Best Chill Poems
Cleaning out my refrigerator, an ice cube slides to the floor
startling the cat, and interrupting a locomotive of thought
that often tracks me down in a beam of light---
Today it streams through a window, where everything seems marred,
by doubt, and dust, crusts of ice and sticky jello spilled on a glassy shelf.
Oh, not the first time, this revelation of light,
I've had it before while kneeling on the floor as I do now,
and many times that I've knelt on a floor,
to clean up my messes,...
praying for help, praying for light, praying for forgiveness...
and now on the floor to sponge up melting ice, water and tears
Raising a young family...a life so demanding...
Caring and nursing...two sides of the coin...
My father and children....my husband caught between...
It wasn't the impossible...but was never enough...
The time took a toll....why did it seem cold....as cold as the ice?
Could I have held out?.... Could I have been stronger?...
A little while longer....
I shiver with memory,... or is it guilt, and regret? Regret, perhaps shame?
Is it only the chill of the open fridge door?
Or is it more?... So much more?
Hmm, interesting metaphor, "a open door"..........
did I leave it open long enough,... wide enough?
Did I do all I could? All I should ? Was I patient enough? Was I all I could be?
Was I tough enough to watch someone linger,
lingering on, I ponder it now...
Difficult years......but a fraction of life, is how it appears,....
Now looking back.... black fades to gray..
but it comes back in spades, to haunt me today
A little while longer.....
I could have been stronger....
_________________________________________________________
Against the velvet canvas of night the downy snow falls all around me.
Silence deafening,falling upon my ears in this winter wonderland I see.
The chill of winters breath places it's kiss upon rose petal skin so light.
Whilst I stand 'neath tiny flakes and behold this magnificent sight.
I adore the silence of this winter wonderland that only my soul does know.
As I walk by crystal streams that flow dotted white with cottony snow.
Oh the heavenly peace that encompasses my soul this wintry night.
As the snow glistens and sparkles under the soft glow of moonlight.
I stand awestruck as I gaze upon snow covered emerald pine.
Dusted in winters frosty touch so heavenly sublime.
God placed a love of winters beauty within my lil' ol' country heart.
Soft memories of this wonderland from my mind will never part.
December brings the snow and ice
Early morning frosts; the trees are bare
Stay inside, keep warm heed my advice.
If you venture out you'll pay the price
I'm so snug inside without a care
December brings the snow and ice.
The snow is falling it looks so nice
I won't risk driving ; I wouldn't dare
Stay inside, keep warm heed my advice.
The weather warning was very concise
Don't venture out don't go anywhere
December brings the snow and ice.
I've ordered hot pizza; can't wait for a slice
I answer the front door to a blast of cold air
Stay inside, keep warm heed my advice.
I look out my window not once but twice
A mesmerising scene I can't help but stare
December brings the snow and ice
Stay inside,keep warm heed my advice.
Written 23 June 2020
For Month Of The Year I like Most Poetry Contest
Contest judged 18 July 2020. N/A recieved.
For July n/a or hm poetry contest
Sponsored by Constance La France
Awarded 1st place
He almost said it, that one sweet word, but a moment lost it would not stay.
He reached for her hand, she lost in thought, pulled it back and looked away.
Was she the beauty he had married young, or an illusion from a fairy's joke?
Would the cold chill of the evening mist be waiting for him when he awoke?
Pain in his head and strain in his heart felt like a clock that was losing time.
Time had opened his eyes and he noticed that the long years had taken away her prime.
"Nothing in common" was too late to say for their paths took a divergent route.
Their anger was quiet and their words were sparse for they had nothing to talk about.
He almost said it, that one mean thing, "Perhaps we should go our separate ways".
He held his tongue, she gave a laugh, saying she'd be gone for at least five days.
He was glad she'd be gone and happier still that he would not have to take all her crap.
But the chill evening mist hanging over his head made him see he was caught in a trap.
Oh! How I despise dawn’s blushing optimism
and dried hydrangea blooms sepia skinned and papery thin.
Humdrum hands beat doldrums drum.
Why won’t the summer solstice light this darkness?
A gnawing hollow where my heart should be.
Where cinder clouds float in negative space
memories collect like nesting sparrows beneath eaves.
I stray, a waif lost with my armful of loss.
Your death did steal my breath and heartbeat like a thief
while October’s wind trembled aspens like harp strings.
(Ten Poem Titles)
The Corruption Of My Lust For Life
Autumn Side Of September
Mundane Matters Of Mortals
Theft Of My Will To Survive
In Woes And Throes Of Sorrow
A Vanilla Dove
Escape Of The Bluesman’s Song
The Sham Of My Humanity
Death Is The Bane Of My Existence
The Shedding Trees Of Autumn
Death waited
Sat patiently in the hallway
We all sat there with him
Looking at
and not seeing the paintings on the wall
We took turns
waiting, visiting, waiting
The hallway
Where tears stung our eyes
We cried together in that hallway
Why didn’t we notice death?
Maybe because he brought no flowers
Maybe he blended into the wallpaper
Shadows can hide in plain sight
He didn’t have anything to say
Still he would have the final say
Our loved one knew death was waiting
Maybe that’s why
He asked us to close the door
Maybe he wanted us to lock the door?
Inside the room
We grabbed bits of happy
Told stories
Laughed like it was the beginning of spring
It let us pretend that we had more time
We wanted more time
But we felt the chill in the air
Sadly, Death had more places to go
More people to see
Still, Death let us say our goodbyes
He waited for family and friends to arrive
He mercifully came when we went to the hallway
He slipped silently past us through the door
I think he whispered something
But I’m not sure
One day when my time comes
I’ll ask him what it was
I hope he won’t be in a rush
I’m hoping summer will last a while longer
Is that a chill I feel in the air?
A winter’s chill has taken hold -
a grip that cannot be controlled.
And with it, creeping, comes a dread
which, having settled in my head,
has brought me back to things foretold. . . .
to things I’d learned before the cold.
Long time before my growing old,
I could not grasp there lay ahead. . .
a winter’s chill.
For in my youth, I was cajoled
by hope’s sweet voice, and all was gold.
Recalling Scriptures that I read
and seeing sanity now fled,
I see before my eyes unfold. . .
a winter’s chill.
It was the first part of September
As the leaves were just starting to turn
The bonfire shrank to just one ember
A fearful forecast she would discern
Yes, the hurricane season lived on
Although the seas were starting to cool
Bounty of trees now plucked – pecan
As children made their way back to school
Indian Summer brought such sad news
A woman still in her autumn years
Struggled from her eyes, tears to excuse
She had to face the greatest of fears
The doctor offered no hope for her
Would this month be her last September?
*Entry for Brian’s September Contest
Winter's chill breath clouded my windowpanes
Snowdrifts covered Autumn's shades of umber
I listened to music, composed in wistful strains
My family were all abed, snuggled in slumber
Nostalgic tears fell; far too many to number
My sad thoughts were replaced by a smile
as I staunched the swell that freely flowed
Grateful for my blessings, now and erstwhile
for upon me God's grace has been bestowed
I closed my eyes, praying as candles glowed
December 13, 2021
Winter Quintain Contest
Hosted by Francine Roberts
In the chilly hours of the graying gloaming,
silent shivers rise from the estuary.
Just before the waves churn in frothy foaming,
Goddess Moon approaches Her adversary.
Sun slinks away at Her approaching homing,
slowly shedding His cloak as Luminary.
She reigns all through the darkened and leaden night
until stubborn Sun returns, anew and bright.
Seventeen skiffs and boats tethered
In twos and threes on the river Thames
With their canvas winter shrouds
And rows of seagulls perched on each,
Almost perfectly aligned,
Heads towards honeysuckle skies
Where low winter's sun declines,
Reflected in cold silver flow.
Close by them a solitary heron stands
Stationed on a gunwale,
Some feathers ruffled by a river breeze.
This beholder sees the autumn beauty
And foreboding of a winter's shiver
With its wretched frost and freeze.
View
atop
a mountain –
ageless, timeless –
seductive mistress with frigid fingers
crisp, cool, caressing, chilling, corrupting.
Winter’s beauty,
stealing each
gelid
breath.
12/31/2020
Meet the friendly capybara
Rodent large without a care, a
Chill companion, friend to all, for
Clearing any gloomy pall
Sitting still or hanging out, with
Capybara social clout, a
Being present in the now, who
Effortlessly lives the Tao
Showing up and just to be, in
Any opportunity, a
Doing by no action seen, this
Caviidae is deftly keen
Always ready to relate, to
One who’s discombobulate, a
Silent empathy it shares, our
Wordless friend who capybares
Winter has a deadly chill
Whereas just six months prior
The earth felt like a blazing fire
Unbearable heat didn’t seem that sweet until
Our toes no longer we could feel
Bitterly bundled up, with long desire
For sunshine, causing skin to perspire.
But now all bundled in bed, street are still
Except for the wind that comes gushing in,
Roaring and howling, disrupting the peace;
So violently evil, it pierces our skin;
So oppressive it weighs down and won’t release
Us from the bondage; a parallel storm within.
So in ardence we pray and plead for winter to cease!
A simple chill
A silent glow
A land held still
By shackles of snow
The flakes in swarms
Approach the drift
The raging storm
Begins to lift
Though winter's wrath
Is cloaked in charms
Shoveled paths
leave weary arms
Bellowed and poked
The home fires flare
giving life to the smoke
that danced in mid air
Time passes slow
and the world is held still
And the winter did grow
From the simplest of chills