Best Cackled Poems

PROLOGUE
The Flame, aflicker, licks and flays,
illuming evening’s negligees
With braided curls she swirls and sways,
and flits and floats in light ballets

           APOLOGUE
A Flame, to conquer creeping fog,
flew dancing towards a random log
Her flight perplexed a leery...

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This Medusa had no power to turn us into stone
but when she ran aground over Poseidon's throne
his anger stirred, and into the sea the crew was flung.
On a raft urgently built of salvaged timbers we clung.
A hundred and more escaped before the frigate sunk
and after...

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The excitement mounted as we rummaged around in the attic looking through old steamer trunks for discarded clothes and props to make Halloween costumes. With an old suit and hat of Granddads, I became a hobo, and with an old dress, a pillow, and a...

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The warlock said to the witch,
Man, ain't it grand living large like Oz,
being bigly Emerald City rich
The witch crowed back,
I get paid good for giving speeches
that have no policy incantation glitch
The warlock laughed hard and long,
then chortled with maniacal glee:
I like the way you got...

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41.
        Resist I Must

Pride is hubris run amok
To rot the soul within.
It rises from the depths of hell...
The deadliest of sins.

It is the snake that slithers so
To pervert both bold and brave.
It may appear the luminous rainbow
But at...

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Glaring the eyes,
through a fern leaf endeavor
Of a dragon who flies
to the ends of this never

With fire for breath
and skin rough and shackled
Afloat of this death
long a path, echoes cackled

And I with my blade
wield a strength not to waver
Through sunlight and shade
for the fair maiden’s...

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`

Love, to you
nothing more than washed away graffiti, 
once dripping along the 
mismatched bricks of this worn facade
where tattoos mean forever . . .
even when they fade

A clutched lamppost, 
scarred and dented, a fake shade of green
meant only for leaning
and illuminating handbills advertising
high rent in...

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The devil in a moment of weakness did challenge a poet to a battle of words.

I HEAR YOU ARE AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME
Said the devil to the poet.

NEVER HAVE TO WEAR A SWORD
Said the poet to the devil

CHALLENGERS' RULES I BELIEVE
Said the devil...

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An awful aardvark ate anchovies against all advice.
Besides belching beyond belief, he bit bitter banana boats.
Charlie Chimp cackled curiously, convinced
Delicious delectable desserts did damage.
 
Enormous energy engaged enthusiastic excitement
Frenzied friendly felines, forever forgiving
Greasy giraffes giving grievous gripes
Horsey happiness hiding hurt amongst hilarity.
 
Ignoring idiocy involved...

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As if the house had landed on a witch’s vavavavoom,
the door’s ajar, and my boy had alerted me…

surely tornadoes increase the velocity of speed
of a mom, to zero in on, a three year old.

Forget the broom. Hear the prophet speak
of pleasant things. The boundary has...

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“Route 66” (Part 2)


The Wicked Old Witch stalked her, flying above 
on her revved up battered old  Peugeot Stick made from 
twigs and oderous putrifying brown crud.
Up to this point all silent, the ugly old hag now cackled her passive abuse, 
“You may have...

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Galloping hooves broke morn's peace in Soup Creek's Main Street
When Jimmy Smith rode in from Bar 20 his face white as a sheet
He stopped at Sheriff Koplins office and banged heavily on the door 
"What's the hells going on" shouted the Sheriff " it's quarter...

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Are you sitting comfortably, children?
Because it's a long tale.....
Then I shall begin.

Arthur was a Mason, which in case you hadn't known
is a man who sands and chisels, making shapes from out of stone.
From animals to flowers there is nothing he can't make
and will make a...

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Learning to distinguish between and having a compassion for-silence that protects pain and silence that protects injustice has been a difficult important lesson-Julie Buckner Armstrong
                    ...

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It was cold.

Death's fingers
Resting on my forehead.
The nail
Scraping, scraping,
Skin scorching
Of pain.

"You want darkness
Or heaven?"

He cackled, losing grip
On the nail
Bludgeoning
For blood.

"Time's a wasting."

The wind stopped blowing a long while ago.
Death composed himself;
Pulled the nail out
'Til the roused red
Spouted out

And the cold resurfaced.

"You ain't scared.
This suicide?"

"Death.
If only...

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