Best Disciplined Poems
A hardened and disciplined man drove to the grocery store lost in thought,
with setting of sun, the long day's work almost found it's end.
Hoisting his daughter to shoulder, he walked from the parking lot,
and barely noticed her hair smelled of shampoo and pool chlorine blend.
He searched for fresh loaf of bread, and pound of peaches,
careful to tally up each purchase with well-honed skill.
With family's dinner waiting, and worn wallet short on wages,
thinking, that tank of gas will have to wait, and hoped it will.
Looking up from the myriad of baby food jars in the next aisle,
slowly he became aware, as a dense fog clears on a whim.
Now noticed a woman with mouth played in a strange smile,
her instinctive gaze fixed on something behind him.
He turned to see what elicited her quizzical beam,
and his heart melted at the sight in the shopping cart.
A straw haired helper, fast asleep, slumped over in a girl's charmed dream,
her little head now resting against his arm.
The day's worries quickly fled, tough exterior, now stripped senseless,
life's hard lesson and true measure of a man's love now shown.
Left wondering how a resting child could leave one so defenseless,
and that, which a man holds important..,could be so wrong.
Epilogue
I live the rest of my days wiser and more carefree.
For my darling little one, it wasn't I that carried you,
but you that carried me.
ice caps melting
sea levels rising ~
global warning
plastic pollution
killing marine life ~
sea sobs salty tears
deforestation
wildlife now homeless ~
mankind to blame
Hiku (Disciplined Brevity) Poetry Contest
Sponsored by William Kekaula
11/21/21
I AM
I am righteous and rational: God’s bliss.
I am truthful and disciplined: Dad’s wish.
I am lone fighter to attain my goal: Confidence exists.
I am outspoken: Personality permits.
I am free, innocent, fun-loving: Playful kid.
I am optimistic: Sprouting seed.
I am compassionate: Great Generous heart.
I am helpful: Acting energetic smart.
I am decisive, determined: Sturdy mountain.
I am cheerful joyous: Frolic fountain.
I am sincere friend: Honoring affection.
I am loyal in love: Ethereal emotion.
I am sympathetic to sooth: Rains shower.
I am romantic: Fragrance of flower.
I am brilliant bright: Gem to glow.
I am restless dynamic: River to flow.
I am Mathematician: Brain analytic.
I am writer and poet: Touch artistic.
I am blessed daughter: Dad is my idol.
I am oldest sister: Carried responsibility overall.
I am talker: Speech to impress.
I am proud mother: Daughters are my success.
I am explorer: Ambitious dream.
I am strong woman: Soul supreme.
I am now in last phase. Enjoyed life. Completed duties.
Ready to leave in happy mood.
05/05/20
Third Place
'I AM : A LIST BIO CHALLENGE' Contest by Andrea Dietrich
I saw a death shadow in the eyes of my infancy
a soft mercy with calm blue fancy,
in childhood, when free will asserted it's wild supremacy
we sang of star charriots and laughter loyal to hyperactivity,
I see a death shadow in the prime of my ascendancy
outlining my temple of truth, whistling thy words of wizardry,
I hear It like the madness of morning's ending,
I taste It as if from the burning breast milk of a Dragoness,
I see It in the bleeding smile of my heart's kindness,
I speak to It when love's luster unlocks the lunacy of loneliness,
I feel the humble shade of It's jade justice in a world hot and hustling,
My death shadow has a surface sweet with patient purpose,
It is not rough with forboding frost that frights the fight of flesh,
rattling the scythe of doom and cackling for cataleptic crisis it does not,
It is not a grim God or a greedy Goddess, no taxing terror trumpeted,
It has never been an angel of escape or a demon of dour delirium,
when suffering becomes a seduction of brute beauty I share in it's wise joy,
my death shadow follows the desperate yet disciplined form of my body battle
through life's plethora of coy poisons and possessive passions,
marching along side me with martial grace, sculpting my face with lion spirit -
J.A.B.
Our lives are consumed
With vice and pleasure
Self-absorbed with blinders
And avarice for treasure
The majority indifferent
To the plight of our parents
Or the generation before them
With their disciplined adherence
As medical technology
Prolongs our existence
A materialistic generation
Promotes political resistance
The diseases and conditions
Previously unnamed
Now have an aging
population restrained
Disadvantaged and exploited
They simply try to survive
While the rest of us carelessly
Go on with our lives
No opportunities to acquire
The means to sustain
Plus devaluation of the dollar
Leave them hungry and lame
They face the future like the past
Proud and undaunted
Their only dream left
Is to feel needed and wanted
October 16 2016
When I was a young child I studied ants
I loved their formation on ground and plants.
Like tiny soldiers lined, disciplined well,
They worked hard all day, from what I could tell.
Their strength was awesome, things they could carry,
Never wasting time, all day they'd tarry.
One time as I watched two lines in a row
In opposite directions they did go.
Then as I watched them, like a friend of mine,
Two friends stopped to chat then returned in line.
Ant's personalities, unique to see....
How akin these small creatures are to me.
I love their work ethic in an ant farm....
A splended tool to teach kids not to harm.
They work together harmoniously
And will protect their nest defensively.
Please teach your children the value they give.
Not to destroy their nests, please let them live.
They work to keep other insects at bay
And help till the soil in their special way.
I know households do disdainfully reject,
Yet these small insects gain my full respect.
They have survived millions of years on earth.
There-in lies their beauty, proving their worth!
11-2-18
Insects Poetry Contest~First Place~ in a winning list of seven
Sponsored by: Angela Tune
Note: Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera.
Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the Cretaceous period, about 140 million years ago, and diversified after the rise of flowering plants.
It has come to light according to a new study, that ants produce their own antibiotics to deal with diseases that can be used to treat humans as well.
Ants do a lot for us and the environment in general. A single
large colonel of ants will pick up and or kill 100,000 other insects a day for food. So they're the pest control themselves of the insect kingdom. Many species of ants have a mutual relationship with plants that the ants may benefit from in some way. Over 12,000 species of ants have been scientifically identified. Ants are known to be a good source of protein and ingested in several countries.
There is freedom in her beauty. A confidence that comforts me deep in my soul. I am in awe. Purely. She may as well be flying, I cannot take my eyes from her wings that spread wide as the sky. Her song is deep and disciplined; at her command. The places in my gut that ache she shares and makes words where there were none. It's as if we've known each other before. Pieces of our souls belong to one another. So extraordinary but reachable through the humanity in her eyes. A sadness a deepness that resonates with me. It is within me. Sadness within the womb of woman, scars on the heart always leave behind more than ruined tissue. She gets that. She gets me. A superstar, the world cannot take their eyes off her. She is a flame, the view of the ground from the roof. Inarguably gorgeous, striking whether in her bare feet or the latest fashion. Her sexy is audacious, admirably we watch, when it's over we are inspired to be sexier. With a flip of big hair she becomes demure without parting with her sexiness. She is what woman is. So feminine while so in charge. The stage rumbles underneath her feet. She smiles into the crowd. A smile that the millions of dollars of lights behind her cannot compete with.
A smile that speaks
Saying... there is no place she eos rather be.
Her love of melody of sing of the release that comes with belting out your feelings becomes my love. We are strangers but in a heavenly moment we become one.
Sisters of the soul. Girlfriends. Her greatest gift to me is her strength.
How long will I wait Mr. Waiter?
You only brought me water,
yet I requested for ox-tail soup,
and a bowl of carrots and a tulip.
Mr. Waiter, you are not serving a rat;
I'm by all facial definitions a brown cat.
Sometimes I'm a disciplined vegetarian,
like my rabbit friend, whose Hungarian.
I'm so hungry that I can eat a whole horse;
ask my master who never leaves his house.
For a long time, you've looked at me like a ghost;
you've never seen a talking cat as your guest?
I can see your eyes so surprised with wonder;
wait until you hear the order of one Mr. Panda!
'Tis another glorious spring and I planted my garden with the expectation,
That I shall reap a bountiful harvest for my table with minimum frustration!
I planted the usual stuff - carrots, radishes, onions and termaters,
Watermelons, peas, corn, beans and a few hills of russet pertaters.
With the Good Lord's help, lots of sun and occasional showers of rain,
The seeds sprang to life along with some curses that are my infernal bane!
I've discovered that I have a healthy crop of weeds that need attention,
And a host of other intrusive visitors that I'll proceed to mention!
I was dismayed to discover legions of caterpillars and mealy bugs,
Pruning my plants along with hordes of ugly snails and slimy slugs!
They're even being attacked from below by gophers and moles,
And from above by crows making diving sorties from the clothesline poles!
'Coons, 'possums and wabbits at raiding my garden are very deft,
And armies of well-disciplined ants are gleaning what is left!
I even caught some nasty little kids filching a watermelon last night!
I chased them but those little dudes took off with the speed of light!
With a storm of wind and hail this morn I saw all my labor disappear!
Come next spring I think I shall opt to sit on the patio and guzzle beer!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
C-alled as soldier of the Lord,
O-n duty twenty-four-seven;
L-acking not for faith and love,
L-osing not hope for God in heaven.
E-arnest to extol the Almighty,
G-iving top importance to Him;
E-ven though there are trials, he still praises His holy name.
O-ft times he's in spiritual war, conquering the enemy's lair;
F-ocused to win over the evil tricks, exposing false tenets in the air.
E-nemies of faith in resilience,
V-icious lies in threatening stance;
A-rmed though with the sword of truth,
N-ever shall foes go the distance.
G-od's soldier is well-disciplined,
E-xemplary in managing time;
L-etting not the hour be wasted
I-n obeying His will so sublime.
C-all of duty is utmost priority,
A-ccepting no other endeavor;
L-abor in the field of the Lord is his noble task and fervor.
M-an of highest integrity,
I-ncorruptible in words and in mind;
N-o deed done in dishonesty,
I-n morality he's so inclined.
S-oldier of the Lord is firm,
T-hinking not of material things;
R-emaining to be brave and loyal,
Y-earning to gain eternal blessings.
Induced Interludes
Twilight disrobes a soundless star
It claims some gentler theme from me
Caught lingering in a unified bestilled embrace
Beneath a unique spotlight of its gleaming afterglow
gently now, gently
thus footprints bare none
alight butterfly rest on a finger
spilled words occasions the breeze
the gist of me shadows alongside jaguars
Morning star glint after dawns flow
Challenge arranges yet another measure
An opportune solemn hymn ingratiates breaths
Stages of a day follow blissfully edge to edge quietly
gently now, gently
a better course grace me
fingertip traces a fashioned grin
a made verse set rhythmically whispers
a softly caressed infant coos towards silence
Sunsets a mimed score entertains
Review disciplined superbly portrayed
Persuades descending rays an eyeful adieu
Nightwings greet dusk, whorls up into absence
gently now, gently
ebb star pivots another
penitent pose cradles prayers
pointed at fingers in lieu of sheeps
eyes seals behind dreams, genteel cast...
it comes at work week’s end
when the mind feels carefree
and frivolous
comes that desire
to be reckless with words
a want to mix abstract metaphors
some smelling like pine
burning in an open fire
on a starlit night
under a lofty canopy of leaves
or a fancy to throw thoughts into the air
and catch them again
as feather light words
that tickle fingertips
while writing patterns on a page
enjoying time knocking around ideas
concepts that excite the senses
like the aroma of sautéing garlic
or scorching mucous membranes
with a fry pan full of chilli
its seeking solace beyond disciplined thoughts
high on a boundless breeze
catching fleeting fantastical images
this exhilarating rush to corral
these haphazardous words
Candid and fully exposed as the theatre’s light dims
She stands poised, dauntless disciplined and statuesque
A stance both stalwart and defiant yet supple are her limbs
Mango hued flower, shoulder's thrown back thrusting her breast
He sits rapped by intrigue as he studies her movement
A silver fox and raven mane is neatly brushed regally back
To beautify him further would take divine improvement
Only to be bathed in her impassioned embrace does he lack
Swirls of sangria red fabric charge like El toro spark undulating trails
Laced in pearly white with azure blue print mesmerize and highlight
And flow about her generous hips in a rage of billowing canvas sails
Flamenco dancers firm legs are revealed in fish nets that boldly invite
Whilst her furtive glimpse ignites his cavalier bon vivant smile
She bewiles with onyx eyes that glisten and fingers splayed for effect
He connects in a flash with a performers come hither guile
Upon times eternal river this fiery night's tryst they shall reflect
tiny fingers
mismatched mittens
snowflake shrieks
11/17/2021
Hiku (Disciplined Brevity) Poetry Contest
My voice is a hollow vessel
where words spiral down
into a whirling dust storm
and exit dirty and unwanted
as if riding on the hooks
of some God-forsaken 120 degree desert.
No specific value has ever been
assigned to the words
that stick in my throat
and always leave like
a mumbled mishmash-
a jar of miscellaneous buttons
with threads pieces
hanging on in disbelief.
A lone vowel has gone off
like a disciplined child-
her pink mary jane's scruffing
the barren sidewalk with utter disdain.
Consonants drift and drown
into a muddled pond
overgrown with hanging algae.