Best Corresponding Poems
The handwriting became darker,
And I imagined your hands pressing upon the page,
Wavering whether to write your thoughts or not
Soon, sure, the wavering became conviction,
And in your mind you decided to write,
“Always yours”
Tears sprung from my eyes,
As convicted as your burdened letters
I condemned myself to love again,
How cruel the ink seeped into my marrow
To flitter and flutter upon mere words on a page
Words with promises, confessions, and affection
I could barely read through the gasps of my soul,
The screaming of my mind, and the bleeding of my heart
“Always yours” . . .
Do not inflict me like the plague, oh destroyer!
Do not soon crawl into these open arms
That would not dare push you away
I will love you till the days swallow me whole,
Till the light in you bellows cold with indifference!
We are words, my corresponding dear,
Deepening upon a page about to break
We are words, nothing more,
That are always,
Always Yours
I gazed at your beauty and your hair cascading,
You glanced at me- O, he is handsome, this man;
Your sensuous lips so tempting, captivating,
I laughed and it was a deep rumbling laugher.
And this was the beginning of our love affair,
Your family would not approve of this pairing;
On a ship leading you to a life of despair,
So we met in secret, making love and talking.
As the ship entered port you slipped me your address,
I let go of fate gifted love- reluctantly;
We have been corresponding, our words a caress,
O the torture of distance, what of destiny.
I will never forget our gifted nights of bliss,
So a secret journey I have planned- a voyage;
You love me with true love and I long for your kiss,
And I will beseech for your hand in marriage.
Last week I sent you a love-soaked, tear-stained letter,
I let go of fate gifted love- reluctantly;
This time away, from your touch became harder,
O the torture of distance, what of destiny.
Fate gifted us, drinking passion from its chalice,
Waking flames serving first to increase our ardor;
Summer, your sweet roses covered our palace,
This time away, from your touch became harder.
I look across this wind-blown majestic ocean,
Mind turns to epic sadness of our parting hour;
I begged then for distance erasing potion,
I tried to remain your rock hard castle tower.
The desperate, longing look- your beautiful face,
Informing me the dire depts that you found this clutch;
I reminded you, no distance could our love erase,
Or lessen my need to feel your soft, gentle touch.
Last week, I sent you a love-soaked, tear-stained letter,
Now, board a ship that will take me to my true love;
Reading my golden love sent, you will feel better,
Never my loving touch shall you be deprived of.
_____________________________
December 5, 2015
Tail-Rhyme
Co-write with Broken Wings and Robert Lindley
If I never write another poem again
Will you remember me
All the parts of my heart I exposed
The morsels of my soul
The intricacies
The pain
My manufactured pieces of joy
Humor
Wisdom from a fools pen
Stains dripped from a troubled mind
I sit here with head in hand
Looking at a blank page
Fearing I have nothing left to say
Coaxing my brain to respond
Drip
Drip
A word
A corresponding heart beat
An image projected
Displayed
Choreographed
Spinning
Coming to life
I wish you to reach out
Take it in your hand
Feel touch
Smell
live within the space
Allow the idea to expand
Grow beyond a page
Put leaves on my trees
Climb my branches
Drink from my streams
Add color to my rainbow
Breathe through my lungs
See through my looking glass
For if I never write another poem again
I can sigh and say
It has all been worthwhile
You heard my call
Responded
Understood
Seen the previously unseen
Walked along my landscapes
Left a part of yourself
Drank from my cup
Sat at my table
You my honored guests
The one I will remember
For you are the reason
My pen drips and my heart smiles
You help me remember
To see
To believe
One word at a time
Entry for PD's Free Verse Contest
another typical day, with feet on the ground
ordering the hedge to meet my image of trim
many measured bits fall before the cutting edge
casual thoughts detach, is there anybody in ?
then some mental inner disturbance jangles
with corresponding jig, nerves rip in deeper
following the run of a stalk, the hang of a sprig
so prune the untidy and unwelcome creeper
a movement to the side of my eye is caught
something is scared, behind dense vegetation
the fast beating breast of a baby brown bird
a frantic flutter and then much aggravation
descends to the pavement in fear driven escape
panic ruptures in flood, under a half sliced-off wing
chest partly open, feathers flecked red with blood
cupped warm in my hand, young life does cling
grim realisation, fledgling with no hope
pressure leaking, ebbing from a dying heart
but then our eyes meet, answers it is seeking
'where's my mum, when can my flying lessons start?'
the deed is now done, the light that shone has gone out
just the salt of my tears at this horrible juncture
the killing of one hundred and fifty million years
and this clumsy ape's evolutionary puncture
undiluted guilt, too much concentration to bear
to forgive and assuage, soothing rational thought
replacement anger and even more depressing rage
bombs target children when careless wars are fought
imagine that child, in screaming terrified terror
in mortal trouble, reduced to core instinct base
an external world has turned your home into rubble
'where's my mum, why can't I see her familiar face?'
Bogdan Chmielnicki sits astride a horse
A magnificent statue in Central Kiev
To a monumental Ukrainian figure
A George Washtington-style liberator
He took it to the Poles in the 1600's
A lone Jew glances at Bogdan on his horse
Forgive him his disgust, of course, for
That Cossack and his army murdered
Nearly every Jew in Kiev -- on their way
To killing 600,000 Jews, one-third
Of the Jews then in Europe, during an
Unprecedented Reign of Terror...*
Leave Chmielnicki astride his horse
Let Ukraine celebrate Bogdan
~ without one ounce of remorse
_________________________________
*Chmielnicki's Reign of Terror is known
by the abbreviation 'Tach v'Tat,' which is
short form for the Hebrew calendar year
corresponding to 1648-49. The Cossacks'
genocidal campaign lasted through 1660.
Buy ink which remains indelible on the soul
Lick your stamps as they should never lick themselves
Keep envelopes open to suggestions and to be stretched
Hide them in a dry place or pine desk out of trouble
Hold pens gently into the wind or corresponding weather
Leave an impression on the world as you write
Use an eraser but only after midnight
Employ an umbrella over your story
Deploy it in the rain if you compose
Protect your notes while rushing to the mail post
Kill trees only when necessary
Pray they don’t take revenge
Keep rain in buckets one drop at a time
Keep sanity at bay and asteroids at large
Stamp high as bays get wet in rising tides
Write letters with pens untouched by men
Utilize paper snow white and pretty
Mail correspondences twice if suspicious
Use two stamps because you can
Deliver yourself from evil
Let postmen know you are on to them
Send one letter at a time as mail is heavy
Give it time because time is burdensome
Let letters drop while servers do the rest
Wait for a response but don’t hold your breath
God is pushing me one way but I continue to fight his hand in reluctance-ly
I come before him to repent of my sins, your servant accepting responsibility to remain humble- ly
I fall to your every word because I know you have a plan for me,
However, sometimes I do not follow your direction because I am not perfect even though sometimes I may think I am perfect-ly
Made to do your will, but if I do not honor you I do not deserve your blessing. I deserve to lose because I live life so loose-ly
Spitting on the love you showed me as your blood shed for everyone including me,
I know you have a plan for me but I don’t deserve it, because I keep bowing to my sin crucifying you every day-ly
Leading to destruction without much construction, because I never used the tools you gave me to their potential-ly
I see what could be and I realize I am not perfect so I pray and say please no blessings if I am not honoring thee.
Christianity is a constant battle, and perfection is something only one man reached, but we can still strive to be the best we can be.
p.s. Now read this poem adding LY to the last word of certain lines, converting the word to its adverb form and becoming the starting point for the corresponding line.
I get nervous in front of crowds
my first words are usually shaky
I can stand straight but take a few steps
in a direction corresponding with that awkward moment
you realize
everyone is listening, interpreting, judging, sympathizing
just trying to understand
the first time I gave a speech was 6th grade
the teacher said its hard speaking in front of a class
who wants to try?
I got brave and took the spotlight
only to find I was blinded
and at a loss for words
show and tell was stress
I ate my silence
I just want to connect, on a grande scale
fast, quick, and easy
The only speaking that mattered
was my great grand mothers funeral
I was the oldest of a generation
I spent a while getting my thoughts down
what I said lasted only a few minutes
the words echo in my head
have been
and probably will till death
I want to lead a group into chaos
get everyone to dance
become wild creatures fleeting on our fairest fancies
seek joy and fearlessly love
express in a healthy way
be aware
I'm just trying to connect
I am shy
Two hearts in an awesome communication
but covered by bodies which are worshipers of denial.
She adores him, he cherishes her
but such feelings are molded into the formality of colleagues.
Excitement, no matter how little, is suppressed,
appreciation rendered from a falling heart but by casual lips;
attraction, pressures the borders of the mind through its swell
but yet restricted by the protective bunkers of pretense.
When the time for absence to ease the saga comes,
anticipation drafts out a time table
for expectation to put every event on alarm
in both souls which cling to the thoughts of the next reunion.
Ego strips to perform a show on affectionate longing;
he becomes the gold standard to her new lifestyle
while she becomes the detergent to which his actions are washed.
Time once again takes a shift from itself,
internal body signals responding to a meeting, soon to occur.
Face to face, the physical acquaintance is once more blessed
but the corresponding fever has now began to snore,
weakening the whiskers of attraction to stay down.
Executive in the outside, voracious in the inside
with longing spirits towards each other
but confined by dramatized strictness.
Static and fixed concentration but away from her from the guy
with concrete rigidity lasting for long-long minutes.
Expert carefulness and planned accuracy in body movements from the lady
with continuous episodes of deep exhales
coming out of tension’s internal burning sticks.
Avoiding each other’s gazes with admiration’s lips tightly sealed
epitomizing an atmosphere of two minds in one likeness,
yet standing as agents of discomfort to each other.
Heat has unnecessarily been added to a delicacy so spicy
and nothing can blow it out unless someone says something.
It wonderful
How nature works
The corresponding relationship
Between all creature
One thing happening
Is the outcome of another
Ones ending
Is the beginning of another
That is the act of nature
Like food chain
Each depends on another
Everything has a season
And for a reason
Evil deeds ends hell
But good deeds ends well
For perfection is the spell
Those who tread
This path will excell
The bosom of happiness
Will they dwell
“it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land some broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, - you'd forget me.”
-Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
This closeness we share has become a duality of sorrow and happiness,
Expressing doubt undoubtedly,
You see I am no machine for indifference
Love me, please,
And express it so,
For when we turn our separate ways
You shall cease to hate me when I go
You will feel the tug of want in the tightening cord between us
I will see that you have tested me and knowingly I will fail
I will fail to live without you,
I will bleed, and then you shall win
So that you may never test me again
In desperation I plea,
With every effort I can conjure
I plea that you take my heart
Before you take to the skies
I want to see the world with you
I want to dream with you
Live with you
Care for you
Hold you
Know you
Warm you
Please,
Tell me you want the same
Or go!
Leave,
Flee, and fly. . . .
This cord of communion is tight enough to break
But it is also tight enough to hold us together forever
Shadows creeping in darkness
with blue shades
melting stars falling into still oceans
quite expectant awaiting a mid-night sun.
Witches and their magical brooms
the wild and their deadly claws
fiction and corresponding reality
exchanging their expressions
for edgy moments.
Gigantic umbrellas with heavy trunks
interact with fast migrating sands
the skies frown, the waters sleep
earth is depressed and weak
anything at anytime can happen
but Life stays sober and survives.
Natures repentance not in conformity
to the signatory of wishes and aspirations
every minute seems accidental
the next- opaque and unknown.
Life on ten similar locks
requiring same number of keys
from a group of a thousand more.
Patient tries increase the chance to succeed
in a cycle with so many big gates
each having its own puzzle to decipher.
Luck and fate become sorted gods
to help stay in the good side
of Life’s changing Cartesian plane.
Executing my pace to destiny with an added pair of legs
makes it a perfect symphony
the long queue of my aspirations and visions
will translate into reality
by passing through the doors of your views.
Your focus, ideology and belief, nothing more I expect
corresponding to mine, like a lock and key
that I respect.
One can expertly execute, but two will effectively deliver
every bridge has two ends
and no coin has just one side.
Little wonder!
The body’s functionality naturalizes in pairs.
the limbs, eyes, ears and lungs;
even the mouth, nose and the brain
house anatomically paired contents.
This rounded finger-loving element
just confirms our steady Life’s movement.
My mind rings with an uproar of oceans
but not anointing that finger becomes my dreadful superstition.
Now! Let’s honour the “pair-religion” as I…
Stand on a foot and a knee, engaging you with the popular line
“Will you marry me?”
Individuality in decisions, expressions, actions and consequences
Never an island of oneself but also not under the mercy of others
Direct enjoyment of any corresponding benefit well deserved
Everlasting freedom with no hitches or pauses
Proper interaction with a strong sense of belonging
Equity and equality, striving to maintain the goodness of humanity
No more under a roof built for monitoring and strict observation
Doors of mutual respect, open to fertilize the sense of responsibility
Ending all dependence to use the grown wings and acquired limbs
Nurturing the new identity to promote self relevance
Child of yesterday transforms to the man of today
Eradicating this process is liable to conflicts, riots and wars.
It's all about Y.O.U……..
I want to know you as you
To just be with you as you grow and mature
Into what you have chosen to become
since Y.O.U are responsible for your choices
I don’t want to think of you from distance
I want to feel you and touch you as I embrace you
And not the way I am thinking of you now
But feeling you the way you are feeling now
Not the way people told me about you
But the way you want to tell me about you
And the way you will not tell me about you
And the way you will want to let me know more about you
That will be revealing in your attitudes and deeds
moment by moment
I want to be with you in your thoughts
To feel your conflicting pains just as you feel it, now
And not the way I thought you are feeling it, now
Or the way people tell me you always feel it
Since I am aware that we have different experiences
At moment I am aware about my secret pains
So I am aware that you also have yours
Except you willingly choose to reveal them to me
there is no way i can know them
i am neither a wizard nor a witch
Since I am interested about how you feel
there will be time I'll not feel your pain
the way you will want me to feel it
please just bear with me
I want to learn how to be with you in your soul
Since what makes you up is the soul
you are connected to in your past
I know you have friends who are special to you
And at the same time related to you
I don’t want to break you away just like that from them
Since before I met you, you have other friend’s
You have shared with others and learn from others
So it’s not just an overnight adventure
To know you as you are,
I know you’ll keep unfolding
Even if we get attracted and connected to each other
As you unveil your self gradually as it pleases God and you
so let me know when to give my token of love
So that I can give a helping hand to you
So that I can give my breath and consent when you need it
So that I can give you your corresponding thoughts
Even though contrary and contradicting your expectation
so that we can share with each other our fears and doubts
And also share with each other our dreams and passion
It's all about Y.O.U.