Best Chance Upon Poems
On a pleasant Sunday morning,
beside a river in a park,
I went strolling in the city,
in the dawn just after dark.
Every bench; any haven,
slept a host of homeless men,
who have slipped through the cracks;
society had failed again.
I assumed there’s many reasons,
why a man lives on the street,
but strolling past the sleeping,
means that I never get to meet,
and get the opportunity,
to sit down and hear a tale,
from one of these down and outers,
and what caused their life to fail.
And then by chance upon one bench,
I spied a man who sat upright;
the collar of his coat turned up,
his sunken eyes a gloomy sight.
He hadn’t shaved for quite a while,
and his clothes looked gravely worn -
My chance to greet a homeless man,
came on an early Sunday morn.
I intended to ask questions,
hoping he might tell his plights,
about what put him on the streets,
where he must spend his nights.
And he was more than forthright,
speaking of the reasons why,
for once he claimed he had it all,
then overnight it was goodbye.
‘Three weeks ago I had it all,
a solid roof above my head.
Three meals a day, and fresh clothes,
no bills, no debt for me to dread.
I studied on the Internet,
and also there was Pay T.V.
I also had a library,
and was covered medically
I felt sorry for this fellow,
who claimed that once he had it all,
so I asked him the obvious,
what was the cause for him to fall.
Was it drugs; divorce; alcohol,
that finally took it’s toll?
‘No nothing like that’ he replied,
‘the prison granted my parole.’
Categories:
chance upon, humor,
Form:
Rhyme
With my brightened lens, I watch you
mystically zooming in zooming out,
and my eyes focus on the shutter where
a hundred gulls flap in brief moments: carefully,
I seize the image, almost lost in transition
as my rushed stanzas etch
the language of your distinct angles.
Following your trail, I chance upon
a lattice of asters sprawled on pine wood
grating my line of phrases:
flowers posing without shame, beautiful like
summer ‘s shape...and I watch you romp
in the blur of rain clicking on a Kodak chrome;
while my quill explodes with the burst
of your animated snapshots. My dear,
in this symbiotic flow where poetry and visual arts
understand the hidden grandeur of the world,
shall this my verse meld with your splashed landscape?
....................
August Premiere Contest for Brian Strand
Categories:
chance upon, art, beauty, film, words,
Form:
Imagism
I meander through verdant valley
where meadows collide in windswept jade,
hillsides bathe in summer sunshine
and oceans of clouds, commit to shade.
Moorland sheep laze in woolly clusters
creating footpaths upon the hill,
busy hedgerow a rural city
scar of an era, is town head mill.
Vibrant coppice alive with creatures
leafy towers caress morning mist,
sunlight shines on distant window
across the valley, a sapphire twist.
Crag and beacon rise majestic
standing stone a monument to thrall,
sculptured by marauding seasons
an ancient culture’s, rocky stall.
Yet to chance upon misty patterns
softly sketched upon the hill,
I will savour these happy moments
awakening to, a distant trill.
Wharfedale, Yorkshire England
© Harry J Horsman 2001
Categories:
chance upon, nature,
Form:
Rhyme
That childhood faith, vehemently spirited,
Difficult to bend, impossible to tame.
That still-cradled heart, curiously open,
Eschewing fear, shunning struggle,
Accepting of each coming day.
The journey so hazardous.
Now a cold-forged and unyielding heart
Beats out each agonizing minute.
Jared by indolence and disappointment,
Vision unrecognizably scarred.
The journey so quickly done.
Needing to chance upon that child again
To lightly touch the angel's brow.
Categories:
chance upon, absence, abuse, childhood, grief,
Form:
Free verse
You chance upon her
in the far reaches of the backyard
a place you never go
and there she trembles a tiny tiger in a blurred world
secreted in shadows below blackthorn shrubs
faint mews draw you closer
the power of her vulnerability
fills your veins with a pulse rising
brimming you with a nectar needed
like a dry stream bed restored by remedy rains
how helpless she is with eyes just opened
her eyes like skylights —translucent
and filled with new wild blue innocence
neglected yet beautiful
you see the phenomenon of her will to live —
her outsized feistiness
belying such a petite package of need
with teeny needle claws and protests the wisp of a hiss
...and you recall when you felt small and voiceless
born a feral
her mother likely lost to speed-wheels of a car
or snap-jaws of coyotes whose throats float howls
above black tree lines with autumn mist and moon
it will never be known for sure
and you wonder if she wonders
if the sweet-milk-purrs with soft belly fur
will ever return to snuggle her
she’s been cold and alone for far too long
so you gather her in the hug of your hands
curl your chest around her littleness
a shield formed against her loneness
—a long-ago-child abandoned a silent
child lost amid foster care noise is heard—
and you decide not to let Nature take its course
instead you sit with her swaddle her love her
nourish her with eye dropper milk—
embers linger in brick-warm-hearth
as you heal the orphan within
Categories:
chance upon, animal, care, emotions, innocence,
Form:
Free verse
Hitch-hiking on the road of yellow bricks
I took a chance upon a passing whim
It ferried me where thins grow out from thickes
Turns out, I found myself out on a limb
Imagine, on a limb and at my age
How could I get my feet back on the ground
My first instinct was fly into a rage
A brainstorm came, then all my anger drowned
Yet this was not my first time on a limb
Fact is, I've shinnied down more than a few
These days, instead of taking it so grim
I've learned to sit and just enjoy the view
If you're caught on a limb by some mistake
The bright side is, the damned thing didn't break
by Daniel Turner
Categories:
chance upon, humorous, philosophy,
Form:
Sonnet
O love, my love…where in this lonesome hour
Can my heart with sweet abandon find you there?
If chance upon the wind, you do float as lotus flower
Would on my earthen bed you gladly fare?
I am your silent lover…though cloaked in gentile guise
With lips, mine own affection would I treat you
And in the twilight’s gloaming your embrace there would I prize
If fate would look away while there I greet you.
O suitors, I commend thy will to win her proffered hand
While exile finds me close enough to see
Yet mark this, would be lovers, her hand there you may find
But her gentle heart was offered first to me.
~Christopher Thor Britt
Categories:
chance upon, life, love, romance, romantic,
Form:
Quatrain
The wind calls your name
Dark clouds on the plain
Gusty wind in my heart
Blowing us apart
Is it going to rain?
Can you feel my pain?
Is it going to rain?
I think I’m going insane?
Tell me is it going rain?
Calm before the storm
Chance upon a breeze
Whisper in the night
I want to hold you tight?
I can feel the weather
In my bones
It’s telling me
I’ll be alone
Tell me is it going to rain?
Tell me can you feel my pain?
Categories:
chance upon, love,
Form:
Lyric
A gust of icy air blasts
the cold into my bones,
tugging at my knees with
hollow, aspirating groans,
making numb my cheeks,
whirling 'round my waist;
pulling at me thither-ward
down cobbled streets in haste.
Thick snowflakes lightly flurry
soft upon my lashes,
squinting hard, I blink away
the blinding, frozen ashes.
Presently, I chance upon
a steepled, stony schloss,
whence I knew myself beyond
the bounds of Hotzestrasse.
All around me, strangers rush
to unfamiliar places;
swiftly stepping, spinning past
with stern, impatient faces.
I sidle down a sleepy street,
apart the harried crowd,
into the quiet entrance
of a quaint café I bowed.
A corner cuckoo ticks away
the time with listless ease,
whiling away the morning;
an anxious spirit to appease.
Rich and steamy mochas
warm away the frosty chill
of this melancholy trav'ler
reflecting on the wintry still.
Categories:
chance upon, travel, winter,
Form:
Quatrain
O’er the waters of time, with attention quickly drawn,
I, Thought, soar through the heavens with Memory at my side.
By thorn and thicket, we have passed. At times we've struggled through,
as all around us tears and shreds, and yet... time we abide.
Travel we, birds of like feather; black as night and strong as day,
A reflection, one to another; two arrows taking flight.
We chance upon the wind, unyielding as the grave,
Our ballad, sight and sorrow; two ravens in the night.
7/13/2014
(Inspired by Huginn and Muninn, Odin's two ravens)
Categories:
chance upon, animal, bird, mythology,
Form:
Couplet
Traveler's Guide to the Rugged Path
Millions tread the rugged path
as nomads groping in a murky mist
eyes and hands aloft; prayerful…hopeful.
Few chance upon a wondrous tree,
bearing on its ample boughs,
love; unconditional and sweet.
Sheltered safely in the shade
they cry out; pleading desperately
for their traveling companions.
Others come, unfamiliar, unwanted
yearning and desperate they approach
anxious to stay their weary journey.
Move along! Cry the few,
laying claim to the bounteous tree
defiantly taking post to defend.
A booming crack roars over the scene;
fire erupts from the heartwood
consuming all in mere moments.
A ghoulish smoky tendril
swirling ‘twixt the beggars and few
the sole, poisoned remnant of love, scorn.
Fingers of blame stab the smoke
traveler railing against traveler
drunk on wrath and indignation.
--------Elsewhere--------
Millions tread the rugged path,
as nomads groping in a murky mist
eyes and hands aloft, prayerful…hopeful.
Few chance upon a wondrous tree
bearing on its ample boughs,
love; unconditional and sweet.
Sheltered safely in the shade
they cry out; pleading desperately
for their traveling companions.
Others come, unfamiliar, unwanted
yearning and desperate they approach
anxious to stay their weary journey.
Come join us! Cry the few,
sharing wide the tree’s abundance
generously offering respite to all.
Quietly, the mist dissipates the scene
clarity of vision, and brotherhood
consume all in the clearing.
Love, shared without condition
accepts the unfamiliar, the unwanted
heals the weary, and poisoned.
It means forgiveness and compassion
from traveler to traveler
no matter how different their paths.
07/30/15
Categories:
chance upon, allegory, change, christian, confusion,
Form:
Free verse
Morning drizzle
Skyline looks teary;
Jogging feet struggle
~~~~~~~~~
New penthouse suite
By midtown place;
Blessings of peace
~~~~~~~~~
Time moves swiftly
Flying away;
Seize interlude
~~~~~~~~~
Small talk empties
Chit-chat delays;
Time oozes fast
~~~~~~~~~
Two black birds
Morning choral;
Balcony duet
~~~~~~~~~
Tropical heatwave
Humid sticky sweat;
Air-con relief
~~~~~~~~~
Mall sales boomerangs
Petty touting;
Urgent campaign
~~~~~~~~~~
Toy dog runs barking
Pink hair dye;
Same as lady master
~~~~~~~~~~
Childcare kids
Sing-song repetition;
Old nursery rhymes
~~~~~~~~~
Fragments of writes
Verse lines on-the-fly;
Haiku mood swing
~~~~~~~~~
Shopping lists
Foodstuff to buy;
Procure satisfaction
~~~~~~~~~
Time beyond
Chance upon;
Space now on
~~~~~~~~~
Mailbox full
Nobody's home;
Other matters call
~~~~~~~~~
Leon Enriquez
10 July 2016
Singapore
Categories:
chance upon, change,
Form:
Haiku
FOR A MOMENT
Your cry isn’t loud enough for the world to hear
So wipe your tears.
Even your so called ‘friends and companions’ are turning deaf ears
Wipe your tears and look up to the hills, from there comes your help
Tears come from sorrow’s hole
Tears will continue to flow until you control your whole
Dilute your sorrow’s hole with joy,
And effervescence of smile will frizzle your tears
Don’t pamper that hurt inside, lest, it will linger
Letting go of is the best panacea
Embrace life’s vicissitude, and make peace with your past
Until there’s no tomorrow, fortunes are in life’s queue
For as mischance exists in life’s cast,
So is great chance.
Life can deny you of breakfast, but that breakfast may not be worth comparing with your brunch.
As you crunch, your life realizes that you can wait for tomorrow’s breakfast even if it denies you supper.
Sometimes, life makes you feel Charlie,
Especially when life gives you a malignant glare,
At a moment when you are in a state of ‘devil-may-care’
You are compelled to say cheerio to the world
Because life is using a brusque tone
But when you chance upon successes, you bury that decision
That’s life
Don’t escalate that hurt or pain when life confronts you
It’s just a fortune recess
Embolden your spirit and wait for the resume of success.
#sanguine, sangfroid, pertinacious#..That’s what you ought be……
Categories:
chance upon, art, heart, inspiration, inspirational,
Form:
Lyric
Love is patient
Love is far too kind
My love is unconditional
I want to give you all my love
I can’t keep it all to myself:
I lost my heartbeat, I found it in you
We beat together now!
What circle have you gotten me into?
Not that I want to get out of it!
I long to sleep and wake up every day
By your side to love and support you.
How did you chance upon this power
To open my mind and heart again to love?
You have been persistent in your love for me,
Your caring touches my heart,
Will I be able to contain all these?
The love, affection, care that you are capable of?
Will I be able to fully reciprocate?
You will always have the power to touch my heart
I have surrendered it all to you,
I want to be powerless when it comes to you.
We both know the meaning of love,
Never thought it could feel like this ever again
That feeling when you walk with that special woman
Or man in your life, glowing with pride!
Categories:
chance upon, love, sweet love, teen
Form:
Thinking outside his cage
A war on tradition he waged,
Writing notes by chance,upon a page-
His disharmonies cannot be forecast
Many suppose his music will not last
John Cage= Avan-garde composer
Categories:
chance upon, music, people
Form:
Narrative