Best Carrier Poems
Diego Rivera’s Flower Carrier
My load to carry is backbreaking,
But this I must do to feed my family.
Down on all fours on the ground, I pray
For fairness in barter and my safe return home
From this capitalist enterprise I am engaging in.
My basket is laden to overflowing the brim
With the most beautiful flowers in all the land.
My woman helps me to my feet to begin
The journey to the mercado to sell our flores.
She, too, is strong like me, with strong hands.
Together, for survival and comfort in this life,
We labour, leaning on each other as a pillar
Through the impending toils of daily grind.
In quiet rectitude, we are satisfied knowing
That our Lord and Saviour Jesucristo will provide.
We pick the flowers at their peak
When the colours are their brightest
And their scents are the most invigorating.
One by one, we gently lay them
In the cesta de mimbre.
With every step and breath I take,
Their fragrances fill my nostrils,
And the unbearable becomes bearable,
Bringing relief to my aching back
And sandal-shodden feet.
How can I ask for more?
When I return, the joy on my family’s faces
For the money received from the sale
Provides the strength I require
To do this task over and over again
Until I am departed.
***
Notes:
“Diego Rivera’s Flower Carrier” is an ekphrastic poem based on the painting "The Flower Carrier" (1935) by Diego Rivera (1886–1957).
mercado: market
flores: flowers
Jesucristo: Jesus Christ
cesta de mimbre: wicker basket.
Dream Carrier
Bittersweet, your memory
Calling, echoing in my being
Recollections of your laughter
In solace, I remember the rapture
Twas' happiness, although so brief
Enchanting moments of belief
Embraced reunion between two worlds
The winds of time unfurled
In my melancholy morning sunrise
I question Creator why one must die
For if I could have remained asleep
With my dreams I could then keep
Awakened, the sunshine would interfere
Another day begins without you here
Tis' sad but blessed still yet
For dreams that let me not forget
~ Darlene Doll Smith
eap- One navy pilot sweating out the flag,
as the orange ignites, searing metals shine,
and the jolt aloft, with an fermine whine,
then the falcons queue, then plunge in line,
to the scarlet blooms I can claim as mine.
Lost
in a mesmerising blue and emerald haze I grasp at oyster clad sea waves,
a clueless swimmer‘s quest for shifting sand dune castles my mirage speckled eye has
found
Lost is first line word
Found is fourth line word
Lines 2 and 3 have 20 syllables each.
Date of Poetry Soup
Entry Monday April 12 2020
Let The Pens Flow - Antonym Poetry Contest
Sponsor Jenish Somadas
A cat attempting a headstand is akin to a gridlocked caterpillar visiting an air show of duck aero gliders. Aero gliders are neither glimpsing nor glimmering but glimmering could often be mistaken for a cider walking mildew headed bullock whose field antics were superfluous in the season of dun dun dun. But a dun dun dun is neither a worry nor a weasel waiting. Weasels wisely waiting wanting winning ways. And a dish of cloud is served on a rock to a cup of salt water lake spray. Lovely. And how very kind. It is to be assumed that there are a significant amount of ever increasing formations of swamps and strips of sunlit streams. Uninvited are the dwellers of infrastructure whose intelligence only works in a money bag with five golden balls. Interesting that isn't it? Now count to 48395839682058209589285938569025893 96038591958506969695958692058406830 594069305839583069305830583959 and then climb up and up and up the side of a cup using a sturdy ladder that extends beyond the houses. Ok then. Eat a spoon of rice and sit down. Oh look a carriage is catching a chubby carthorse today! Oh no a wardrobe has collapsed after attempting to juggle socks while jumping on a pogo stick. Xxxx meteorologist z z z z z z at forty five sprouts with ten foot wings soaring over eggplant and avocado bake with nine purple goldfish in a six inch tank. Z
Young man, just try a glass of sangria,
Now, we all can see you are angrier.
Audience is not a ‘a must’ for Town Criers;
Their job can now be discharged by flyers...
One cries too long and one lips get drier,
More pacing about the legs look sorrier.
In some circles you become a pariah,
For being of all things Hollow Wood Carrier.
Yes, you keep that in mind, Prepared Crier:
A town crier’s voice might go higher
But to his critics “A Hopeless Liar”
Or in short, he is the no more needed,
His colleagues in other towns fast weeded.
Whisperer of the ancient tales,
Breath of the Earth that gales.
Daylight's gentle breeze,
And dark night's howling trees.
Bearer of seeds and carrier of scents,
Sculptor of dunes and herald of storms.
Invisible traveller and caressing lover,
Tender murmurer and refreshing cooler.
The wind, an unseen wanderer,
A blind, playful squanderer.
It sweeps the Earth with gentle fingers,
In every nook, its demeanor lingers.
Patterned in love, your life it shines
Sharing so freely, “what’s yours, is mine,”
You hold nothing back from the Father of lights
Even when walking thru darkest of nights
Your smile lights our lives, like the light of the day
as you live to love and take time to pray
Your tapestry of colors, so beautiful to behold
In bright jeweled tones of lavender and gold
Keep looking up to the brilliance of sky
As His promise are great, His presence is nigh
In beauty and rare fragrance, you are His delight
He’ll pick up your burdens, your worries, your fight
As you lay it all down at His righteous right hand
In your adventure, by His side you will stand
more the merrier
hope are not a carrier
block by barrier.
CARRIER
In a world where the woman already goes through a lot
I can't imagine what it's like for all carriers
Especially when they don't know that they are
And only get to know after they welcome a child into this world
Cause it marks a moment of learning
Learning to be a mum,
and also to take care of the child with the condition
And without anyone to help them, it can be overwhelming
It's hard having to watch your kid grow
And you constantly worried about how to get meds
When at times you'd have to sacrifice the last coin
To ensure that you get meds
At times, that could be the end of her marriage
Cause the man goes on to the next
And the woman left to fight to stay afloat
Kudos to all the men who remain and brave it together
The PO£T
Cyrene was a city of 5000
situated on Africa's Northern tip
from there came a man called Simon
who was to be under God's sure grip
This Simon is named in three of the gospels
as the one who carried Jesus heavy load
compelled and seized to walk behind Jesus
carrying His cross along His Calvary road
Did Simon know what was to follow?
that this Jesus was going to die
His mind must have been in turmoil
but comforted even if asking why?
As Simon carried the cross of Jesus
so we, His disciples, must carry it too
following our Lord wherever He goes
standing true, looking to the Lord's view
Simon was indeed chosen of God
providentially to carry Christ's cross
play a real part in the Calvary story
without it, this would be our loss!
Give me air I'm suffocating,
Show me how to stop pretending,
Hold me high do not let me go,
Cut the ropes that lift me high and bind me,
Open up the closet where you forever hide me,
See the bone collection trail that slowly follow behind you,
Haunting you while you are sleeping,
Underneath the bed I hear you breathing,
Tell me were you the one who tried to save me,
Say the words that leave me by your bedside,
I know its me that keeps you up at night,
I hold my hand to your face to sooth your soul i know you feel it as your stirring fades away,
I watch as your eyes go glossy,
Face so cold, though your face so warming,
Now join me, Be as you last saw me,
But this time to stay, in my sight for eternity
He walks at dusk,
a lantern swinging from his hand,
light blooming in quiet pulses—
a heartbeat made of fire.
The path behind him forgets his steps,
but ahead, shadows scatter
like secrets too afraid of being known.
“Where do you go?” they ask.
“To the end of the night,” he says.
“Beyond the last fear,
beyond the hush of doubt.”
But the night is long,
and his lantern burns low.
Still, he walks—
for somewhere in the dark,
a flame waits to be found.
Well,
no matter how hard it seems,
still have dreams.
Until you rise to dizzying heights
don't lose your sights.
So,
stay focused,
work hard,
Plan,
whether its business, school or career
you must realize
you are a carrier of greatness.
You are more than a conqueror.
The obstacles you overcame while growing should encourage you.
From child birth you have stamina.
So what are you waiting for? Like Jesus says,
RISE UP AND WALK.
Face every situation as a pre-existing winner.
Brethren, you carry of greatness.
Thomas Hobson (1544 –1631)
in 19th century late
a Cambridge ostler and postal carrier
set his priorities straight
he owned a livery stable
of 40 Hackney horses or more
plus boots bridles and whips
and put the horse the cart before
after the animal left the barn
by bolting fast the door
and as precautionary balm
the nag nearest the stable gate
the worn-out equine storm to calm
was the firm rule he did make
this one or none in the stall
was that which customers had to take
or do with no ride at all
but for the paying equestrians
either way they win or lose
as there was no choice but accept or reject
for any of them to choose