Best Cringed Poems
Abuses hurled and Alcohol gurgled,
In the vortex of confusion
And blurred vision.
Intoxicated pleasure from surreal leisure.
Fooled senses and numbed conscience.
Wiped existence of love and kindness cuffed.
Lashed at the one he once loved.
Cringed and clung to her faint faith.
She and her cursed fate.
Exploding paroxysm of hate.
Her whipped ivory skin and bleeding lips,
Eyes with teary tinge,
Has the harvest moon singed.
Stillness of the night, pierced
By memories of bitterness-sodden years.
"Hurt me not", she trembled with fear,
"let me live for my girl, dear".
The cries colored skies crimson.
Just one reason--Her little girl.
As her daughter stared
With flaming locks and eyes that flared.
By Angom Amy (15)
Unrequited
The things i think about,
never settle below
they float instead
and fester inside
as I pluck your name in the air
a sacred memory folds over
foaming layers, floating vapors
Creating a chill and then a stupor
the last draw of my breath
I slipped again, I stripped
you tripped in the end
Even if you stay in your lane
But you’re driving insane
so much distance between two cars
its impossible to hear
Muffled by the wind, carried away the fear
I tried to speak, but the sound
Never carried over
It rises an ache in my throat
nerves are calmed, noise is stifled
legs are stiffened, feet planted
hands firmly gripped
elbows abutted
in a world prone to forget
my memory stays etched
in your fractured mind
my taste stayed on the lips
of the one I've left behind
a fleeting moment
Betrayed by lust unveiled the trust
between the blinks of my eye
You remain a distant memory
The pain has abated
the speed is indeed fleeting
Forgotten with the past
in the throes between two fires
the faded lines, the dying embers
Looms over like the sun
So I say, you cannot stay
Isn’t that off-putting?
A broken soul
With a spirit so agile
My body so fragile,
with just one touch,
you peel my layers
like the sprouting weeds
between the pavement
the truth wants to be known
My touch so brief,
and yet it lingered
Overstayed its welcome
And in the horizon
It stretched, it lagged on
And with your imagination
My skin rubbed raw,
My voice cracked, I cringed
I become unhinged
My heart will always be disquieted
Your love forever unrequited
Written with sorrowful memories of the war taking
place inside the one I loved ~ through his perspective
I spent time with a friend in a low place
but that friendly face become a blur
when the frown of Jesus stared back at me
from the bottom of an empty bottle
With head in tremblilng hands, I groaned
realizing my life was upside down
and that 'friend,' my wife, had left me all alone
Remembering that phone conversation
when I said, "You left me. I can't hold you any more."
I cringed when she replied,"You left me each time
you raised a bottle to your lips."
I couldn't argue with her. She was right.
I take the blame for this weakness I despise
Hate knowing I put the tears in her eyes.
It's not easy to always be misunderstood
but no one knows the dept of my darkness
So don't preach to me about what I've done wrong
I know the words. I used to sing that song.
I've weathered times when I was cold as ice
Been rained upon beneath darkened skies
Shivered while trying to find my way home
and swore I'd change the way I live my life
Then I surrendered to the thirst, in sacrifice
Drowning in an ocean, lost in waves of doubt
only fortifified in depths beyond the shallows
where I fill a bottle with hundred proof brine
It's the elixir I call 'My besotted self-defense'
I'm fighting a war within riddled thoughts
and it's already cost me the love in her heart
I'm hoping one day I'll find peace of mind
and lay down the shield of my armament
The weapon in a bottle that I can't live without
Smoke comes off the chimney tops
Trails behind the breeze as the rain drops
Hurdles under the clouds to seek shelter
Disappears in the vapor of a darkest winter
Snapped under my coat I ran to shelter
My steps tracing the trail of glass
Sweat dripped down my palms elevated
I lift my knees and walk agitated
Took a second to notice, a scarf hanging
Neck loose, head bottled, scalp dangling
Cold breath sneaked up and down my neck
As the lady grasped sight of her final dread
My gaze slid under her skirt
Her undone hair and bloody shirt
All climbed to intertwine juxtaposed above
Merciless, spineless, slithering gloves
Ice-clawed eyes stared back in horror
Hands clenched in fists flagrant in color
Put a finger on his lips and whispered
A tone that struck my nerves unhindered
Speak a word and you're next
Don't put my patience to the test
Walk away, disappear, 'cause if I find you
You'll pray that god take you before I do
I couldn't hesitate twice abt walking
Suddenly, he cringed and started falling
Branches broke as his neck followed behind
Snapping backwards, dispersing his spine
I slowly walked over and found a note
To whom it may concern, sloppy hands wrote
I am but a victim, of this woman's throat
the day she stabbed me, the day she spoke
I'm but a lonely spirit roaming free
Why has this lady followed me
To murder all that I loved and once cared for
To sweep off the little things I'd die for
She was Lady Death, the one we all fear
Seductively laying us to eternal rest
Drove me to heaven, doors slid clear
Her arms wide open, her warm loving chest
Then to hell I went for my earthly deeds
The torture I've seen for all those years
And you're next in a line of slaves
A queue of misery, a farm of graves
Your eyes have seen a deadly charm
Life as you know it is far long gone
Prepare for a sinfully long run
Here she comes, load your gun
In vile defeat I confided to helplessness
I cringed knowing I know so little
As inadequate as I am I felt responsible
I felt responsible to know everything
In this mentality I suffered long nights
Over thinking myself and overlooking life
Until I gave up the pain for a little while
And took a deep, dark look to the other side
Only a hero volunteers for war,
willing to battle and die for others.
And do things they'd typically abhor,
rallying into a band of brothers
defending their homes, sisters, and mothers.
While war levies its toll in flesh and bone
insidious night-terrors haunt the mind.
And yet, in past wars, their cause was unknown,
but atrocities and guilt once combined,
PTSD symptoms aren’t far behind.
I was born while dad fought in Korea,
he had survived two wars before we met.
But who he was, I had no idea.
I knew naught of war; I was three, and yet
mom said my father was this army vet.
I could feel his anger, but not his pain,
though I bore its fury with every beer.
And cringed inside when he acted insane,
building up my resentment tear by tear
for he never offered love, only fear.
Frustrated, he was prone to violence,
but in his last years, I noticed a change.
He had stopped yelling, preferring silence,
and uncharacteristically strange
bouts of kindness, and tears, would interchange.
(English Quintain)
Nov. 11, 2018
Easter Wake-up Call
Jesus ~
When you woke up in the tomb did you smile –
The living prophecy complete -
As death cowered in your victory?
Throw back your head to laugh in giddiness
As you broke free from burial’s mortal bonds
Trembling at your feet?
Sing a kingly Psalm of morning joy
Lion of Judah in roars of Resurrection
That banished Adam’s shame into oblivion
Tap your toes in rhythm to your quickened heartbeat
Chasing evil shadows around the tomb
As they cringed within your reborn shadow
Dance the dance of triumph
And mend the temple curtain torn in shreds
When wickedness groveled in defeat before you
Breathe in sweet breaths – mercy’s living testimony
To exhale in pure whispers of grace
As evil gasped in thrashing suffocation
Shout Amen! Alleluia! It is finished!
Prince of Heaven as sin yielded stinging tears
To the union of omniscient forgiveness.
Jesus
When you woke up in the tomb
Time’s framework shattered – the lost chord found
Heaven’s landscape showed through the thin matrix membrane
Mercy’s healing fragrant balm caressed earthly nails scars
The Anointed now anointed exile’s wounds with restoration’s incense
The mystery of God and man’s enigma unraveled
When you woke up in the tomb.
4-6-22
Contest: Easter Poetry Contest
Sponsor” Regina McIntosh
Homeless, destitute with nothing more then a backpack and cigarettes
down the rabbit hole she went, no linen tablecloths just stricken wood,
in a house of ill repute;.
She could not refuse the hunkering of a horny man who lived by threats
so she counted her bills and tucked them in her brassiere with a tear
She cringed when glass smashed and grinded her teeth when she was cold
it was a bordello made surreal by alcohol mellowed Johns who were so old
A bawdy crib, (bagnio del innocente) bath for the innocent...
a knocking shop that foiled the linen and gave shiners to young girls,
no one cared
in this disorderly place, where the stew was watered down with whiskey float
Then came the raid that brought everything to a halt,
in a gestalt moment she found freedom, perhaps her prayers were answered?
Down to the river she went for a bath and a rest,
it was then that she remembered her first time, it was incest *
The wild caged bird had no other place to hide but in this fortress
she slept for days on the grass beside a great big boulder, ,
all the wild animals in the forest thought she was a Princess.
They let her sleep, and fed her pine nuts from the trees. Until this day,
Gianna never mentioned the brothel to anyone, no even herself.
Feb. 20, 2021
Standing there wearing
Baileys holding a Glass
of Cognac I notice your
time piece Kremlin findings
as you calmly approached
my shyness I recognised
the untimely gesture leaving
my quarters knowing full
well beruit was near you
offered yourself with no
strings an yet bombs sounded
throughout the night time
air I was taken an yet
startled King we were taken
to stone slabs draped with
teal fabric peppermint oils
garments of silk I wore you
into the night while we
cringed with fright the town
emptied the tower tumbled
I kelp yours smile in view
as your body crumbled into
the rumble of yesterday I
awakened to the sound of
the sun rising in the east
as I returned to blood
soaked carnage absent
from heaven remembering
only your touch your warmth
your illuminated essence burning
my soul whispering dasvidanyia
from Russia with love
My heart lay barely beating, drowning in a marinade
of salted tears that fell from my reddened eyes.
Blood dripped down my chin from biting my swollen lips
as if they were wounded like a heart pierced by words
that were hurled as if they were whetted daggers.
Whose fingertips drew the target upon my lashed back?
The attack ripped my flesh, inflicting pain without pause.
My cries were echoing in refrain, pleading for the cause.
No response was given as I cringed and groaned
in this shadowed place, this empty void.
In fetal position on the floor, I flinched each time
I heard knuckles wrapping upon my weathered door.
Sluggish was my mind, as if waking from a nap,
wishing I could snap out of Alice's realm where I can't tell
if I'm under a spell or walking in a hellish nightmare
of reality where I wax and wane like sunlight and moonbeams.
Many things that surround me are not always as they seem.
The wind persisted in blowing me about,
whipping the willow branches with its beat.
It continuously raged, a tempest storm,
a force of nature that never bows in defeat.
Now, its companion has soaked me through
Rain has chilled me right down to the bone.
It's brought weapons of hail, the size of plums,
pummeling me as if it were throwing stones.
My tears have mingled with drops of cold rain.
Gale force winds have taken me to my knees.
It sounds as if it's screaming my name...
I reply, "Release me from your throes, please."
If wind and rain could screech in laughter,
I'd swear I heard them cackling like witches.
My thoughts were scattered; I was filled with fear,
as wind hurled hail stones with well-aimed pitches.
I had no strength in me to fight nature's opponents.
Combined in combat, they held far too much power.
No longer could I hold either of them at bay,
I cringed and withered as if I were a wilting flower.
As he shuffled toward me I cringed.
Ripped clothes and shoes with flapping soles had alerted me.
I could actually see his sunken cheeks and lips clamped tight.
What was he thinking?
Me, dressed just so. Fancy hair, eyes aglow.
What was he thinking?
My purse clenched tightly.
Do I cross to the other side?
What was he thinking?
Suddenly it came to me,
flooding both my mind and my heart.
I am so very sorry.
I almost forgot that you are as human as I.
I am so sorry.
One thing for sure, apparently you are the stronger one.
I am sure I could not live the life you must.
What was I thinking?
I flew to him as though he was a sultry flame
and I a fragile moth, in need of warm affection.
I danced around him, this man without a name.
In his eyes I saw desire from my own reflection,
smoldering in me was the beast I could not tame.
I was aware of danger. I'd been burned before,
but offered my tinderbox and opened the latch.
With one ardent kiss the fire in me began to roar.
Passion was ignited with the first strike of a match.
One last time, I firmly promised myself. I swore.
Vows hold no guarantees. They're a simple token.
I felt the sting of my guilty conscience and cringed.
Pledges of love had been torn asunder and broken.
Condemned was I, for my wings had been singed,
and cried in lieu of words too grievous to be spoken.
I cannot deny my fate for sorrow had been earned.
I felt remorse, a scarred creature who remembers
the flaws within me, and the lesson I had learned.
Charred ashes were flying above crimson embers.
In a blazing fire, I watched as my tinderbox burned.
October 26, 2022
This or That, Vol 14 Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh
When I close my eyes it’s there again
A nightmare that could only offend
The dark woman stands with her hooded eyes
Draped across her face in her disguise
And she points at the word written on the stone
In blood with large letters so it be well known
I gaze across in the torchlight to make it out
As I wonder if the writing was a warning tout
But as the words became to me quite clear
I cringed back at what it said in my fear
For it said something that stabbed me in my head
“Your fight is over for you are now dead.”
© Paul Warren Poetry
She stood there and slooshed on the grass at her feet
She’d have to move forward before she dared eat
She walked a few paces to discover that
Some other cow had left a foul splat
Wherever she looked there was piddle or poo
And that was the moment she knew what to do
She looked at the grass which was drying and brown
She might well have cringed but a cow cannot frown
She went to the river to drink some clean water
Across it, the farmer, his wife and his daughter
Live in a house with a lush green lawn
The greenest she’d seen since the day she was born
But why should she settle for this frazzled field
When over the river, a bounteous yield
Well she had to go where she had to go
And then in the water was hit by the flow
She struggled against it, her progress was slow
But she battled on to where green grass does grow
Why should the farmer keep it to himself
When cows were the subject of all of his wealth
The river was raging, the current was strong
She aimed for the lawn so she didn't go wrong
And finally clambered the opposite side
Astounded she’d managed a river so wide
She pushed herself out and up onto the bank
And looked back across to where the grass stank
She’ll savour this green grass for all it is worth
She took her first mouthful...
Yuk...
Astroturf!