Best Closed(A) Poems
Rachel’s birth brought early challenges
Surgery closed a hole in her heart
Learning disabilities discovered later
A “special” child, she pursued a regular education
But she was not regular
She learned to read a bit; could not do math
At age 30, Rachel asked why she couldn’t have children
She could, of course, but it was discouraged
Her mother’s only child would not give her grandchildren
So Rachel raises cats, several of them, for companionship
Felines brought up in a loving home
To Rachel, they are her daughters
Now her mother is getting older
She dreads the thought of Rachel placed in a group home
Rachel is still a child on Christmas and birthdays
But there is no one, no young living relatives, to step up
Her mother cries every night
In her 70s, she still works long hours
It is not knowing what will happen to Rachel
That prevents her mother from finding happiness
She prays God will help her daughter when she’s gone
It’s hard to say which of their lives is more challenging
Still, they press forward and grab every joy life offers
It is the only way
Imagine the unique problems children with disabilities face
They need our support and encouragement
Rachel gets these, but how many others do not?
*March 4, 2021
sad notes from a lonely oboe
coupled with uplifting melodies from a violin
concert penetrates my mind
connecting with my heart
eyes closed, a musical mantra flows
at last, one with the universal consciousness
stress dispelled
new hope reborn
perceptions redefined
By Carolyn Devonshire
For Dr. Ram’s Music and Meditation Contest
This is GOD'S GIFT to YOU
Tell yourself upon waking everyday god is merciful and kind
He will not put anything on me today I can't handle
Live one day at a time yesterday is gone and tomorrow hasn't come it is today
I am worthy
I will I will make it thru just today
The sun will come out tomorrow if you believe god brings you to it he will bring you thru it
Now with this being said I must tell you a true story I have brain cancer and it is in my memory I have had brain surgery and a year of chemo but I have a lot of problems with health and mental and well I am a village idiot most of the time but I live in a town where the closed a mental hospital so I feel right at home now.
So you are not alone most nights I lie awake and this computer is my only friend
my daughter saved my life not once but twice I mixed chemicals in the bath tub while trying to clean it. The other time I had a diabetes things where I passed out.
Always trust in god I know it gets hard sometimes and you want to give up but
he is in control.
I still have brain cancer but he said believe in what I say it will be ok.
I have given him total control and he has me 9yrs more but they are not a bed of roses either so you have to expect a thorn or two along the way.
My name is James, born 1961
In Inverness, a small Scots town
To my father Andrew, and my mother Beryl
And Billy my brother, a pair of devils
In 67, we woke one night
Our house was ablaze, full of orange light
Our neighbour next door, for whatever reason
Started a fire, it must be crazy season
We had too move to a caravan park
By this time it,s three, to make a new start
My mother Beryl decide to leave
But the three of us left, never bothered to grieve
In the next few weeks, we ended in court
Two small children, in a marriage abort
We were asked to choose either Dad or Mum
But we ignored the parent, who went on the run
As we left the court, to start a new life
We felt sorry for Dad, as his illness was rife
He never told us that he was unwell
It would upset one of his boys, as the future will tell
Then came the night all parents dread;
Being told one of his boys is nearly dead
We were going to a boys club, on a Monday night
My brother was running so far out of sight
I turned the corner to see him ahead
No!! he's been hit by a van, Boom's Boom's dead
I ran to my father, sreaming and crying
I'm finding my life,at 7 - far too trying
After the funeral, and with my father unwell
We left Inverness, our eyes a swell
To go as two, and not three as before
It's like Mother Nature closed a door
So we headed west, to a place called Fort William
Was it in the stars, cause Billy " is " William
We moved there, as the air was so pure
Hoping my father will find his cure
For whatever reason, we left the above
We found no Angel or peaceful dove
So we headed back to Inverness
Fathers health decreasing, life still a stress
Over the next few years, i was fostered and loaned
In couples houses and children's homes
It was really strange in all those places
Different people, different faces
Then on the 16th of Feb - 76,
James, i was told, your dads very sick.
The cancer had taken your father away
To be with Billy, where you'll join them one day
In 77, i joined the Navy, as i promised my dad you see.
I did'nt enjoy it, i decided to leave
Back up north, where my futures to be
I wanted to have, what my parents had lost
And that was my aim, no matter the cost
see page 2 of 2, ty..
http://www.thehighlanderspoems.com/me.php
Oh how he watches me in the shadow of his tree,
strong, bold and blocking out the glare of the sun.
He claims I shine like the stars, the moon, brighter than them all,
A blazing comet, a speeding fireball.
He stands close and my sparks ignite a fire,
They shower down upon his figure,
warm and yet his skin does not singe,
Nor does he burn or go blind when staring at my radiance.
When first he lay eyes upon my naked form,
Heart mangled and organs thrust out into the world,
My skin quivered as fear closed a dark cloud around me.
He pushed through it with a soft light,
Barely gleaming so as to not hurt my eyes.
Gentle touch to my cheek with not pity but understanding,
Like a Shepard to a lost lamb he tended to my wounds.
He spoke with intelligence and honesty,
and watched as slowly I stood and then grew.
Shedding the shadow in which I had once lived
He tended my soul until I bloomed
Galaxies away I felt the touch of his love,
He threw his faith and his hope at me,
Feeding from the power he saw.
A hummingbird to nectar,
And I was his flower, growing high in the sun.
He whispered great stories to me
saying, oh, powerful one,
Live in beauty and laugh often,
Ride through the winds like a spoken memory,
Pictures engraved in the heart of a tree,
Be the beauty, the power you wish to be.
In solitude with eyes
closed, a bell flashes with a
little girl chuckling, chasing it.
In stillness, silence, the bell starts
tolling and the girl intently stares at it,
eyes beaming with glee and a radiant smile
expressing delight. I opened my eyes, shook my
head, thought of the childlike innocence, the display
of honesty, freedom, enthusiasm and suddenly remembered
my own childhood always excited hearing the church bells tolling
for they meant fun, cheers, good times. Hearing the bell at six o’ clock
in the evening for worship or Angelus prayer at our altar, meant having dinner
with my favorite dish or dessert for dinner was served after our prayers. Hearing
the bells after the morning Easter Sunday procession meant fun in the beach
for everybody went there for fun and lunch to celebrate the Resurrection.
Hearing the bells after the four o’ clock morning masses during the
Christmas season, from December sixteen through
twenty four meant eating delicious
rice cakes at the church
kiosk.
I don't want to run and hide
From these feelings way inside
That's been shut and closed a while
Emotions were not my style
Anger hurt and revenge
Never made me break or bend
Joy caring and happiness
I never really got to miss
I was always cold as stone
Being on my very own
Feelings never seen or heard
Others tried but never lured
Me into showing any
Even though I had plenty
That built up not getting loose
You planned out a sneaky ruse
Making emotions explode
My heart can no longer hold
All these feelings of love in
My life will finally begin
Slowly and gradually
You have set me free
Being alone for so long
Always acting very strong
Never realizing there was more
Now I just want to explore
All the mixed up things I've hid
No more putting a tight lid
On emotions never felt
You came along with the help
I needed to feel the touch
Of the love I've missed so much
The shifting of many corporeal hands move across this dead cell,
A vacuums vortex, a psychic sponge, charging this battery of
Energy called the spirit board.
Paranormal phenomenon striking plate to enter realities plane
Of existence, for the ethereal challenged in crisis, seeking the
Threshold for spontaneous release, unto our spiritual realm.
Witchery’s board of trickery left in a polarized stance it
So entices the living with its tempting whispering of lies,
Incantations gate keepers wait on the other side of evils
Door way.
Memorizing the human sensory functions into a false
Sense of harmless mystery of the unexplained, it lures
These victims ever closer to weaving its spell of the demonic.
These capture being lost unto the hypnotic effects are
Transfixed unable to hit their override switch that controls
Their mental powers of persuasion, disabled is there strength
Of will power, they belong to the Ouija now.
Clasping do all for sides of the curtain of reality, times
Displacement begins in earnest, without hesitations
Momentary loll this dead cell bursts to life.
Black magic key has been inserted within the wooden
Door way’s heart and soul, a bizarre power bank draws
Forth the energy of the spiritual lost, swinging hells
Kept wide open.
The pancetta spins out of control, smashing against
The barriers of humanity, darkened ebony light shines
Through this doorway of evil and the flickering candle
Turns to a shades greenish blue wavering in the odious
Breeze.
The voice of a thousand screams echo in sheer delight,
We have been freed at last, broken is the trance, the boards
Hypnotic effects are dashed by the light of the dawn.
Dazed in bewilderment the voyeurs are chilled to their
Very inward bones, shaking, staring in awes amazement,
Wondering if these events really happened at all.
Then within these tented walls a voice responds to their
Questioning, laughing, as if a jackal at a fresh kill site!
Foolish mortals you know not what you have done, this
Night, but I promise thee this, laughing once again,
In a demonic under tone, none shall leave this domicile
Alive.
The entry doors lock without the human touch, the
Curtain windows pull closed, a momentary stilled
Scream, then all is silent, what remains is left up
To my readers to visualize, as the final candle
Blows out!
BY: CHERYL ANNA DUNN
We are still walking the Trail of Tears;
Awaiting the world to feel.
After 175 years;
We have yet to begin to heal.
Little has changed since history;
Hate and war prevails.
If you think that we are free;
You’ve not heard the morter shells.
For as long as children are being killed;
As long as racism remains.
As long as innocent blood is spilled.
Humanity has not gained.
We cry our loss and cry their’s as well;
We certainly can identify;
To be slaughtered and told you’re going to hell;
We hang our heads and cry.
The world has learned nothing;
From all their genocides.
They are not remembering;
While little babies die.
From Trail of Tears to Palestine;
The world closed a deaf ear.
Just like in Auschtwitz’s death mines;
They allowed it out of fear.
Wake up people while you can;
From history you should have learned how;
To unite and make a stand;
For only you can stop this now.
Darlene Doll Smith
In high school everything changes
Teachers, friends, you,
“That’s just life” they say,
And they never stop to ask
“Well, how do you feel?”
And your friends leave, and your grades decrease,
And your teachers begin to worry,
And they make you see a shrink,
But they never stop to ask,
“Well, how do you feel?”
The sky starts to crumble,
And the tears begin to fall,
And music and hoodies become your best friends,
And they never stop to ask,
“Well, how do you feel?”
And the tools come out.
And the objects fall apart,
And you reach for the closest one,
And the ask, finally,
“Well, how do you feel?”
But by now it’s too late.
Your time is up, your blood’s run out,
Your scars show for the world to see,
Cause they asked too late,
“Well, how do you feel?”
“She was so young” they all say,
But really you were old.
You’d seen so much and hurt so much,
It was time for you to go.
So you picked up the pills and washed them down
And grabbed the blades and cut
And when they finally noticed you weren’t around
It was too late you were gone.
They found your letter on the bed
And read it out at school
“You asked to late, but I don’t blame you.”
And your friends were moved to tears.
In your tree house in the yard
They found you pale as snow
Your eyes closed, a smile on your face
And they realized you were gone.
They roll up your sleeves and roll up your pants
And scream at what they see
Lines, and lines, and lines of cuts
Some healed and some not.
And they realized they should have asked in the beginning
How you felt that is, cause,
Honestly you didn’t,
You didn’t feel anything at all.
Trying to build the confidence i was born to have,
I look in the mirror every day,
When I was younger I refused to look at myself,
Now I refuse to look the other way.
I refuse to let myself down.
You see there wasn't much to do to build my self esteem,
I just stopped letting people discourage me,
There's always going to be those people,
I just have to let it be.
I refuse to let myself down.
In the past I would try too hard,
I just made myself look like a moron,
I recently realized to just be myself,
And all the dumb stuff I did are now gone.
I refuse to let myself down.
I have recently closed a chapter in my life,
And there is so much in life I have to endure,
Self confidence is a big part of moving forward,
And an absolutely amazing cure.
I refuse to ever let myself down!
expectations blurred the page
of motherhood. I thought it through,
each point of view. My plans were laid
a shade of pink, a hue so new
would come upon the heels of two
who sketched my world with shades of blue
I'd framed her world for my display
a trophy of my fantasy
chiseled clear, I saw it all,
beyond the stage of snakes and snails
growing boys, trucks and toys
tossed across my pregnant form
doing mindless daily chores, I crafted dreams
rehearsed the themes, disarming tales of nursery rhymes
I'd plan her life to suit my theme
but, who was I to redesign
a perfect child, I thought I owned?
sowing selfish schemes, she'd be
cloned to be a form of me - I'd live my dream
through her, all mine, to hone, redo
a mother's fragile paper doll
I did lose sight of destiny
compared, alike, - we shared a trace
resemblance of hair and face
presumptions swept between the lines
she was not meant to be defined
this child of God withheld her dreams
of ways to make the stars align
this aquamarine was never mine
what stirred her heart - vast worlds apart
she felt the sun within her soul
and thus, I've learned
I must let go
she must be free, not who I own
I've closed a chapter to that book
one looks in awe, as she became
a person who can touch the soul
beyond my dreams, she brings to all
a million lights, they've never seen before
emerging stars are bright with gold
hers comes alive. old dreams are cold
no two alike, as it should be
each one a star with different poles
I've owned the fear of letting go
____________________________________________________
4/20/16
Contest: OWN IT!
Sponsor: Cyndi McMillan
Holding hands, walking in a foggy mist.
There in your perfect eyes, where I exist.
Thick fog, I can't see you, our spirits connected.
Living a life beyond, what our dreams expected.
A fire pit of passion, that runs in us ever so deep.
Seeing with our eyes closed, a scent I'll forever keep.
A treasure chest, buried in our minds, full of light.
Enchanted kiss, together we levitate, to a new height.
Feelings above our wildest thoughts, or our imagination.
Blood rushes, a volcano erupts, feeling your hearts vibration.
Protected in my arms from the lion, letting our fears disappear.
Butterflies wrapped in a cocoon, love surrounds us in a sphere.
Now I'll find the candle of thought to light our own road.
Love, just as air, never seen, tonight between us it flowed.
Touches of fire that exceed words, leaving embers gleaming.
Gentle kiss on the forehead, baby I hope that's what you're dreaming.
***By Chris Matt for Nette Onclaud's contest "Soft Sensuality"***
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is this woman I don’t recognize at all?
Her laughter does not meet her eyes.
She has seen her fair share of dark skies.
The pain in her reflection is an unfamiliar sight.
Her story she wishes she could rewrite.
She needs to face her heartbreak, and move ahead.
That chapter is closed…a new life lies ahead.
9/28/16
Mirror Mirror contest
Sponsor- Craig Cornish
The lovely view from my wicker chair
As crows caw spring is here
And wispy clouds parade on blue
Buzzards soar without fear
Scenes so peaceful express
Times filled with much happiness
Winter a diminished thing
Unfulfilled dreams scantiness
The Star Magnolia's buds swell, wait
Open at a later date
Nature knows what to do when
Love comes and brings its fate
Nature could have locked a door tight
Held it closed for awhile
Given change opportunity
Even closed a turnstile
Events opened the pasture gate
Wide was the gap entered
Washed away the lucious pasture
Hard the red ground rendered
Decisions made in the warm spring
Render fat or its lack
Youth should search for the hightest goals
Winter's cold then won't smack
Many roads or pathways exposed
Once taken closes doors
Another opens for one's good
If evil path ignores
Written: January 17, 2017
Contest: How Long Can Poems Go?
Sponsor: Jamie Pan
Just a little life review out on the porch..Each time a person chooses a door in their life that door is partially to completely closed behind them but other doors open on down the road..Like if one wants a college education but decides to get married right out of high school then there is a pregnancy, etc..That door to college might be closed forever but then it is possible that it could open again in the future..A person can accomplish much if they set their mind to doing something special with their life..