Best Broader Poems
Upon my tiptoes, I gaze through a window, the window of my mind.
I pull back the curtain, peer from a partially drawn blind.
Before me lay this youthful beauty, perfection in every line,
And standing there beside her was the old keeper of all time.
He swiftly knelt beside her, and stroked her heaving chest,
Carefully caressed every curve, and sagged her gentle breast.
He cast his spell upon her, aging her as if fine wine.
Left some thoughtful wrinkles, added character in each and every line.
Bestowed upon her all that wisdom, more than she had ever known before.
Brought her many pleasures, also heartaches, several score.
Held her tightly about the waist, now broader at the beam.
Added some weight here and there, not as much as it might seem.
He gradually drooped her shoulders; shiny hair now turns to gray.
Faded memories of life's passing parade now help to pass her day.
Her youthful pace is throttle now, her feet shuffle slowly across the floor.
Though still a thing of beauty, that beauty is different than before.
Time for her is now slipping away, slowly heading for life’s stage door.
The journey has left her exhausted, no longer willing to fight the fight, but unwilling to beg for more.
Time had been an exciting lover, but she will not love another day.
She lies prone upon the sheet as Time exits the stage. I watch with amazement as the scene just fades away.
Categories:
broader, fantasy, imagination,
Form:
Classicism
He grabbed me up from where I lay, peaceful in the sun,
with my brothers and my sisters round about me.
I felt four digits seeming to be one of a whole,
which clasped around my form.
A fifth one, slightly broader, pressed onto me from my other side.
And then with a jolt, I found myself next lifted high into air,
the dry hot bed beneath me but a whisper of my past.
Accustomed, at the most, to being trodden upon,
I barely had the time to assimilate this rare experience
(I seemed to remember a sweeter touch long ago from a smaller being who had picked me up, examined me and then placed me back on the ground).
Suddenly, I was moving, this time unsupported, through the air.
I spied in a single spinning moment
a world I’d not envisioned from the spot on earth
I'd shared with pebble siblings. In that place, we were surrounded
by greenery that blocked our view
and by giant old gray boulders, my ancestors perhaps.
Reposing heavily as if attached to land,
one such silent sentry supported him,
the creature who had flung me far from my home.
I found myself then bump, bump, bumping along,
making little rings across a shiny stretch of blue.
And when I lost momentum,
I disappeared beneath the final circle I’d created.
It felt much like the times I had been buried in cold whiteness,
but this instead was liquid cool!
I dropped down and down,
onto a different kind of ground, unusually soft and sticky,
the way earth used to feel for me after a sudden downpour.
Settled there, I noticed brown and silver shapes that flitted past above me,
much smaller than many of the creatures of the land above me, but swifter.
Also there were tall green blades that swayed in place.
They resembled those that stood on solid ground.
Best of all, I saw around me others of my kind;
a multitude of us, small, beautiful and round,
with whom to share my soft new cozy bed!
June 25, 2017
Submitted Aug. 8, 2021 for the Stone Poetry contest of Anthony Biaanco
Categories:
broader, character,
Form:
Dramatic Monologue
A garden presents a most beautiful sight
When seen from afar in a much broader light,
For there in a setting with all that surrounds,
Its total of beauty and color abounds.
To observe much too closely, study and dwell,
Inspect every flower and leaf very well,
Will quickly cancel the powerful presence
Of unified form with divergent essence.
Then we are bound to observe those objections—
The scattered, meaningless small imperfections
Of petals and blossoms and leaves not so fair;
Lose sight of the wonderful whole that they share.
We can also apply this to those we love,
And sometimes must separate, step back enough,
To view the grand total of gifts which combine
To create an image of balanced design,
And appreciate well those colors which are
A bit subtle up close but strong from afar.
So trite imperfections get lost in the ray
Of the aura of wholeness seen from away.
And so like the grand garden’s totality,
When we stand back to thoroughly look and see,
We will vision with awe a marvelous view…
Total beauty and depth now perceived anew.
Sandra M. Haight
~1st Place~
Contest: Hidden Beauty
Sponsor: Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Judged: 02/04/2015
Quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Every particular in nature, a leaf, a drop,
a crystal, a moment of time is related to the whole,
and partakes of the perfection of the whole.”
Categories:
broader, beauty, garden, people,
Form:
Couplet
When the news is hard to handle and it’s difficult to cope
We like to take a long walk…and rediscover hope.
Today’s walk was along the shoreline and in the salty morning air
just as we had hoped…hope was waiting there.
As we walked along the beach early before arrival of the crowds
we found hope that cloudy morning in the sun peeking through the clouds.
We found hope in the faithfulness of the waves and the rolling of the seas
In the confidence of the gulls as they floated on the breeze.
We found hope in a couple holding hands..the woman pregnant…hope within her womb
In baby birds learning how to catch fish and in buds on flowers about to bloom.
Then up ahead we saw something we hadn’t seen on this beach before
A baby girl and a puppy…playing together along the shore.
The puppy was darting back and forth her tail wagging to and fro
The baby girl laughed and clapped her hands…and begged her mom to let her go.
We watched them as they played…as they danced together for a while
The longer we stayed, the more we watched…the broader was our smile.
Yes, after our walk together this morning we found it easier to cope…
for strewn along our path we found so many instances of hope.
And we were reminded when we open up our hearts
as we stop to survey our domain….
all the troubles of the world seem to fade away…
and only beauty and hope remain.
Categories:
broader, hope,
Form:
Rhyme
They say that love is blind; that's nature's way
to leave uncluttered pathways to our hearts,
so cupid's arrows see their targets lay
with no distractions when love-struck with darts.
The eyes of love see beauty sweet and pure;
their vision filled with roses and blue skies.
Without life's rain and clouds they can assure
a state of mind and heart with no goodbyes.
If love were not so blind it would not last,
for open eyes would see past cupid's goals.
But hearts once pierced with blinded love amass
the strength to later see uncovered souls.
Love firmly planted builds a broader view;
rose-tinted glasses traded for the clear,
to open up the narrow paths, breakthrough
to fuller scenes that blinded love might fear.
Yes, love is blind; a gift to draw us in-
the bait is sweet, we hunger for the taste.
Yet this love grows to fuller depths within
when planted, in deep soil, and firmly braced.
Sandra M. Haight
Categories:
broader, love,
Form:
Iambic Pentameter
Night's silent shadows softly fall
from moonlight's muted, mellow glow,
that shroud the land with sunless shawls
on cold ground glazed with glinting snow.
Tree branches, seen with broader breadths
by shadows that bestow their form,
splayed stark atop the snowy depths;
by wind, they swirl like snaky swarms.
Small bushes sway between the trees
to shadow snow like ghastly ghosts
that dance deceptively to tease
and harrow wary human hosts.
Pure, peaceful pageantry at night;
such lovely landscapes, to be viewed.
But, sometimes shadows strain our sight-
with varied visions misconstrued.
March 27, 2018
Premiere Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon
Mile 6 Poetry Contest
Categories:
broader, moon, night, winter, word
Form:
Alliteration
You'll find it is a good idea,
now and then,
to look at the bigger picture:
see with a broader view
the workings of your fellow men.
A word of advice, if I may,
please, don't stay too long,
be sure to always come back soon!
One learns next to nothing
about mankind
by looking at the earth
while standing on the moon.
NOTE: Another oldie.
Categories:
broader, analogy, deep, humanity, humor,
Form:
Grook
Who coined this term?
Who decided to limit one’s spirit?
Who decided to deprecate those qualities that remain hidden?
Out of my league…
What is the measure?
Who created the scale?
Is it beauty????
There is an inner splendor that defies the term
Is it grace????
There is the graceful movement of the soul that
moves beyond the boundaries of description
Is it shapeliness???
The shapes and forms of the mind, the curves and lines
Are unclothed in words and unseen by eyes
Is it sexual dynamism???
The body may be painted by an artist, but it has no power to satisfy
desire unless it succumbs to the promptings of a sensual mind
Is it wisdom???
There is the wisdom verified by degrees and the wisdom of the world
which is broader and at times deeper than the few letters at the end of a name
Is it wealth???
The wealth of the world does not even begin to tip the scale
In comparison to the wealth of human character…integrity, loyalty, mercy, and love
What is it???
What is that illusive quality
That demands the stamp of
“Out of my league?”
I defy it
I renounce it
No one can label me…
Yet...I am in a league of my own
Beautiful
Sensual
Shaplely
Wise
Wealthy
Dynamic
A dynamism that a label cannot hold
A wealth that cannot be weighed
A wisdom that guides inner spheres of life
A shapeliness that flaunts the norm
A sensuality that inflames thought and movement
A beauty that shines in its own right
Yes! I am in a league of my own
If you are turned away
By outer appearances
By lack of wealth
And the trappings of prestige
You are missing the treasure
The sheer enigma
Of a mind that is deep, unbound, free
In this league that I live and breath in
This league of....ME!
Eileen Manassian Ghali
Categories:
broader, identity, image, self, integrity,
Form:
Free verse
There are those who improvise within a structure,
with four beats to the bar like down home blues,
melodies and harmonies which stay within the fold,
embellishing the tune how e'er they choose.
Then there are cats who improvise to their own drummer,
inventing sheets of sound no ear has heard,
who bounce off one another, and break off from the norm,
Sun Ra's Arkestra, Sonny Stitt and Bird.
They wrote a new agenda, redistributing the forms,
inventing broader schemes of interplay,
as Jazz became a melting pot of signatures and styles,
through Ragtime, Big Band, Bop, until today.
America's indigenous art form,
born here, appreciated everywhere,
we are proud of all these marvelous musicians
who bring joy and recognition for us all to share.
********
...to Miles Davis in particular, R.I.P.
Categories:
broader, music,
Form:
Quatrain
Like an abandoned house in dire need
of care, it stands amid the tangled weeds
which hide from it an open, brighter view.
The boarded windows keep inside what's in
and out what's out, like eyes and ears shut tight;
The only passage is the rigid door
which bears deep wounds from angry winds and rain
that lash and pound to leave huge splintered gaps.
And all around the rotted shingles show
decay from sad neglect of timely care.
These signs of death negate the days when once
it harbored life, and light shone from within.
Let's cut the weeds which block the broader view;
expose the rolling hills and valleys too.
Take down the boards; leave open windows free
to breathe each season's air, and clear the dank
and static haze. Let's mend the weathered door
with stronger wood, impervious to wind
and rain. But let it swing both in and out
to stabilize the hinges' stress and strain.
Let's tend to rotted shingles, and replace
them one by one to build a brand new look.
Let's make the time to care, renew, and then...
let's live...and let the light shine once again.
Sandra M. Haight
~1st Place~
Premiere Contest: 2019 Poetry Marathon Mile 13
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Judged: 01/30/2019
~2nd Place~
Contest: Screwed IX
Sponsor: Rob Carmack
Judged: 12/24/2015
Categories:
broader, metaphor, relationship,
Form:
Blank verse
"Environmental suits all checked and rechecked. The chamber is sealed."
"PROCEED!".
"We're losing barometric pressure!"
"COMPENSATE!"
"Energy output is constant."
"The rift is stabilizing sir. Air pressure is equivalent to about 15,000 feet altitude."
"Spectrum analysis suggests a red star. That can't be right!"
"Still holding constant."
"EXTEND THE INTER-DIMENSIONAL LENS!"
"Lens breaching the rift."
"Looks about 3000 Kelvin. Oh my God!"
"WHAT?!?!"
"Something humanoid is looking back at us."
"THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO BE JOKING!"
"I'm serious sir. I'm switching to a broader view plane."
"No joke, Sir. I saw it too!"
"HOW COULD ANYTHING SURVIVE AT THAT TEMPERATURE?!"
"I did too, and it looked human."
"I've got more of them."
"The depth of field is very shallow, those behind it are blurry."
"What the Hell have we found here?"
"EXACTLY. DISENGAGE KEYHOLE NOW! NOW! NOW!"
20190123
Categories:
broader, anxiety, environment, fear, fire,
Form:
Narrative
Cheer Up
Today is a new day and
The sun shines so bright
The smell of roses and
Everything seems right
Oh what a mighty color
Is God’s perfect sun
You should be outside
Having so much fun
Instead your head
Hangs low to the floor
Sad, teary, feeling much
Broken than before
The smile you wear is
Turned upside down
Cheer up, be happy
Stop feeling down
You got so much to live for
In this dark but happy world
Take the time to look around
And simply enjoy the love
You think you are the only one
Going through many things
Cheer up and deal with
The troubles life brings
You will see that the road
Is broader and wide
All the strength you need
You will find inside
Look around you and see
That this is a good day
You can make it
If you only press your way
Turn that frown into a smile
Look up, live, and rest a while
Let everyday be brighter
And bonded together
With peace, and a smile
That will reign forever
Categories:
broader, inspirational, smile,
Form:
Rhyme
He seemed just fine when we went to bed,
High on the mountain, the Great Stone Head'
After all, he had been there for centuries,
A natural marvel that folks came to see.
On a rainy night in early May,
That familiar visage slipped away.
There was no one who heard the faintest sound,
When that mass of rocks came tumbling down.
For years, he had been cared for with much love and trouble.
Now he was reduced to a mere pile of rubble'
"Rebuild," they say; that just wouldn't be the same.
And who would dare duplicate God's work and sign his own name.
Yet, I believe that if the truth were known,
We're all a lot like that man of stone'
Our hearts are hard in our thought towards others;
Why, we're often reluctant to even help our brothers'
Our vision is straight ahead; can't see left or right.
A broader perspective may improve our sight'
Perhaps,like the Old Man, we're unable to utter a word,
If we live in stony silence, how will Truth be heard?
We have ears, but if we refuse to hear,
God must somehow get our attention to make His will clear.
It may be admirable to endure hardships like the wind, ice and rain,
Many tribulations might be avoided by using our brain.
The Bible says our "old man" is filled with iniquity and sin,
And he must die to reveal the "new man' within.
God put the granite face on the mountain, and has now taken it away,
He put a soft heart in place of my stony one; His mercy is new everyday.
Arthur Ball (H.S.L.P.)
May 18, 2003
*The Fall of the New Hampshire's landmark "Ol' Man in the Mountains"
Categories:
broader, faithmay, truth, perspective,
Form:
Rhyme
Quote: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” -- Mae West
Life's a puzzle, quite unknown,
With pieces lost and found anew.
The more you force the parts to align,
The more you see they don't quite knit.
Get out of the tangled web,
Step back, take a broader view,
And see life reveal its subtle aspects,
In the gaps and twists, you'll explore,
The art of living,
Well defined.
Categories:
broader, life,
Form:
Grook
So ... I'm in this revolving door 'tother day, (for real),
Round-and-round-and-round ... people enter, exit, but I keep on ...
A little boy starts to enter with his mom, pulls back, lets her hand go -
Mom goes through to the other side, then waves him come,
But he's transfixed on me ... round-and-round-and-round.
Each time I pass his smile grows broader, (forehead more furrowed) ...
Finally, hoping to encourage him, I say, zipping by ... "It's fun!"
And on the next revolution, "I just REALLY needed some fun!"
Sure enough, it does the trick ... he goes through.
His mom gives a curt smile and grabs his hand to leave ...
As she drags him off I hear him asking, "But why's the man crying, Momma?"
You see, revolving doors were his favorite thing ...
My dear Uncle Lem's favorite thing ... long, long ago.
He would put me on his shoulders, and we'd go round-and-round-and-round.
I'd been going through the basement earlier that day - cleaning out,
And I happened upon the precious flag from his coffin,
The U.S. Navy service flag that I'd been given ... now, my soul ached,
And I just REALLY needed some fun.
Kids notice everything, you see ...
Even a tear on the cheek of a heartsick ol' fool ... spinning memories.
~ 5th Place ~ in the "The Old Jalopy" Poetry Contest, Craig Cornish, Judge & Sponsor.
Categories:
broader, analogy, family, loss, memorial,
Form:
Free verse