Best Catered Poems
the night sky wavers in your frosted light
imaginings of ever after cling like honey to a spoon.
you face the earth as sister, smiling coyly
from the cratered depth of dimpled cheek and chin.
edged in the kohl of Cleopatra’s line
your brows appear to question even starlight
your oceanic orbs dry of tears still twinkle
in the remnant asteroid powder of eons past.
beauteous Luna purse not your lips
let reflections of a brighter hue let glide
across your roman countenance so bold
and teach the fiery sun of catered glory
for it is you who rule when day is done.
*dedicated to my muse Rhonda!
These chains of deceit that bind me to this hardwood seat.
I bend and break the bars that confine, but they remain, like the haughty, jagged grin of an eroded skull.
Such good times as these are even visited by dark slips of the gut from thoughts of tortures past.
It was a massive structure, swathed in a meagerly regal indigo, lined in placid silver.
In this place I did not cry of neglect. I was no dark horse, puffing promises of vengeance
for the cruelty and nonchalance of my lords.
They catered to me well, forever willing to stir into my cauldron their own lazily construed dogmas.
But O, so long as I gazed upon the faces of my peers, eyes starried with anticipation of knowledge
and fantastic visions of other world intrigue, I could not lead the expected life of indifference. Intrigue
of the kind that I confusedly examined, reaching deep into the dark, conceptual pit of the unknown, and unproven.
Exhausted, I came to my knees, deep in the cave, to rest, to wait for all the promised realities to reveal themselves.
I waited so very long for such things. Drew and blew irreplaceable breaths
awaiting the truth of falsehood to at last burst forth, at the final moment, to redeem itself.
Funeral planning - oh what can I say
Not only are you coping with your loss
There is so much to arrange
The process took us hours and hours
Meet with the priest and funeral director
Book the church; discuss the flowers
Choose the hymns; print the order of service
Arrange the catering – how many will attend
Dad was popular he has many friends
So we catered for 100 - BIG MISTAKE
The trestle table was groaning under the weight of the platters
There was only about 50 of us…
Does anyone fancy a sandwich?
5th March 2015
The left over food got given to a charity for the homeless
I have been going through the online clocks
searching for you
you seem to have disappeared in the pages unknown
I can't seem to find you
you, the one that made me believe in a timeless wonder
seems to be ticking away somewhere else
guilty, I the guilty poet
I disappeared too into a world that I thought catered for me
and I took several with me
But it's not the same
there is always a first love
there is always that one kiss from that one person
that feels different
that is just right
You, the online stranger
what is your real name anyway?
i allowed you to whisper the lyrics that sprouted from the many inks in you
i laughed and I cried
a lot of lol's and wow's
a lot of why didn't I come up with that
but only you could say it so well
As I continue to engage in the past participle
of your memories
i wish you well
i wish you the best wherever you are
and I can't wait for your comeback
The beauty of this thing is,
this first love goes beyond age and race
it's the page that blossoms even in the unconceived time
Conscious confusion
Catered in this brain
A buffet of human duality
Left all to remain
Deft ears gather
Under a ladder
Oh so white
Till the end
Becomes clear
We will begin again.
Sunshine and stormy weather,
From egg,to feather,
Grains until I am matured,
Off to the boilers for sure,
Cluck,cluck,cluck no more,
Chopped or bi-sect in four,
Leg,wing and thigh,
Jerk,bar-b-que or fry,
Brown stew or curry,
Get me ready in a hurry,
Natural seasoning or powder spice,
Finger licking,I am so nice,
Rice and peas or mashed potato,
Done at home or nicely catered.......
At the foot of the mountain lies a wide verdant plain
With rich flowing breasts tend its enchanting brethren
A cuddly care that nature does, in collaboration with men
Catered to those gallant souls, nurturing the best it can
Every morning, when sunshine unfolds its resounding grace
Charming horses in auspicious race, dock their tails, all in graze
Glorious creatures they are when viewed near and afar
Precious stone-like muzzles adorned, each shines like ritzy car
Glossy fur is prominent, from withers, poll to forelock crane
The sophisticated look they have while galloping in any range
When the sun grows brighter in the middle of the day
Cowboys with their hats and chaps shout, hurray!
They run to check their rides before they saddle with glee
Patting stifle, gaskin, hock down to fetlock ‘though they’re jerky
Thorough inspection of hoof, coronet and frog they do and peek
And see if shoes are fixed, they’re good luck charms, shown in kicks
Stallions or mares, palomino, topaz… horses in any color and kind
Riding like a roller-coaster on their withers to their croup is so fine!
How I wish I can go with those cowboys in their pony-trekking
I want to be their horsewoman as they’ll be all my prince charming.
Oct. 17, 2016 1.40pm
Copyright2016Leonora Galinta
All Rights Reserved
Ninth Place
Contest: Horses
Judged: 10/30/2016
Sponsor: Poet Shadow Hamilton
With two months left to go, in the year of 2012, I must not be too complacent.
However the first ten months have brought much joy and few sorrows.
The most exciting events have been the four weddings of young relatives.
My youngest grandson's wedding came first and I was not invited.
He and his intended flew off to Hawaii for the wedding, with their attendants.
The rest of us had to be satisfied with an invitation to their reception after they returned home. My wedding gift to my grandson and his bride was a professionally framed and sealed and museum glassed copy of my double poem, "The Bride's Prayer and The Bridegroom's Prayer". in hopes that it would last as long as I deeply wanted their marriage to last.
The other three weddings were the results of many months of planning and I received a formal invitation to each one. In late August my great-grandniece married her fiance in a military wedding. The reception was held in the Officers Club and was planned to the last detail. In September my own great-granddaughter held her wedding in my
yard and the weather cooperated beautifully. It was small, around fifty guests. Rented decorated tables held a feast worthy of a more opulent wedding. The groom was as handsome and the bride as beautiful as those in the wedding magazines they had consulted in order to avoid the high expense of a wedding planner.
The last wedding was held the last Saturday in October and the bridegroom was my favorite great-grandnephew. His beautiful bride was dressed in a lovely formal gown, under which she wore...cowgirl boots. Her eight attendants wore flirty. short, black dresses and...cowgirl boots. Western music was played and a catered meal of Western food was served to the two hundred guests. No expense was spared for this wedding. It was held at a remodeled cattle barn which has been turned into a beautiful social hall and rented out for just such occasions. The minister said it was the twenty-fifth wedding ceremony held in that building at which he had officiated.
These were all joyous affairs and my prayer is that all parties will all be able to observe their 75th anniversaries and are still as happy as on these, their wedding days.
LOVE THEM ALIVE...
I write with hot passionate streams rushing down my cheeks.
Have you taken out time however minuscule
To contemplate the Romeo and Juliet that set your life's stage
You ever paused to ponder the mystery of parenthood?
Genesis says man with woman leaves father’s house to become one flesh
Leaving youthfulness and peers with their vigour and fervour
They become a two that is one, a mumsy and pupman
Worst for some these have become the privation of every actual or potential good.
Have you not deemed it fit to applaud the sacrifice of parenting?
Picture your father pacing up and down a hospital pathway
Unaware of unbuttoned shirts and the in-theatre curses of his Juliet
While you kick to and fro, insisting to see our mother earth
Until our stubborn immortality bows in humility to ancient mortality
We still forget our gratias to the duo that cared and catered
Do avoid a pool of tears like mine nay you won't forgive yourself
If the only place and time you say Mum I love you, or Dad I love you is in a funeral oration
What should be our best gift to our parents?
What should be the apex of our gratitude to the organism of our existence?
In and out of season, let's never delay to say
Mummy I love you, daddy I love you!
There's no party for pity.
Question the absurdity.
Friends, use discretion
if you get an invitation.
It's counterfeit.
Don't believe it.
Don't RSVP,
if you receive it.
Discard immediately. Don't contemplate.
It'll lead you nowhere. Don't save the date.
No early, late, or on time arrivals.
The doorbell is silent.
No lively dinner guests,
dressed in their best.
No hors d'oeuvres served on a fancy plate.
No thought-provoking conversations.
No guestbook to sign.
No vintage wine.
No catered food.
No live music for the mood.
No celebration for pity's pains.
No "congratulations," for complaints.
There's no party here. Discard the invitation.
Pity's alone, in bitter contemplation.
A Servant's Heart
It was on the road to Jericho
A Samaritan did compassion show
A great example, he did bestow
"A Servant's Heart"
A cart near full, in the check-out line
"Go ahead, - your items are less than mine"
She said to the elderly lady, just behind
"A Servant's Heart"
Because of an injury he was going through
He could not mow the lawn, he knew
A neighbor said: "this I will do"
"A Servant's Heart"
The funeral brought her many tears
A different lifestyle, brought many fears
Words of comfort, came from her peers
"A Servant's Heart"
Of his lofty status, everyone knew
Higher positions, were very few
Yet the down-and-out, he catered to
"A Servant's Heart"
The medical report, was not good
Her unmasked grief, we understood
Compassion he gave, all that he could
"A Servant's Heart"
As I trudge on each coming day
It's vital that I always pray
That in word and deed I would display
"A Servant's Heart"
The most lofty position, I might derive
In no way could it contrive
With - Mark: ten, forty four and five
"A Servant's Heart"
Colan L Hiatt = 03-09-13
© All Rights Reserved
A heart that weeps silenced to what was left
Destroyed the hope only of love it kept
To give, To take in less more have been spent
Becoming was the cold in hell it bent
Why lone catered a simple minds repent
I love! I hate! phantom alone regret
Figured configured intertwined inlet
To yearn no need but use to need mindset
To be alone inside I must ingest
No love to keep my own had been to what neglect
Accept what is my own deserved expect
In that what Love mirrored my own reflect
Once in a blue moon I have been told
The cliché’s clan gets together with the Catch Phrase posy
If I have told you once I have told you a thousand times this story or are you the last one to know?
Well, it all started for no rhyme or reason but you could see the writing on the wall.
Rat Race and horsing around would be in charge of the children’s activities for the day.
While crazy as a loon and Wacky Tobacky would take care of the entertainment.
Ice Queen would be the bartender for the night and Wall Flower would play the music.
Requests were already pouring in from the peanut gallery.
Young whipper Snapper like to hear a country song called one step forward and two steps back
And Jonny come lately wanted to hear a rock song called Chip off the old block.
Class clown always wanting to be the center of attention got drunk and started dancing
On the picnic tables.
Simon Says and Mother May I where there to tell everyone what to do and where to sit.
This would be a catered event so One sandwich short of a picnic was hired to feed this Motley crew.
On the menu was Fish out of Water served with two peas in a pod and for dessert The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree Al- a- mode.
Everybody was having a great time until the trouble makers showed up.
One for the road and Three sheets to the wind where known for starting drunken brawls.
The worst thing was they brought their 3 grown sons Hammered, sloshed and pickled.
If I only knew then what I know now left early. She had a feeling there would be trouble.
Penny for your thoughts would be collecting the raffle ticket money and No time like the present would be handing out the prizes.
Liar Liar Pants on fire and Cry me a river were sore losers and always made a scene if they lost.
It will be a cold day in hell didn’t want to go so he sent his wife Heaven to Betsy.
Too much of a good thing got sick and ended up taking the bus# Catch22 home.
Well, nothing lasts forever was the last song of the night and Turn out the lights the party’s over security guard company showed everyone the door.
The end.
Form:
Anger consumed within me,
Rage passed continually by.
A mixture of blue and red,
Blinding the dim light inside me.
Once the light was like a flaming torch,
Such a torch that can be compared to the sun.
But even the sun rests, the flames can be vanquished
Only the night was witnessed until the morning dawned.
I was created to love you.
This was the only purpose,
But I chose to reject you.
How foolish of me to compose.
Given many chances to accept,
Welcome the love higher than my mother,
I was in an asylum locked by my choice.
"No more!" I uttered.
A glowing door suddenly appeared,
"Who could it be?" I questioned.
It opened; a figure so bright glanced at the corner,
"My child, fear not," the figure mentioned.
I took his offering hand.
Richness of everlasting springs of water,
The right hand of infinite life.
We departed blissfully as He catered
"Do not sow any longer, for you are here with your Father,"
I began to weep as a baby weeps for his mother.
"My child, for you were once lost but now have been found."
A final tear inching below, the Devil will no longer bother.
>
SHE SUNG
The Dream Keeper
Bring me all of your dreams,
You dreamers,
Bring me all of yours
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them up
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers Of the world.
I LAUGH:
Talk with me
Say no more a word,
I hear the stars sung it long before
Calling you out to be the Nightingale
Tending the needy heart, fallen in depth
Off not been a catered soul
The earth knows you, the world knows you
A Queen in the making.
(c) Lamptey Godson / Nana Aba Flowers. 2012