Best Besting Poems
When fleeting storm said goodbye
The darkened sky detected a lie
Besting clouds her thoughts host
Drenching doubts that block riposte.
As the cobalt sky and ocean meet
On the sapphire arc revelers greet
The changing season's vibrant theme
In golden attire of autumn's dream.
The sound of wind whirls in trees
Musical tones of rustling leaves
And the falling foliage flies with ease
Orange hues in autumn's breeze.
As the sepia tones enchant her eye
The gilded leaves of autumn sigh
On buoyant horizon drifting high
Where crimson vistas touch the sky.
Vivid vibes spell a brand new start
As blazing colors awaken her heart
And amber passions begin to reveal
Tinges of magenta in love's appeal.
September 2, 2018
Placed first in One in five (II) poetry contest by Joseph May
Placed first in contest #560 by Brian Strand
Categories:
besting, autumn, nature,
Form:
Rhyme
Her name was Regret, with a rocket step
She was chestnut flashing, released lightning
In a century past, an age of side saddles and corsets
She was feminism set free, blazing down racetracks
She matched the undefeated wind
Besting the boys, again and again
Her arduous suitors, fools for the chase
Fell, one by one, under her pace
And, left to shade of golden wings flown
Had to settle for escorting her home
She was the first queen to display the red
Of Kentucky Derby roses around her head
Her exploits so adroit, she won her peers
And named American Horse of the Year
Her place in racing legacy, set
Not bad for a filly named Regret.
(in 1915, Regret was the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby)
10/14/21
A Notable Horse Premiere contest
Sponsor: Robert James Liguor
Placed 10th
Poem of the Day
10/15/21
Categories:
besting, history, horse, sports,
Form:
Rhyme
A coral pink design on glistening ruby tapestry--
Reminiscent of ingenuity of sculptor's blueprints
In scarlet-orange tinges and teal-green imprints
Hanging spectacularly in the cosmic art gallery.
You are the brushstrokes of Florentine artistry--
Verses of poetry scripted in ornate vocabulary
Articulating the vision of a star studded galaxy
Flying in the universe on wings of your beauty.
The scent of purple heliotropes you often vied for
Lingers in search of your golden yellow persona
Since you left the earth floating on dream clouds
Ingesting dusty gases to forge your own replica.
Jealous are the stars of your blushing rose motif
Shaped like a monarch besting your surroundings,
An ornament you are, flashing your royal charm--
Jewel that took the crown from dying supernova.
June 10, 2019
Placed 3rd: Your choice (7) contest by Brian Strand
Placed 3rd:Nifty named nebula poetry contest by William Kekaula
Picture 1: The butterfly
Categories:
besting, butterfly, imagery, sky, space,
Form:
Verse
Shadowland
Chained to the addiction of tempting Fate
What if I told you that my life was once like yours?
Torn between love and hate
A shadow silhouette lurking between life and death
Fuelled by an emptiness to which I couldn’t relate
Caution to the wind of besting the best,
A devious test?
Sweet sensations winning an egotistical contest
Life on the edge, merely a precarious precipice
Exhilarated ego threw flames to the flame
The fire inside couldn’t be tamed
Comforts of home failed to exist
Love I yearned for endeavoured to resist
Mind effortlessly lied, failing to grasp the illusion
between confused, lost and utter delusion
Life on the streets a means beyond the dare
Sink or swim baby, did anyone care?
Till the one eventful day when I chanced it too far
Catastrophic event out of nowhere in shape of a car
A sickening thud
My frivolous life paid in blood
My death in vain and loss of blooming years
Too late like acidic rain flowed those tears
What if I told you if you don’t already know?
The concise connotation
through electric flashes of blue and red
of the loudest despairing dread
When they zipped the bag and pronounced you dead?
And you become a glimmer that nobody sees
and the silent scream that nobody hears
Except other shadows between worlds
In an intermundane space
Torn between abstract, physical and a forgotten face
Temptation came as I sat here waiting
To switch sides, she urgently advised me
I saw through her guise, this diabolical entity
I’m not an Angel that fits in your regular category
So, I spat in her eye and called her a name
Oops! sorry Lord forgive me I know you heard
Some of my old sass remains
Still new to the game
Yes, understood, it’s a crying shame.
So back to my story
Redemption came in the grand scheme
I was one of the fortunate few redeemed
So, take heart, kid, abandoned to this shadowland
Not anymore
No more a wandering weary soul lost
Fate was not kind it was never your fault
Conducting your journey
to me the charge has been given
Through a leap of faith all is forgiven
Categories:
besting, angel, change, death, life,
Form:
Verse
Joy in the hazy moon
and sunny afternoon.
Joy in all seasons’ birth
bursting forth from the earth.
Joy in the dazzling sun
before day’s work is done.
Joy in the argent stars,
besting all other pars.
Joy in all I see and do.
Glory and praise go to You!
Categories:
besting, god, joy, moon, religious,
Form:
Couplet
Far away from her, far from comfort zone
He goes there, where life beckons him
Remaining true to purpose and meaning
Atop the mountains or deep in the valleys
Revering her love, as he journeys alone.
Maneuvering around life's dead-ends
In wayward motion of destiny's u-turns,
Avenues she illuminates besting darkness--
Being his street-lamp, patently she burns.
When forces somber aim to deter him
Bravely she appears readying her valor
Standing by him, in step with his shadow.
He sees her all-over, where there is love.
January 27, 2019
Placed first in ultimate January 2019 contest by Brian Strand
Categories:
besting, feelings, life, strength, true
Form:
Verse
Written: September 2nd, 2023
______________________________________________________________
In the depths of one's mind, foes reside.
Within oneself—a war cannot be denied.
Refers to individuals—their internal strife,
Struggles and spurs that shape their life.
In the realm of views and desires so deep,
Fear and doubt bestir—akin to demon creep.
Inner blows waged in the darkest nights.
People tilt with doubts—their inner fights.
Self-fuss, the first foe fated and faced,
Wariness whispers, leaving hearts displaced.
People may be snared by doubts so real,
But in besting them—true strength they reveal.
Inner demons lurk, negative impulses arise,
Anger, jealousy, and addiction—their disguise
Moral dilemma salient constant scrutiny of will,
Still, culling what's right or what's usable, still.
Emotional turmoil, a storm within the soul,
Grief, guilt, and gloom are taking their toll.
Complex emotions that can't be ignored,
A salient casus belli that we can't afford.
Dealing with this zeal is a joust to be fought.
But it's in facing the slam—that swell is sought.
Solitary sabotage that is self-saboteur.
Bewitching in behaviors that baffle our allure.
Success and well-being, they strain to impede,
But by owning the patterns, we can succeed.
The battle within, a constant struggle each day,
Enduring our inner demons, we find our way.
Through the depths of our minds, we forgo,
Facing gloom and letting pure selves show
In this inner enmity, we find sheer strength,
Conquering our fears, extant to any length.
No matter the challenges we may face,
We have the power to rout and embrace.
So let us defy our inner rogues with might.
And loom victorious, shining with core light.
So let us face our fear, doubt, and desire.
And ignite the fire inward that will never tire.
In the abyss of our souls, we hold the scope.
To rise beyond moils and let bloom hope.
Categories:
besting, analogy, bereavement, character, community,
Form:
Rhyme
Your Heart is
Big and Mysterious,
My charming Husband.
Beating hard on a bike ride
Pulling our family onward
You listen to your earphones.
Besting me, admonishing me
Yet believing in me... Your faith
is Jewish/Buddhist/Christian.
Amused during thrillers
Belittling the monsters I fear
Sarcasm is your weapon.
Breaking stride, you smile
I know what you want
You're my patron.
You're my person.
Categories:
besting, husband, life, love, people,
Form:
Triolet
Everybody is born crying
At least give me the freedom to die laughing
Never in defiance no never in fear
But in pure unadultrated happiness
Let all the decisions, choices, mistakes
Fall in meaningless puddles of stagnant water
And let me just soar with the ecstacy of thundering waves
Basking in deep ululations of dancing tear drops
From the deepest forests of Central Africa
Crossing the golden plains of southern Africa
Besting the dryest parts of northen Africa
Let me smell the freedom which has long eluded mankind
Let me sit down and smoke a pipe with my friends
And share all the stories that brought us to be
Its simple and yet its so hard to achieve
To be humble and yet to be more than we please
Take me home oh I'm asking the heavens to see
That we walk through this life wearing borrowed shoes
Take me home Oh Im begging my friends need to see
How I'm happy, I'm happy, I'm happy to be
Everybody is born through pain
Let me die with pleasure
And look up at the faces of all those I love
And see their joy, their pride, their happiness that I had lived
Kilimanjaro
By Athi Godlo
Categories:
besting, death, eulogy, hope,
Form:
Dramatic Monologue
Easter Reading
In Lima – Peru- a hippo was pulling the tram car with
its best friend a water buffalo. They had ended up
here, far from Africa, after the great flood ebbed and
had been blessed with eternal life, only being mere
animals they didn´t know this. In Lima no one made
a big issue of this, but when the wider world knew
and some adventurers set about trying to kill the pair,
in vain, the Lima people took another look, especially
since the church thought they were the devil´s own
handiwork and god would never had allowed beasts
besting man. Angry people took to hurling mud and
stones at the animals, also calling them rude names.
From the mountain came a man dressed in white
burnoose, and spoke to the people:
“For years you respected my creation, the hippo and
the water buffalo, with respect and care I thought
well of you and decided that the archbishop of Lima,
when time was right, would be the new pope, but you
have disappointed me greatly; hence the new pope
will be the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina”.
The man, in white burnoose paused… and said: “It is
also time you electrified the tram system.”
Categories:
besting, adventure, animal, humorous, people,
Form:
Blank verse
Wading the Meramac River near Jesse James’ Cavern with my son…
I espied an adventurer who in stature was so very small to us.
Before me was a snail using a leaf like a catamaran to sail the squalls.
Now birds love to eat snails, and fish love them, too.
So I ask him if what he was doing was truly right for him to do?
Wasn’t it so very dangerous for a small snail, I imparted to my friend?
But he just laughed, and continued to enjoy himself… as off he went again.
He said Life wasn’t made to last forever, he wanted to enjoy it while he can.
Life can throw you for a loop like the motorboats’ wave that just then came in.
It’s all in the adventure, and what you ultimately seek to do.
The fun is in the living, and the excitement of seeing your plans through.
Joy comes from the accomplishments and the stories that later you can tell.
True living comes from besting the elements in any way you can.
It also comes from helping others… and teaching them what you know.
It comes from riding the waters as the waves thrash and the mighty wind blows.
There’ll always be waves and dangers no matter where you’re at.
And I’d rather be here than where I once originally sat.
It started with a flood about to submerse my little twig…
So I climbed on the last leaf and took off just like this, right here, you see.
Then he gave a wave to someone behind me, from where I so solidly stood…
And eight little catamarans came zipping by my legs as quickly as they could.
He ask if I would be so kind as to walk and stir up a few more waves…
So I laughed as I walked around, watching how they were so happily engaged.
Categories:
besting, adventure, fantasy, happiness, imagination,
Form:
Free verse
Wind outside tonight
in the dark brutal cold
Your voice silent, gone
a memory of happiness
Runs across solid lakes
white muffled fields
Warm streams green fields
as you rode and ran
sunlight dappling your hair
through brittle forests
barren coastlines
Roars in triumph
besting warmth
carving away hope
You were once here
mocking life
Snow like stone
In the dark brutal cold
Categories:
besting, soulmate, suicide,
Form:
Prose Poetry
bragging, boasting, brainy Barney Blithe brought buxom Betty Brown
braised, boiled, baloney. Beaming Betty Brown bestowed baked berry
baklava on Barney, besting bragging, boasting, brainy Barney Blithe.
Categories:
besting, 3rd grade, 4th grade,
Form:
Alliteration
P lacing lettered tiles upon a board,
L etters assigned points to be scored.
A ssessing the most advantageous plays,
Y ikes! What can I do with all "E's, "I's" and "A's"?
I ntense concentration is the norm,
N eeding desparately for words to form,
G reedy for the highest score.
S pelling words from seven tiles,
C ounting points with groans and smiles.
R elishing each and every chance,
A t besting your opponent's advance.
B rain challenging excercise endured,
"B egging your pardon, that's not a word!"
L etters dwindling one by one,
E xciting finish - Hey, I won!
Categories:
besting, education, words,
Form:
Acrostic
I
English showcases Joseph Conrad, Dickens, James Joyce, Tagore
Conrad, once a Pole, Joyce may be Irish, Tagore -Indian of course
In political terms, England rocketed after 1558, besting the Spanish
Our 'lingua franca' changed from Spanish to the Queens English
II
That is all the good news, "I am afraid to say," -
Did you just hear me spout negativity
Conjuring up spirits,yes FEAR IS A DARK SPIRIT
That creeps in casually, as in pat phrases ("Watch and Pray")
III
Proverbs reminds us, "Life and death are in the tongue,"
And "I could kill myself I didn't know this early in life."
Again, the words that allow spirits against LIFE a welcome
Recall this, "My back is killing me," and "I would die for my wife!"
IV
Poets, there are stock Phrases: "idioms." They made me an idiot
About the Spirit world, shooting myself in my own foot (to boot)
So, I pledge to forsake words that speak of death and jovial killing
Because the Being inside us, the BE-ING, is also a "Human Doing"
Categories:
besting, appreciation, philosophy, poetry, wisdom,
Form:
Didactic