Best Cool Off Poems
My first home was on a shady street,
It was a large old brick house with a porch;
Oh, the hours I spent on that porch playing,
There was a massive backyard with bright colors.
My mother loved to plant flowers of all kinds,
Father hung a swing for me beneath a bent tree;
I would sway with the wind in my hair all day,
In the summer we had a wading pool to cool off.
Our street was on a hill or so it seemed to me,
In reality, it was a slope but was fun for roller skates;
The hill ended in an emerald green park,
It had benches all around, and a beautiful still pond.
I loved to watch the swans and ducks drifting,
And would lie on the bank trying to catch baby frogs;
Often mother would make a picnic lunch,
Under the trees we were a real happy family.
At the top of the stairs was my lovely bedroom,
My bed covered with many dolls and teddy bears;
There were books shelves and a writing desk,
And I even had my own little balcony with flowers.
The kitchen was big, cozy and warm with smells,
I can still see mother and grandma cooking supper;
The house had tons of nooks and hiding places,
Fantastic for playing hide and seek with grandma.
And then it all came to a tragic, and sad end,
We went away for a weekend and when we returned;
Our home was burnt to the ground; nothing left,
We got a new home, but it was never the same to me.
_____________________
September 2, 2015
Verse
For the contest, A Childs First Home, sponsor, Verlena S. Walker
First Place
Look at me, you will see yourself
Maybe a little shaky, with my ripples…
But, clear nonetheless
Do you feel the peace I offer you?
Is it showing on your face?
Does my movement along the shore soothe you?
I offer laps of sound to listen to, one by one
Or maybe you will want to take a dip with me
Come in, cool off!
Dive into the reflection of yourself
Come out renewed!
I am here, I am waiting
For you to be cleansed
And walk away with freedom!
Heidi Sands
3/26/19
Start by warming up daily
with hands lifted in praise.
Running and jumping in
place as the spirit moves.
Drop and give God sixty
Sixty minutes in prayer that is!
This work out is especially good
for the heart as it will strengthen
and bring about eternal life.
Endurance training begins with walking
the straight and narrow.
Mountain climbing after a long walk
in the valley is also highly recommended.
Begin a weight training program by carrying
his cross and increase to carrying burdens for others!
Such training is excellent for preparing for the final
foot race to Glory!
Results will be felt and seen immediately if
soreness or pain are experienced apply a generous
amount of the Balm of Gilead.
Remember to rest often by leaning on Jesus,and
cool off with showers of blessings.
Before beginning an exercise program always
consult with the Great Physician.
Sand in sheets
scuffing skin and reminding
last nights attire reaks like bonfire
a hundred days like this
a sea of endless laughs rolling
like filmreels infinitely looped fantastic
Their cars rolled in, shiney and pretentious
personalized plates waxed clever wit
crowding this small town to gloat in sand-side castles
Yacht club yucks shelling bucks like bayou crayfish
condescending, fun loving, brash Chicago touristas
Bless their daughters who filed in sassy
chin up, chest out trustafarians
scents of coconut lotion and clinique perfume
wafting through our warm lake breeze reality
Giddy and loving our rough edged style
intending to slum with townies, like we minded...
smiles glowing in those bonfire nights
mischievious and promising...
Every action thereafter defied catholic school education
...benificiaries of repression rebellion...like we minded!
Lake Michigan was paces from my bedroom window
These sparrow serenaded mornings..
...morphing into something amphibious
when the alewives were raked, we lay lazy
Bodies melted into sand~~ sated with sun
splashing back to cool off in sandbars
coolers anchored in those cool waters
taking long pulls off a perspiring Heineken
Beach days concluded with seagulls off to hunt
Squaking as they ascended into pink and orangecicle skies
The water shimmered like a million illuminated snakes
...side winding-mirrored the suns final say
Couples pulled up to Harbor landing to see the show
heads melted into one mass in windshields all around
lovers seeing nature's beauty more vibrant as lovers do...
The sunset brings a new purple backdrop
squaks are replaced with crickets chirps
Bright-then-fading green...BRIGHT-then fading green
Children gathered fireflies in jars laughing
Ice cream stained faces aglow with captive glee
Then to black and star filled, became the sky
we returned to cooler sand pushing between our toes
scurrying through dunegrass seeking driftwood and brush
creating a structure to take to flame...a science for proud boyscouts
There we gathered with newfound gals from cross lake 'burbs
sunrise would end our night tonight...awaking to lifeguards scolding.
Inspired by John Heck's Summer Contest!!
A park in downtown
Where the children play
A park for many events
Canada's Day celebrations
Christmas lights festivals
All through the park
A statue of Queen Elizabeth
Stands tall in this park
Many people come here
For lighting of the tree
Sing Christmas carols
A pond where the swans
The geese and other birds
Come to swim and cool off
Yet not at this time
It is tent city
These people camped here
They throw the garbage
Into the big pond
No swimming for swans
These people litter the park
The swans and geese
have nowhere to swim
These people are staying there
Until the month of November
They have nowhere to go
It was a hot day
Anne brought her dog to the beach
So both could cool off
Both went into the water
They did not falter
Just a moment ago there was laughter
The aching longing had since past
When you walked into the room
My heart simply gasped
You were everything I was missing
There was no room left for denial
I leapt across the room
To be in your arms for just a short while
And while I was there my heart felt full
In my eyes you shined like a jewel
A warmth spread through me like wild fire
Leaving happiness to chance and desire
We abandoned joy once we left through the door
Harsh words snapped against teeth
Pride wounded and tempers flared
We drove in silence tires screeching
If we fought we didn't care
You ignored my words and explanations
While I clung to my seat
I ignored yours and began to retreat
Into my mind away from the world
Away from the pain and the anger burning red
Wondering if I should just expect you to bite off my head
When you finally cool off you say sorry
But my hope falls flat on your apology
I curse all the reasons and my refusal to give in
I bury the tears in my eyes and hate the stubbornness in my head
Only remembering the memories of another life
Where I gave in every night to the fight
Sorry became just another word
Love didn't give a care in the world
I watched the flames die and turn into embers
The embers fade in the cold of December
I watched love die and swore Id never give in
Then you caught my heart and made me love again
And we've been fighting - Dividing
Well, I don't want to let you go
And if I still sound angry
It may be because I'm scared as hell
Praying we weren't better off friends
Praying that our love will fare
Better than the rest of the world
I act like a tough woman
but I have the heart of a fragile little girl
"A writer must use ink from their heart for their readers." By Poet
Even as a creative "Ghost" writer,
we need "Heart" as we pull an all-nighter.
What will our muse want to "Deliver,"
maybe happy or sad or be a forgiver.
Words can sometimes be very "Tender,"
other times be bold and an offender.
"Erase" is one of our many tools,
no writer wants to be put in a group of fools.
Words are like paint painting the weather,
from days with flowers like pretty heather.
Summers can be really hot and bold,
then we cool off to a winter of "Cold."
They say our blood is really ink,
not red but a pretty pink.
The birds flutter along the stone path to the colorful garden
they are searching for food to feed their hungry babies
the sunflowers sway near the bench smiling at the new babies lives
Across the bench is a huge pond one bird swims there now
In the sky the ducks and geese come to cool off from the hot sun
They fly their wings and splash in the cool water
They glide in peace across cloud filled refection
Content to fly to their destination
Heidi Sands and Darlene De Beaulieu
thank you Heidi for this experience writing this poemtogether.
The birds flutter along the stone path to the colorful garden
They are searching for food to feed their hungry babies
The sunflowers sway, near the bench, smiling at the new babies lives
Across the bench is a huge pond, one bird swims there now
In the sky, the ducks and geese come to cool off from the hot sun
They flap their wings and splash in the cool water
Then glide in peace, across cloud filled reflections
Content now to fly to their destinations
Heidi Sands and Darlene De Beaulieu
7/9/23
Thank you Darlene for the fun experience writing this poem together.
Love knows no boundaries
Whether it sets where the rainbow ends
Can it be found in the tumultuous depth of the ocean?
Can it be as dark as the night or as bright as the sun
Perhaps it rises along the highest waves in the ocean
Or it is swallowed into the deepest pit of a valley
No one could ever guess
Love knows no boundaries
Its language is appreciated by a generous heart
The work extends to the deprived and desperate
The effort is celebrated by the sense of peace and relief
Its presence is driven by unwavering loyalty
A paradigm of strength when everything is smothered by weakness
Love knows no boundaries
To forgive even how deep the wound sores
To expect the best what is around the bend
To look for fire when ember of hope is dying
To feel the warmth in the coldest night
And to cool off the overwhelming rage and might
Love knows no boundaries
It stays in stale air, to purify
It humbles the lofty heart and haughty eyes
It drives you to be passionate and to come out a victor
It nurses the humiliating failure to become a warrior again
It lightens the way when the road is long and
When the travel is rough
How I wish I could continue to bind you to boundaries but
my human limitations incapacitate me..
My imperfections come short to describe a Perfect One...
The thick salty air surrounded my nose
Sending happy shivers up my spine as
I wedged the soft, hot sand between my toes.
I starts running to the water, which has
Many memories from past childhood
Vacations. Running to cool off my feet.
Standing here, looking at all the driftwood
Covering the sand in the way a sheet
Would. Wondering where the driftwood came from.
Snapping back to reality as I
Begin to feel both feet going numb.
I relieve my numb feet as I go lie
In the sand, relaxing in the summer
Breeze, soaking in the vacation wonder.
i'd allowed you in again even thou my soul
was shattered god was quite displeased as you
hammered your dark fist against my rib cage
senseless i thought an yet you were forgiven again
even more than the last time i'd carefully packed
garments birth certificates and social security cards
while dripping tears and blood onto the blank pages
of my new residence a safe place chanted across
the empty lines then availibility how many beds
as we poured into the entrance the sign read safe
you are not alone an yet i'd left everything i was
centered in a room of over fourteen other women
quiet timid angry how we failed at making a male
happy within his own skin how he'd torn into us all
it was like the same man had beaten us all an yet
i knew only you calm cool collective when the cops
came taking you around the corner to cool off
where was i here in america why i was all races
all religions an yet i was harmed while the worse
part of my abuse was returning to my abuser
how you emptied me into silence covered in tears
black and blue an yet i missed you washing the bruises
with soft soap our children were shattered as i explained
daddy was ill he was sick he worked very hard to care
for us if we were more quiet well behaved he would
respond to our energy and love us deeply as deep
as i allowed myself to be abused this was america
oppression depression family ties became wrath
as i whispered he know's not what he does
we are loved as i planned a new home among strangers
an yet they were me i was all of these women a safe place
sorjournal truth home the harbor light inn the st angeline
christian center chaplins office the salvation army
cornerstone community outreach shelter the springs
outreach where was home in america as i embraced
you served you were ill you would someday change
abuse would become softer cycles will be broken
but here in the in this space in this place
and in this time you became plural that's all
as i soon became very small why i soon became safe
Plumpyflumpy was a sort of hippo/giraffe
Its rump was huge like a hippo
With a neck sooooooo long, that’s where the raffe bit was.
Plumpy loved to wallow in a muddy pool
oops I forgot to say that Plumpy was a young girl.
Sooo she had to wear a swimming costume when in the water
It was bright green with purple dots all over it,
made poor Plumpy look like a giant mushroom with a rash.
Did she care nooooo, she was free from lessons
free from chores that her Mam would find for her ,
off she waddled to the pool, excitement,
making her tummy rumble.
Down she plonked herself with a loud splash in the water
Plumpy closed her eyes in pleasure.
Suddenly a horrendous noise filled the air whewwwwwwwww it went
it was Plumpy her aching tummy full of gases,
slowly, getting released, the noise was like
an orchestra tuning up. whewwwwwwwwwww
So very loud, not very easy on the ears or nose.
Poor Plumpy, she just wanted to cool off.
Suddenly a bright idea was had by Rattycat
Why don’t we sing to mask the noise of Plumpy
So that’s what they did, they jumped into the water
Held hands in a circle and waited for the escaping gases to commence .
Wasn’t long and the noise of thunder started rumbling through the air
They looked at each other, started singing together
like a dawn chorus well sort of but not in tune.
Plumpy was so thankful to her friends
Come home for tea I made banana bread this morning
So off they skipped and jumped down the lane
Plumpy, Rattycat, Thumper (he didn’t go in the water] cos rabbits not keen and
Smellyskunk. Now he had a bad body smell loads of the time
so a dip in the water was like nectar to the gods, to his friends.
Last of all Chunky Monkey, he was doing his Tarzan act
going from tree to tree chanting
Banana Bread Banana Bread Banana Bread for me yeahhhh
What a lovely day it was for Plumpyflumpy
with wonderful understanding friends.
Penned 25 August 2015
A SEASON'S DANCE
Summer is the season
For gardens and vacation time
Strolls along the seashore
Or in mountains so sublime
Though days are hot beyond belief
We cool off by the pool
With thoughts of Autumn on our mind
'Cause we're nobody's fool
Then lo the Autumn days appear
The temperature goes down
Trees take on a different hue
Gold, crimson, orange, then unsightly brown
Then Winter looms, ready to pounce
The thermometer dips ever so low
We watch in anticipation
Wondering how much lower it may go
Thanksgiving comes, then Christmas
With no relief in sight
The New Year follows closely
Still we shiver in the night
Then April comes so blissfully
Bringing with it lovely flowers
We feel the chill begin to leave
Being replaced by April Showers
And now we check the pollen count
Oh what a dastardly thing
Yet we smile so joyfully
As we greet Spring, beautiful Spring
Curtis Moorman
24 September 2013