She Touched the Water by Richard Lamoureux
Moon Beams Dance by Gershon Wolf
In the Land Beneath Falling Stars by Robert Lindley
The Land of Purple Thunder by Mike Gentile
Lightning Strikes by Kim Rodrigues
Fleeting Rainstorm by Vijay Pandit
Hidden Beauty By John Fleming
In Moon Glow by Andrea Dietrich
O, how heavenly by Dear Heart
A Rendezvous by Kurt Ravidas
Echoing of Ethereal Eyes by Winged Warrior
Stairway to the Stars by Carolyn Devonshire
Whisper Me a Song, My Love by Victor Buhagiar
Soul Song by Greg Barden
Forged by Fire by Eve Roper
Streams of Light by Caren Krutsinger
20 titles from 20 friends Poetry Contest ~Second Place~
Sponsored by: Richard Lamoureux
For the nonce, living soul,
you will breathe in new lessons through our tender tethering
as your seeking thirst is slaked through your skin;
for life's osmosis seeps mortal knowledge not implanted at conception.
Susan Ashley
September 16, 2019
~ Second Place ~
Contest: Arbitrium Divisa 4 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Gregory R. Barden
*An excerpt from: Odyssey Of A Soul; written June 8, 2018*
there dwells a darkness in us all
those shadows trembling faintly
to give our dearest debt its pall
and crimp us with its careful call
life weighed oft' south of saintly ...
each 'if' decided, slight or grand
comes with a thoughtful reason
and with intent or just off-hand
in light AND dark we understand
those answers and their season ...
why do we fear this darkness so
that comes like light, to guide us?
there is a beauty there to know
a warmth, a depth, an afterglow
that shares that space inside us ...
the twilight falls in peaceful awe
and brings thru nights, so tender
the starlit nips of midnight's maw
our hazy dreams, unfettered, raw
that we, through sleep, surrender ...
we do not dwell there all the time
for light brings sight through vision
yet think of verse without a rhyme
we need that balanced id, sublime
and weigh things through decision ...
most our mem'ries start from black
though dwells there, naught a fear
just that strange and unknown lack
of light, yet light DID find the crack
and shined us straight through here ...
true darkness is not life's dear end
those depths we plumb thru death
but all bent souls that do descend
to where the lines and colors blend
'tween wrong and each dear breath ...
each dear, sweet, precious breath.
Copyright © 2021 Gregory Richard Barden
A LIMERICK ON NOTED SOUP POETS
Bob Hinshaw, Tom Cunningham, James Edward Lee, Sr., Russell Sivey, Gordon McConnell, Greg Barden, Emile Pinet, Silent One, WingedWarrior, Charles Messina, Gershon Wolf, Richard Lamoureux, Joe Flack, Liam McDaid, Rick Parise, Curtis Johnson, Curtis Futch, Jr., Brian Strand, Don Johnson, Jack Ellison, Roblert Lindley, Timothy McGuire, John Gondolf, Arturo Michael, Edward Ibeh, Kevin Shaw, Harry Horsman, Dr. Ram Mehta
They come from all walks of life
Some from countries filled with strife
They wish to convey
Their life in a way
That cuts to the core like a knife
They write words of wisdom, words that inspire
Words of great mirth, and some words of hell fire
Some poems tell a story
On getting to glory
They truly are poets that we can admire
When you read the words they have written
I feel certain that you will be smitten
You may laugh, or you may cry
You may just chuckle, or only sigh
But what they have written is always fittin'
If your name is not here, please forgive me
The list is inexhaustible, you see
It would take many days
To give everyone praise
And on that, I think you'll agree
Curtis Moorman
7 August 2019
I thought I was a poet who had a pen of gold
But now all of a sudden I’m weary, frail and old.
I thought I was a poet. My pen is of no use.
With teary eyes I whisper to my dejected muse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These lines were posted on 5 June 2015 as
part of my poem "The Poet Who Never Was".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contest: Rithimus Divisa
Sponsor: Gregory R. Barden
Placed 3rd