Best Center Line Poems
Line of inquiry:
“looking back, I’m ashamed of what I was
I’m different now, though not without flaws
Each crest becomes a trough, as we move on
God slowly steers soul towards a new dawn” - Unseeking Seeker
My future self is a river running.
Time with no end is the course I run.
Things I learned from youth have either
been tossed ashore or absorbed
within my deep waters.
Storms I have endured.
Somewhere in the
middle of
my long
life
I
began
to transform.
I grew deeper
and deeper from all
my experiences.
I am flowing closer now
to the ocean of my rebirth
where I will merge with all God’s rivers
in the bright dawn of his abiding love.
Categories:
center line, life,
Form:
Etheree
Line Of Inquiry : "I saw God but now what"
It was Easter and I was kneading bread on my kitchen counter. A nanosecond flash and God's face appeared on my backsplash, by the sink. I had a moment of pure rapture before doubt settled in, "Did I truly see Him or was it just an illusion? An un-worldly experience like this causes a euphoric moment on the heart. But soon fear settled in and I asked myself, "Is this vision an imminent sign of my impending death? Or proof of His true existence.
Faith you cannot see
like depth of the sea
or roots of a tree
Along the years, there have been other Grace filled moments such as this. Like the time I sat in a retreat center to pray and a gentle wind blew through my very soul, leaving me in tears. " I was found." The message was brought home by His Sacred presence in me. A pivotal moment of awareness and I knew God was the living seed of my mere existence. Although I didn't see Him this time, I truly felt His presence, and recognized the Divine in me.
Love is the answer
Love is a lancer
Love is a dancer
I have grown old and wise and this broken vessel is filled with the wear-and-tear of a well served life. So as my hourglass body pours itself out, I sit by the river and watch the birds of the air go by. Each one of them brings a message from Him, " When your time is near, I'll be there dear," This is what I hear as I listen, with a very grateful heart.
Categories:
center line, appreciation, faith, god,
Form:
Haibun
The road
It stretches out before me,
the yellow center line
holding my attention.
It tells me that humankind has tried
and made its mark known and imprinted here.
But from the woods, the trees stretch their trunks angling across the tarmac,
A canopy of leaves umbrella across the lanes
dropping leaves upon the blackness,
The colors blend the black macadam
into reds and yellows and greens.
The sun etches streams thru the branches down to the lines
and flows around the bends.
the road disappears and nature reclaims its place
If only for the moment, the world is clean and pure again,
alive with living and life.
Squirrels and birds clatter in the trees and brush,
running and racing thru the leaves.
A truck rumbles in the distance.
Everything suddenly scatters
and man leaves his mark
yet again.
Categories:
center line, humanity, nature,
Form:
Free verse
Line of inquiry: “the essence in us is the same as the essence of the sun” Unseeking Seeker
We are as the sun,
for in us is a light.
It’s the light of One
omnipotent and bright.
This essence – this glow -
we should appreciate.
We must let it grow
to burn all hate away.
Imagine if we all,
with our love lights showing,
could create a ball
like the sun’s and glowing.
Heaven on this earth -
it's possible to be
when we realize worth
in everyone we see.
We can be victorious
when kindness we impart,
mindful of the glorious
Dweller of our Heart.
Categories:
center line, happiness, light,
Form:
Quatrain
< once this girl had seen her own shadow
got scared begun to wag and waddle
crossed over center line
hit by semi's behind
now shes up creek without a paddle
Writen by Katherine Stella
Entry For Rick Parise's
Shadows And Lines Contest
G.L. All
Categories:
center line, adventure, caregiving, fantasy, children,
Form:
Limerick
It first began looking, at my great grandparents, in old pictures albums or on the wall, so I did not understand longing, for simpler times or why, I would think I would see a picture of me there. I would always look but never seeing me. It never stopped me from looking, when I was young, looking for myself. The times were simpler but not easier, as the black and whites, showed the hardness of the times, written on their faces each line or scar. Written for all to see, yet I looked for me back then. It was strange, I know; but with imagination of a child in the heroic sense. How life could have been, so much better then and what a hero I could have been.Whether, medieval or cowboy or war days, that is where I played. In retro seeing me line and scars in black and white all the battles one
Categories:
center line, adventure, childhood, fantasy, imagination,
Form:
Haibun
.
Safe secure
Back seat_car not on tour
Just to church on Sunday night_safe road
One drunk driver pushing another car not towed
Crossed center line even though had his whole side road
Daddy went over tried to stay clear
Car hit_ dad couldn't clear steer
Now Bridge Fear
Categories:
center line, childhood, family, father, health,
Form:
Rhyme
If a pickle brings a paddle
To a party in the fall,
And the court is colored umber
And it looks just like the ball,
Would you relish the cucumber
Who was forced to make the call,
Or the dill-ettante not worth his salt,
Who knows no rules at all?
Or that silly little gherkin
Who suddenly got hot,
‘Cuz that dink into the kitchen
Was his bread-and-butter shot,
And the pickleball had landed
Somewhere near the center line,
But all the little gherkin did
Was to brine till he got fined?
If they played it on the sabbath,
Is it kosher for a dill
To slap that little gherkin
And to tell him just to chill?
But the classic was that Vlasic
Who was spying on that sour,
And they caught him with the cornichon
A-peeping in the shower.
No matter how you slice it,
If you relish it or not,
I don’t need to embellish it,
That spicy sour was hot!
----------
for the It's a Pickle Party Poetry Contest
sponsored by Mystic Rose Rose
written on 09/07/2022
Categories:
center line, silly,
Form:
Rhyme
Scrooge over. I hit Scrooge and over slept. It's Over Scrooge. I ride my Scrooger. It's so in right now. Scrooge over. You're simply in the way. The signs of pity instruct us to give em' a brake. We do what they say and we Scrooge down to the lowered speed limit. Scrooge over to the shoulder. Watch the state Scrooger painting the image of order with an iron cane which we must pay for because he must issue citations...Scrooged order! I'm so over this Scrooge disorder. Scrooge takes your order. Scrooge keeps everything nice and neat to effectively enforce order. Scrooged over. You crossed the center line and Scrooge pulled you over. Red-rover red-rover, end Scrooge order on over—
-end
Author's Note: Wouldn't it be super fun to gather up a group of people and randomly dress in Christmas clothing and go door to door caroling in the middle of summer...?
Categories:
center line, crazy, fun, games, humorous,
Form:
Light Verse
There once was an old lady
A cautious one was she
But she still drove her motor-car
At the age of one-oh-three
She was feared, and yes, respected
On every county road
'Cause she drove down the center-line
And in "white-knuckle" mode
And if you were behind her
You were certain to be late
Because she always raced along
At the speed of twenty-eight
All up and own our county roads
Where forty is the norm
She steadfastly maintained twenty-eight
Past forest, field, and farm
Well, then, one day it happened
I won't forget the day
She drove into a wagon
Piled high with bales of hay
The wagon slid across the road
Cut down a 'lectric pole
The sparking set the hay on fire
Her car did one full roll
She wasn't realy injured,
But quite irate, they say
The wagon she rear-ended
Was in her right of way!
Insurance settled out of court
Details were never heard
The farmer simply grins and says
"The figure was absurd"
No longer does he transport hay
Or even grow the stuff
His cattle-barn sits idle nnow
'Cause he has cash enough
Oh, he still plants a garden
For just himself and wife
Fresh veggies do taste better
As they ease their way though life
The lady's in an old-folks home
Down by the Middle Creek
I think she's doing very well
Her birthday was last week
Her party made the T.V. News
She's reached a hundred-five
She'll probably live a few more years
'Cause now she does not drive!
Categories:
center line, adventure, people,
Form:
Quatrain
I never will forget the day
my world came crashing down
It happened out on highway 6
just right outside of town
My wife and I were headed home
after dinner and a show
When a truck who crossed the center line
gave me nowhere else to go
When I hit the ditch doing 65
all I heard was Tammy scream
Everything around me slowed
like I'd stepped into a dream
We must have rolled at least 6 times
though I'm sure that it was more
Then I asked my wife if she was hurt
as I opened up my door
If she answered me I couldn't hear
for the ringing in my head
So I came around to check on her
and realized she was dead
It'll be a year tomorrow
when my life came to an end
I not only lost my wife that day
but also my best friend
But tonight we'll be as one again
of this I have no doubt
As I place her picture on my chest
and the barrel in my mouth
My final thoughts upon this earth
were of the only love I found
Because I never could forget the day
my world came crashing down
6/21/2001
Categories:
center line, death, depression, loss, lost
Form:
Rhyme
best driver his claim
went to sleep singing_voice rang
as he crossed the center line
I am glad that I was there to awake him
and also that we were not meeting any
cars or 18 wheelers....
Categories:
center line, family, funny, life,
Form:
Senryu
Line of inquiry:
“I am not the body, which is but dust
I am not fickle and limited mind
To whom then comes the feral thrust of lust
Or for that matter, thoughts loving and kind"
I am not just the body which is a husk,
Which will wither and rot in no time.
I am the kernel inside that sequesters life.
Neither am I a jumble of thoughts,
Emanating from my fickle mind.
I know my body is brittle and will turn to dust.
Like a clam in its protective shell,
My body is just an outer covering
Where my soul is securely fastened.
I am a triplicate of body, mind and soul
I am meant to become whole…
I must become whole.
From the crippling outrages of lust,
From the strangulating chains of ego,
That bind me, I must set myself free.
Perhaps this resolve has come to me,
From incorporeal intuition and insight which hover,
Unchained above the regions of reason
And the cravings of lust and greed.
When consumed by hatred’s fire and demeaning lust,
I shall strive to make something new out of me;
Something that will spark a ray of hope
A flicker bright, a beacon in troubled waters.
I will seek shelter under my Heavenly Father’s wings,
Where his loving kindness awaits
To fill hearts with bliss and peace.
Within human frame, there is a constant war,
Waged between satisfying transient emotions
And for attaining immortal bliss and grace.
One, the body presses, but the soul rejects
The other, the soul presses but the body rejects.
When hatred and jealousy sow their bitter seeds,
Compassion and kindness bloom in quiet deeds.
When hearts are filled with love and empathy,
Weary hours shall sink to blend with quiet peace,
And we will begin to think that heaven isn’t far away!
Categories:
center line, growth, light, love,
Form:
Free verse
Driving South Dakota in December
Means you’re a “Stupid Club” member
I’d never even heard of a “White Out”
That’s what this story’s all about
Cruising along and relaxed as can be
My three daughters, my wife and me
You could see for miles, the land was so flat
Heard truckers do a CB chat
Heard one of them say “It’s blowing ahead”
But couldn’t quite hear all they said
But in twenty miles I knew what he meant
Cause into a snow storm we went
We found ourselves in a total “White Out”
It was a “Ground Blizzard”, no doubt
Strong winds blowing horizontal to land
Should we go on, or take a stand
I thought we’d drive right through it pretty quick
It’s so cold the snow didn’t stick
The problem was, powdery snow’s so light
When the wind whips up, it takes flight
It only got worse as we went along
The car swaying, the wind so strong
I could just barely see the center line
We all watched for an exit sign
At this point, I knew things were getting bad
Afraid to stop or go ahead
From the car’s rear window, kids watched the stripe
Could see through the rear window wipe
They'd yell if I strayed from the center line
And that happen several times
The next thing I know, my CB squaws out
“You’re going off right!” it did shout
An eighteen wheeler was right behind me
His cab so high that he could see
The “White Out” went up higher than the car
At trucker’s height, he could see far
He guided us down the road for a while
Said an off ramp is just a mile
You should just stay there, till the wind gets low
I’m passing on your left, go slow!
We thanked him for all the help that he gave
He went by, gave a toot and wave
We found the ramp and got to a café
Sat down and bowed our heads to pray
We knew we had much to be thankful for
Safely through this and one before
A fishtail and spin on the mountain pass
This winter driving is my last
Categories:
center line, adventure, travel, snow, snow,
Form:
Quatrain
Nevus, dysplastic
Less than fantastic
Asymmetric?
Center line trick
Irregular border
Suggests disorder
Highly colored?
It’s no dullard.
Diameter large?
Time to take charge!
Rapid evolution?
Seek a solution.
See your derm path
For that mole
Before his burrows
Take their toll.
Categories:
center line, health,
Form:
Rhyme