Best Cited Poems
A Tribute to Golda
It was a clear and bright sun shining morning in May.
As I came out my front door into the breezeway,
I saw coming toward me an enormous gray dog with eyes of pure gold,
The most exquisitely beautiful canine one could ever behold,
With a calm gentle presence and peaceful demeanor;
The look in his brilliant gold eyes assured I had nothing to fear.
It was love at first sight and I hoped he would stay.
Never mind the impediments; I’d find a way.
My toddler son climbed on him like they’d grown up together,
As I seriously pondered the prospect of whether…
Absolutely not, said my husband, a cat man,
And nixed the idea before it began.
Weeks later, a litter box and cat food mysteriously appeared
On the sidewalk, out of nowhere; we thought it quite weird.
With the next morning’s sunrise, we figured it out.
The same coat of gray and gold eyes left no doubt;
The same being who before as a dog had been spurned,
In a more acceptable form and presence had now returned.
Bounding out of the bushes with a commanding meow,
A little gray, gold-eyed kitten my husband had to allow.
In her life as a cat and formerly a dog,
She was my brave and wise Golda who would go on to log
More than one rescue of our subsequent pets.
In defending attack, this courageous gray, gold-eyed feline was as fierce as it gets.
Note: Golda saved the life of my Chow-Chow puppy when she was attacked by a big dog that
came at her from across the street. Golda came out of nowhere with claws out, sending the
dog scurrying with his tail between his legs. Another time she rescued our little Siamese
youngster, Meowli, from the neighbors' dogs by jumping on their head while Meowli ran for
cover. Golda stayed with me for 12 years, longer than the husband cited in the poem, and
then when her time and her work was done, she just disappeared pretty much as she had
appeared. She was a beautiful, long haired all gray Persian with brilliant gold eyes. When not
rescuing other animals, she had the same calm, gentle and peaceful demeanor as the dog who
showed up that morning and left when he knew he was not welcome to stay.
7th place winner in ~Somewhere A Pet Is Waiting Contest~ sponsored by ~A Rambling Poet~
within Zieglerville, pennsylvania
genuine snow white hair
upon her noggin doth adorn,
perhaps she will divulge to me (in private)
after i croon (to said lass),
the melody of Jimmy Crack Corn
hmm...or, maybe this mission
perchance twill be doomed from the start,
and hence finding me forlorn
thenceforth, a backup contingency measure,
would warrant me to don my thinking cap,
and for extra ordinary reinforcement unfold
each Taj Mahal shaped ear flap
plus (for reinforced ironic steeliness),
aye also resort to buttress
any aural "stormy Dani yelling)
via walled in interlap,
which accouterment functions
as a double agent i.e. (or,
to be rather crude),
an audiological jockstrap
to vet or figuratively kneecap
any unwanted infiltrating leaping lap
ping "FAKE" distracting news
inducing madcap
mass media circus
driving this generic teetotaler
to pour himself a nightcap
essentially providing wig gull room
with very little margin of ear err, or overlap
against bigwigs to trumpet pap
pill low ma rendered free and clear
asper insidious (mama mia) paparazzi
charting imp pea ching fear
bringing out bare arms
most likely something internuclear
simply to discover visa vis authenticity
if cute employee
(sporting hair
white as the virgin snow),
which doth simmer and glare
blindingly, thus necessitating sunglasses
(I choose the Ray-Ban brand)
as recommended by cited
all time favorite pharmacist
who unwittingly (or simply because
my myopic eyes didst stare)
fixedly - drawn to such a darling (doll ling)
explaining any reason to go THERE
to CVS - that tis where.
A dog by the side of the road
Whelped out her cute little load
A copper who saw
Reeled off the law
Cited for littering I’m told
When you think your world has ended
You feel you can't go on
There's people you have befriended
Will help you to become strong
Your marriage has just failed
It's nothing you have done
You have not been impailed
Man up and soldier on
This is just one challenge of life
The joker has thrown at you
She was just your lady wife
Now go and find number two
It may be money or loss of love
Or infidelity either side maybe
Any of these reasons mentioned above
There are many But I have only cited three
I'm not saying divorce is right
But happiness certainly is
It's better not to stand and fight
When the love has gone a miss
Many may say it can get costly
That is very true
Memories can be very ghostly
Erase the ones that make you blue
Keep everything in perspective
Keep your head held high
Don't let others who are so negative
Let you break and cry
Keep positive people around you
You will win this little war
Move forward this you really must do Happiness in your hands now open that new door
And move along with your new life
And learn from your past
Maybe get your new wife
And this time hopefully it will last
An Obscenity Trial
by Michael R. Burch
The defendant was a poet held in many iron restraints
against whom several critics cited numerous complaints.
They accused him of trying to reach the "common crowd,"
and they said his poems incited recitals far too loud.
The prosecutor alleged himself most stylish and best-dressed;
it seems he’d never lost a case, nor really once been pressed.
He was known far and wide for intensely hating clarity;
twelve dilettantes at once declared the defendant another fatality.
The judge was an intellectual well-known for his great mind,
though not for being merciful, honest, sane or kind.
Clerics called him the "Hanging Judge" and the critics were his kin.
Bystanders said, "They'll crucify him!" The public was not let in.
The prosecutor began his case
by spitting in the poet's face,
knowing the trial would be a farce.
"It is obscene,"
he screamed,
"to expose the naked heart!"
The recorder (bewildered Society)
greeted this statement with applause.
"This man is no poet.
Just look: his Hallmark shows it.
Why, see, he utilizes rhyme, symmetry and grammar!
He speaks without a stammer!
His sense of rhythm is too fine!
He does not use recondite words
or conjure ancient Latin verbs.
This man is an imposter!
I ask that his sentence be
the almost perceptible indignity
of removal from the Post-Modernistic roster."
The jury left in tears of joy, literally sequestered.
The defendant sighed in mild despair,
"Please, let me answer to my peers."
But how His Honor giggled then,
seeing no poets were let in.
Later, the clashing symbols of their pronouncements drove him mad
and he admitted both rhyme and reason were bad.
***
A well-known poet criticized this poem for being "journalistic." But then the poem is written from the point of view of a journalist who's covering the trial of a poet. The poem was completed by the end of my sophomore year in college.
Ten little leaves are shaking,
A yellow one drifted down.
Nine little leaves left trembling,
A brown one fell to the ground.
8 little leaves a’blowing,
When a gray one fluttered away;
Seven now left holding,
And an orange one shuffled its way;
Six little heart shapes clinging;
A red one had to let go;
Five little leaves stay hugging,
A green one played the cello;
Four wind-blown leaves began singing;
And a bluebird cited a riddle.
Three little acorns rattling,
One lost his little cap in the middle.;
Two leaves crying and reaching;
One grabbed a limb in the breeze;
One bold old rust colored oak leaf,
Left hanging on the tree.
The days pass in a haze of ignorance
Even your closest friend may leave to follow sheep
I could spend years trying to give this topic proper cited coordinates.
But does the new generation know the Dewey decimal system
Or would they look to the sky and a modern carl Sagan to point out the Dewey constellation
In a time of resurgence of things long ago solved
Flat earth , vaccination acceptance for greater good
And a village of idiots instead of a village idiot
The fate of our society seems deserving at times
Tho the reasons are many the foundation is but one truth
That the building blocks of separation, deception, control and acceptance is zoned.
And all I said up until this point with tact and cuth
Is all said in profound depth in the following parable with a empathetic tone:
The problem with the world today
Is there are to many belief based facts
And there are not enough fact based beliefs
Kindly
Shawn Gorsick
degaussing the alleyway
I heard you say my child would never
here they come
the complex beaches
the child who counts
the
backwards legos
the old womaning
the skiffs
tomorrow's vacuum
yesterdayed
the static radioed
shake voice shak
down the alleyway
cited by a
dumpster that nevered itself
while the dog fed
the neighbor
the key the mother
swallowed
mother my child
child my mother
the fruit flies like
the sour grapes
while the grapes
fruit the flies
the calm sea
seaed the sailors
until the sailors
seaed the calm
as ducks bill
the teller for the bread unpicked
i never said she
sold the mortgage
to the pony
raced
past the pantry
collapsed on the milkman
she nevered
the doorway shut
the pantry neveredward
the milkman’s neverstruck the morning
tomorrow nevereborned
yesterday
police police police police
guard guard guard guard
ghost ghost ghost ghosted ghosting
the precinct ghosted the precinct
till the apple peels
while hound hound hounds
hounding buffalo
buffalo buffalo buffaloed
hounding the girl
they haunt mindless
plain
plane
unplain
tallening
the never
your child
the empty chair
waited beneathing
the dumpster
each pocket carried
its own never
the alleyway
nevered itself
unthed
into neverness
offed
you
not do
say
never nevered the never
until the never began nevering
=======
From the Pearl of the Orient
A name was born without dent
A laureate in reticence
A paradigm beyond silence
Composer, poet and lyricist
Over four thousand songs on his list
Written and delivered so crisp
Offered to his countrymen without wisp
Love songs cited and laid for all
Men and women of good values enthrall
From the hearts vibrate with gentleness
Depths of melody blossom in tenderness
Christmas songs of the nation so immortal
Through the decades played and resonate with pedal
Pedals of piano, harmonica and instruments of love
Love for countless people cuddled in the breasts of dove
Sentiments of nationalism in his heart
Heart of a humble man from all hearts never depart
Simple life he lived with great philosophy in hand
Principles of equality and love for country so grand
Musician of leafs, so astounding in his wits
Talent beyond compare will never die in bits
His name is a pillar in the world of music
Forever a name so noble, anyone can sing with a lyric
A National Artist
A Filipino
Coronavirus COVID-19
Coronavirus! What is it?
Is a virus or is it a bit
Of China using your sinus
To infect the COVID-19 virus
As biological weapon
To teach us a lesson.
Not to kill,
But to give a cold chill;
Cripple the enemy
From now to eternity.
Masses of humanity
Driven to insanity.
Skirmishing over
Water, toilet paper
Cleaning supplies
And hand sanitizers.
Schools, church masses, entertainment centers,
And all criminal and civil trials court dates
Canceled. A fear and trepidation
Of exposure at large gatherings; in every nation.
No cure for the coronavirus exist
And it could take a year or more to find one; they predict.
3/14/2020
"Works Cited"
Quote: World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus assured people on Twitter last week that “actually it’s not airborne.” He went on to clarify that “[i]t spreads from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with #COVID19 coughs or exhales.” According to this way of thinking, the blobs of viral particles that get expelled from coughs and exhales are too big to float around; so they mainly cause infection by landing onto someone close, or by dropping on a surface from which they’re later transferred to someone’s body via touch.
https://www.wired.com/story/they-say-coronavirus-isnt-airborne-but-its-definitely-borne-by-air/
A practical man with a talent for wood
viewed each morning as an omen for good
He tilled the land wisely
and preached the goodness of God
but as each day passed there was much to portend
his land had grown evil and God was displeased
one day God called out to him and said
I will destroy this earth of animal and humankind
and you will be cited with your family united
to construct a craft that I see fit
space for two species of each to share your ark
and hark
there will be a flood of great dimension
and it will not cease until all life is gone
As time passed on it began to rain
uncessantly with tremendous waves
overlaying the mounts
extinguishing life as the ark floated on
a raven sent out but never alit and soon it was gone
then a dove returned with a leaf in its beak
and left again but never returned
Noah then knew there was land yet to seek
months had passed and the earth became dry
he directed his family out from the ark
and the animals came also two by two
with Noah, God had made a pact
never to destroy but just to endure
for the manner of men needed much to explore
day and night will never cease
let us prepare a fabulous feast
to rejoice in new life riddance to the old
and embrace in its warmth and force out the cold
Contest
HANDMAIDEN OF MOON DANCING
fly me to stars in the thrill of one swan night
over a crescent arc to feel a flame of sighs,
teasing dreams so silent yet ever wild
and like a neon light, speak through your feet ,
your ribs twirling in drips of summer’s rage : throw
away the restraint of confined movements
dictated by a body unmoved; of a flower
keeping her flutters from crawling freely on grass
give me a sway through leaps unto ocean’s swell
without need for thought or reason, rather,
lift the flesh made from love or hate, to burst
with primitive heat; fingers liquid in motion unbidden
by a sacred place that doesn’t exist on earth, when
all but the fragrance of a naked skin expresses
the very force that writhes in the faint of depth,
licking the cells inside out.. weightless, bold, soft
dance the crazy dance with me just because
such passion needs to flow along rhythms
burning within… till a weave of spin breaks
into a trance blending a wanton glide with
pirouetting flights raw in some meadow clearing,
pious pose under the tangerine of touch…
handmaiden of moonlight dancing on flames
pluck those eyes ,rise above mortal remains.
©
*i tweaked this free verse with a sonnet’s volta
in the last two lines (10 syl rhyme count instead
of the usual 8 syl pattern)
----------
*Martha Graham is the pioneer of modern dance. As a ballet dancer
and choreographer, she introduced inner movement emphasizing
emotion, spontaneity, and an exploration of psycho-social themes
( feminism, political protest, and labor unrest)through free -flow
of innovative steps, thwarting cultural control over conventional,
metered dance. Her last performance on-stage was in 1970,
at the age of 76; she was working on the choreography for the Olympics
when she died in 1991 at the age of 97.
Graham was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976
by President Gerald Ford and cited by Time Magazine as
"Dancer of the Century" in 1988, aside from her other accolades.
*Source: Wikipedia.com and www.voanews.com
*Please watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUoMc5Am_c0&feature=related
‘ ‘’’’’ ‘’’’
For Cyndi Mac Millan’s Maverick by nette onclaud
Noah and the Flood 4-3-14
A practical man with a talent for wood
viewed each morning as an omen for good
He tilled the land wisely
and preached the goodness of God
but as each day passed there was much to portend
his land had grown evil and God was displeased
one day God called out to him and said
I will destroy this earth of animal and humankind
and you will be cited with your family united
to construct a craft that I see fit
space for two species of each to share your ark
and hark
there will be a flood of great dimension
and it will not cease until all life is gone
As time passed on it began to rain
uncessantly with tremendous waves
overlaying the mounts
extinguishing life as the ark floated on
a raven sent out but never alit and soon it was gone
then a dove returned with a leaf in its beak
and left again but never returned
Noah then knew there was land yet to seek
months had passed and the earth became dry
he directed his family out from the ark
and the animals came also two by two
with Noah, God had made a pact
never to destroy but just to endure
for the manner of men needed much to explore
day and night will never cease
let us prepare a fabulous feast
to rejoice in new life riddance to the old
and embrace in its warmth and force out the cold
Deluge Contest
Sponsored by Julia Ward
August 26,2016
There was a pastor named Caste
Whose habit of swearing was vast.
Some said his firing was near
But Caste cited nothing to fear
“You see, I repent too _____ fast.”
Das Don doth debilitate democracy
driving a collateral wedge
deliberately dividing differences
collaborating, collapsing, and collaring
disparity amidst ever
increasing homogenization
extant within contiguous United States
across world wide web for that matter
attested by increased
spike among multiracial
amalgamated enclaves, individuals mixing,
where preponderance of melanin
generally affecting predominance
regarding increasing swarthy
naturally copper toned skin
across vast majority of heavily
Caucasian populated areas predicted
to become minority
according new statistics
located at webpage
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/
the-avenue/2018/03/14/
the-us-will-become-minority-
white-in-2045-census-projects/
predict the nation will become
“minority white” in 2045
which genetic assimilation
also harken better angels
among us to herald
interfaith marriage represent
according to hyperlink-
https://www.npr.org/
2013/04/10/176802652/
til-faith-do-us-part-
the-price-of-interfaith-marriage
close to half of all marriages
in this country over the past 10 years
(this cited for the year 2013,
which mostly increased since).
No doubt, the commander in chief
buzzfeeds into this inexorable trend
disquieting, horrifying, mortifying...
especially white supremacists
decrying, lamenting, threatening...
innocents abroad, and/or naturalized citizens
taking cruel dull liver re: to heart
acrimonious, caluminous, jealous, ferocious...
hazarding, kindling, tweeting
inevitable demographic transition overtaking
North America, and teeming masses
(particularly whose skin color,
perhaps fifty shades of brown,
albeit I hereby posit as
forthcoming second, yet
nonpareil gilded bronze age).
Relatively insignificant disparity
(within schema, asper genus/ species
*****sapiens per se)
people comprise greater similarity,
versus starkly disparate contrasts
between each other,
nonetheless oh bomb men able
enthuses, maximizes, trumpets...
every opportunity to spark
altercations, conflagrations, exhibitions...
animals veritably tearing each other
satiating human blood lust,
where coordination, integration, union...
welcoming brother/sisterhood, tolerance,
versus filleting, fomenting fracturing
mosaic boosts ego
inherent narcissistic tribalism!