Best Dependability Poems
Old men in blue jeans
Dungarees – that’s what they were called,
heavy, blue denim, metal button fly -
form that followed function. The “cuffs” were
rolled up because inseam sizing and “pre-worn”
softened and frayed only occurred if you got
them from an older sibling.
Time has a way of softening things, Dungarees
included. They shaped themselves to your needs,
became one with your movements, stayed with you
through the tough times, went to town with you,
wore the scars and tears of youth moving forward,
taught the lessons of toughness and tenderness,
of reliable, responsible, dependability.
The clothes did not make the man, the man gave
meaning to the clothes, imbued them with his ethic,
his love, his success and failures, stood with him
in welcome rains and barren fields. The jeans,
flannel shirts, boots, weathered face - caught
between an ever present grin and grimace -
awaited each sunrise with a purpose.
The blue jeans are now faded by age,
highlighted by wear and tear, creased
in the rutted way of old roads – necessary
but untended. They offer the comfort of memory’s
warm embrace, the unspoken bond of a friendship
shaped by the demands of life.
They still walk together, these old men and their
blue jeans, more slowly but no less proudly,
for they have grown old together and know
that “the clothes did not make them men”.
John G. Lawless
1/1/2015
With mental arms, I gather up the reasons
Why I love you .....
Our season came in springtime
You did not intend to be my knight
No white steed, nor heroic plan
Just a man....
But like a tree, standing tall
When seasons came, to swallow whole
You wrapped strong limbs around me
And kept me safe
A shelter strong and deeply rooted
Of which the leaves are songs,
A lyric quiet and soft and gentle
With cradled moments to let me lean
Then, with tender breeze
That pushed me into the sun...
Painfully young, and damp behind our ears...
And at the edge of jagged worlds unknown
We took the dare and leaped, without a glance...
With little chance...that we would survive the fall...
But like young birds, we soared, ...you made me sure
Your wings were spread, you led me in the glide...
With dependability, faithfulness, security, kindness...
And as a man.....not a complicated man,
Perhaps, rather ordinary, from another's point of view...
The view from here, ....so high, we flew...
Has always been quite grand....
With capable, weathered, calloused, caressing hands...
You caressed our lives, ....my own, and those of our children..
Keeping us safe....for all these years...
And taking us on a glorious ride, on wings that fly...above the highest trees...
To a land, where love knows no end...
______________________________________________
lay your head on my shoulder
feel free to cry, but know I care
if you shake, I will steady you
if you fall, I’ll lift you
dependability and loyalty
my most valued qualities
never ignoring a friend in need
always offering reassurance
the nicest thing ever said to me:
“What you see is what you get”
no pretense, no delusions of grandeur
just a friend who has your back
wealth and fame I do not seek
but crushed I’d be
devastated if I weren’t there
when a friend required help
by Carolyn Devonshire
For Kristen Bruni’s “Love Me Why?” contest
A donkey carried Mary and her unborn child to Bethlehem
Joseph sturdily led the way on foot it has been penned
The donkey proved a faithful friend to Joseph and Mary
It got them to where they had to be on time and safely
The Democratic Party’s donkey logo was picked to demonstrate
How staunch democratic members normally operate
Taking deliberate moves on behalf of its constituency
Sacrificing speed for cautious concern and dependability
Donkeys are known to be stubborn and may refuse to budge
Like indecisive Democrats inclined to delay and misjudge
I applaud the Democratic Party’s’ efforts to serve so diligently
Its donkey logo fits their political and historical identity
After all, if the donkey was good enough for Joseph and Mary
How can I disagree, a Democratic sinner who prays infrequently?
What Is This Virtue?
What is this virtue, loyalty?
Steadfast dependability...
Trueheartedness and faithfulness...
Honor and conscientiousness...
Single-mindedness devotion...
Incorruptible emotion...
Trustworthiness and constancy...
Sincerity and honesty...
Allegiance, bond, fidelity...
A precious gift is- loyalty.
Sandra M. Haight
~2nd Place~
Contest: Loyalty
Sponsor: Broken Wings
05/01/2016
Do You Have My Back? (Loyalty)
Earn my trust
Earn my allegiance
Allegiance professes commitment
Allegiance is pure dedication
Dedication proper and steadfast
Dedication allows peace of mind
Mind not at ease when lacking
Mind needs constancy
Constancy denotes dependability
Constancy communicates so not to alienate
Alienate an enemy
Alienate frenemies they reek of perfidiousness
Perfidiousness will lead to deceit
Perfidiousness feels like betrayal
Betrayal is a human trait
Betrayal like a wound that is familiar
Familiar ends with liar
Familiar should not create duplicity
Duplicity is not overt
Duplicity will use falsity to hurt
Hurt is at times begins covert
Hurt can lead to a life reclusive and remote
Remote must find a resolution
Remote reattachment requires swift amends
Amends may counteract negative damage
Amends must be sincere to fortify prior commitment
Commitment rectified can even strengthen devotion
Commitment combined with action can rebuild trustworthiness
Trustworthiness is key to avoid treachery
Trustworthiness sought must be a given to receive
Receive it and bask in the glory
Receive and attain a security worth more than gold
Gold is nil compared to trust
Gold cannot outweigh a true friend who has your back
Back another up with their true interests at heart
Back a friend and feel the heartfelt commitment
Commitment is for the resilient
Commitment makes one’s heart feel secure
Secure attachment from each other
Secure feelings are bound by devotion
Devotion is priceless
Devotion empowers liberation
Liberation allows one to live freely
Liberation enables dissidence
Dissidence unreleased can grow black inside
Dissidence with adulation can be expressed
Expressed to a mirror when unaccompanied
Expressed aloud when appropriately linked
Linked to others forges faith
Linked reciprocally is fidelity
Fidelity
Faith
Written for Loyalty contest; entered too late
I strived to nail the form!!
The first, a blessing of birth, from a mother of faith.
Flat fat feet which, in the shower, sound like suction cups.
A small short stature which kept me out of tight spots.
A good mind so I never had to study in school.
Large feet so I would always have something to joke about.
Long curly blond hair so I could cry when they cut it off.
Pretty ugly pinkies from pre birth rickets.
Good coordination and dead reckoning.
A deadly trigger finger and set of eyes.
Sweet swagger and predisposition to dance.
Laziness so I can sleep any time I want.
Will power to quit smoking at forty six.
Chronic curiosity.
Devastating dependability.
Excellent health
One good occupation of 33 years.
I only missed ½ of one day at work in 33 years.
I was never late for work.
Good retirement
Good health benefits.
Good appetite.
A love of writing.
Talented at painting (art), horseshoe pitching, tic tac toe,
and making paper airplanes.
I love puzzles, math problems, and soduko.
I suck at origami.
Can still swim like a fish.
Hold my breath 2 minutes(used to be four)
God and I grow baby Japanese maples.
Love the taste of Jack Daniels or Good Rum.
(A very small bit in large glass of coke.)
Can sharpen a knife ‘til it will shave you.
Blessed by living three years in Japan.
Twenty one day guided tour of Europe.
Have been on several cruises and seen
most of the United States.
Have many friends on Poetry Soup.
Most important of all I’m blessed with
a beautiful wife in mind and body
and family with 10 grands, who all
love me. Even with my quirky ways.
© 21 Sept 2010 Charles Henderson
1 th in Dane Ann's "List" Contest
WHAT IS A WOMAN
A woman is someone who reveres God and His laws above all else.
She knows wisdom, honor and dependability are more valuable than money or possessions.
She knows that respect is earned and fear is not respect.
She knows that true beauty comes from a gentle spiriit and a kind heart and she is known
for her goodness, patience and compassion.
She is aware of her responsibilities and performs her duties happily with pride in a job well
done.
She strives to teach these qualities to her children.
She loves her husband and her children and is faithful to both striving to be a source of pride
to them.
What is a woman?
She is the backbone of the family.
She is the heart of the house teaching patience, love and virtue.
She is the glue that holds the family together.
Judy Ball
I have this disability
The one called imbecility,
Along with instability
And rampant incivility.
I lack dependability
And have no credibility.
I’m short on sensibility,
Am prone to gullibility
And have the inability
To see my fallibility.
And yet, with great humility
I say with plausibility
The concept “genius” – you’ll agree –
Really fits me to a tee.
Carrie
Sentimental and sassy, reasonably realistic, soundly grounded
Daughter of polar opposites, wife of a patient man,
mother of three unique comedians
Lover of sincerity, loyalty, dependability
Who feels passion for family, compassion for the unfortunate,
and feels time passes too quickly
Who fears being inadequate, being a burden, or living beyond my loved ones
Who would like to see yesterday again, tomorrow's sunrise,
and to view them all with fresh eyes
Resides in a valley beneath a volcano, on an oak-covered California hillside
Richards
......................................................................
For Bio Contest Sponsored by Regina Riddle
In honor of Carol ~ Sunshine ~ Brown's Contest: "Life These Days"
the child inside
revealed through cascading
recollecting
regrets unspoken break free
boundlessly
the child inside
hindered responsibility weigh
heavily
elation manifestation refuted
deniability
the child inside
yearning determined to depart
dependability
exchanging impulsive playful
irrationality
the child inside
locked away penal complexes
restricting
flee to autonomy- mischievous
creativity
The wind of surrender blew across the sea
of the disheartened, attempting to sink the ship
of comfort and contentment, without any regard
to what lay ahead. The mighty sea of doubt tossed the ship
to and fro as it struggled to stay afloat.
Next came the heavy rains of renounce and give up,
which threatened to bring down
the sails of retrieve and recover.
As the ship offered up support and shelter,
in an attempt to appease the storm, it was met by
the twin lightning bolts of forfeit and relinquish.
But then, as the sun beams of love and dependability
shown through the dark clouds
of brokenhearted, hope and forgiveness
calmed the sea. The storm had finally ended.
P.R. Deremer
I gazed into the coffee cup
knowing I would not see the bottom
until it was empty.
An oily rainbow circles
its steaming center
consistency lingering
in its aroma
The cup was meant to be held
savored
its warmth cradled
age honored
memories cherished.
Its stains do not tarnish
but embellish
accent times passing.
Its chips pay tribute
to its dependability
dedication, strength.
It has served us well
this cup,
this constant
this silent solace
shared
sipped
gazed into
searching to answer
forever’s questions.
John G. Lawless
©3/2/2019
Having found great joy in giving I gave.
$25,000.00 anonymously shared.
What poor soul would this bequest save?
Who would thank God that someone cared?
I prayed for an answer and the wisdom to know.
To whom in the world should generosity flow?
Someone with wisdom to make kindness grow…
One poor visionary could multiply heaven’s glow.
I went to a park and looked around.
Folk’s laughter and love did there abound.
Children scampered with energy unbound.
It was there that my recipient was soon found.
A distant figure in the dark of shade,
One hungry man through the garbage waylaid.
Huddled in a coat with a dingy facade.
I slipped him a note with my message relayed.
Meet me in the morning at about sunrise.
You have found God’s favor; I have your surprise.
That the re-meeting was important I did realize.
The test: dependability and lucidness to surmise.
I went there at dawn and sat on a bench.
The bag full of money held tight in my clench.
My stomach was churning, my fingers did wrench.
I had thought that this giving would be a cinch.
Shortly I saw him walk across the lawn.
Curiosity and hope shone brightly upon his face.
What, I wondered, would experience spawn?
We sat there and talked about life, way past dawn.
He shared his dream and I gave him the bag.
Trusting that God would stay by his side.
One year later, he stood on a crag.
Praising his Lord for His constant abide.
Twenty-five thousand had increased a hundred fold.
Having lost everything that he had since birth,
He had learned a hard lesson when he had no gold.
So, he set out on a mission to heal man on earth.
Unselfish acts and the insight to invest
Led him down a path to wisdom and success.
He passed love forward filling each bitter cup.
Along his way, he, too, lifted others up.
© January 16, 2011
Dane Smith-Johnsen
Fictional Written for Carol Brown's Contest: I Helped the Needy