Best Ditched Poems
Cuckoos hushed, rambling vines and plight.
Hordes of birch, beech, pine, spruce and oak.
Choke of darkness, forcing midnight.
Wax and breadcrumbs children-ditched folks.
Hordes of birch, beech, pine, spruce and oak.
Hansel and Gretel, frightened, twitch
Wax and breadcrumbs. Children-ditched folks -
Woodcutter built house for a witch.
Hansel and Gretel, frightened twitch
Of laced-up fingers spot the
Woodcutter-built-house for a witch.
Tasty-sweet, they eat what they see.
Of laced-up fingers, spot the
Craving, clinging to witch’s house.
Tasty-sweet, they eat what they see.
An hungry old woman they rouse.
Craving, clinging to witch’s house,
Sticky-mess invited in by
An hungry old woman. They rouse
Her wrinkles and warts. The bat lies.
Sticky-mess invited in by
Deception. It’s not a love-in.
Her wrinkles and warts - The bat lies
In wait to bake in the oven.
Deception. It’s not a love-in
Handing the pan, asking succour.
Why wait to bake in the oven?!
Tries to fool girl. Wants to bake her.
Handing the pan, asking succour.
In 1940’s, the earthface fell pale.
Tries to fool girl. Wants to bake her.
Grimm’s prophecy no fairytale.
In 1940’s, the earthface fell pale,
Choke of darkness, forcing midnight.
Grimm’s prophecy no fairytale.
Cuckoos hushed, rambling vines and plight.
1/23/2021
Proud Pantoum
Sponsor: Caren Krutsinger
Categories:
ditched, allusion, angst,
Form:
Pantoum
‘Twas the night before Christmas and I didn’t care;
I had dozens of latkes I had to prepare.
The menorah was ready, with candles to light,
Waiting there by the window, a wonderful sight.
The presents were wrapped and I lined up the dreidels;
The soup was a’bubble, with floating knaidels.
The applesauce waited to chill in the fridge
In a Chanukah bowl. (Yes, I tasted a smidge.)
The cookies were baked like my grandmother taught,
(So much better than any that anyone bought)
Shaped like candles and dreidels and six-sided stars;
There were plenty to fill cookie platters and jars.
When I suddenly sensed there was something the matter.
I raced to the kitchen – the oil was a’splatter!
For while I was fixing the festive display,
I should have been frying (not quite my forte).
The first batch of latkes was burnt to a crisp
And smoke filled the kitchen (much more than a wisp),
But tying my apron for take number two,
I ditched all the burnt ones and knew what to do.
I lowered the flame and reheated some oil,
Plopping spoonfuls of batter I wouldn’t let spoil.
Then I conjured my childhood and Chanukahs past,
When I had no idea years would fly by so fast.
And I pictured my nana and grandma, as well
As my parents, my grandfathers and Aunt Sydelle
And my brothers and sister and cousins galore
And my uncles and aunts I’ve not mentioned before.
While my latkes were frying, so crispy and gold,
I remembered how Chanukah used to unfold,
When we played with our dreidels and gathered our gelt,
In our family’s embrace and the love we all felt.
So I cooked the new latkes with patience and care,
Knowing that with my kids and my grandkids I’d share
All the pent-up emotions I’ve hidden inside
With a platter of latkes, now perfectly fried.
And to all who will celebrate Chanukah time,
I do hope there’s a lesson for you in this rhyme –
For the very-best feelings our childhoods instill,
Through traditions, our hearts and our bellies will fill.
December 7, 2022
Categories:
ditched, chanukah,
Form:
Rhyme
A burst of white light
gamma rays, overbearing
a flash of brilliance
burns through to my soul
everything is like hell
the world starts to melt
in the blink of an eye
just the cold blackness
of night
I don't care if I am not again
what I once was, for at this moment
I am greater now
than ever before
I took the path between
teetering, tight roping walking
right up to my right
divined in my unholy state
I thought I told you
I am your king
still you sit there, hesitating
I know you hate me
what does that mean?
I hate just about everything
still I'm chosen
I did not wish before
now bow down to me
refuse me no more
for I shall always be your demon
until you accept me as your King.
I don't even know you
though you say we used to be
best of friends, you and me
the day you ditched me
I remember now
exactly how it played out
back when we were just tiny things
even back then I still was King
you thought me stupid
just a ruse
I would laugh inside, you see?
not one of you single, mean people
ever even knew me
in a world, mostly seen to me
that is why only I can be your true King
and bring forth a new source
of light everlasting.
As two worlds collide slowly aligned
one wrapped in shadows
one bathed in white
evils swirling in the clouds above
I'll always be the king you love
to hate or despise as in your blood
I thought I told you, I am the one
I am the way, the way out shall be shown
breathe in my spirit as it carries you away
breathe in my faith it shall carry your empty space
and deposit you gently on a cloud just enough
higher than you've ever dreamed of
for I am king now, and your in my hell
your in my imagination, I'll just never tell
you'll feel as though dreaming, you'll feel now
if you try and see
you were always found the most
shared in the light cast upon me
the last bright star in heaven.
Denounce my name, if you may
One year later, still not afraid
A black sheep, a darkened spade
That's just life, I'm not right
I'm in the wrong, follow along
Like a piper, I'll pitch a song
Mesmerized, the weak wills sing
I thought he told you, he's still our king.
Categories:
ditched, art, brother, childhood, confusion,
Form:
Free verse
O' Salty tear, a mere clear drop that you are
You've emerged for a million different reasons
many of which only the shedder knows
for you've emerged in all seasons.
The season of sadness or reason of joy
the tears of grief and the tears of joy
You and your unalloyed saline taste
thou art' but an emotional waste.
O'Salty tear each time you drop into oblivion
why not vanish away with your shedder's grief?
I tell you O' tear if you're to take my opinion
oughtn't you grant your shedder full relief?
Ah but thou art' a ceaseless ocean in reserve and store
No one can be sure, he'll cry no more
When you trickle down those sad upturned lips
we know destiny perhaps made those painful slips!
You are the raindrops of a grief-clouded heart
You do emerge when two lovers have to part
Help your shedder turn over a new leaf
so you're associated less with grief.
I've watched many a jilted lover
weep all alone by the sea-side most sorrowfully
and watched tears glide down noses or pince-nez
as their salty tears merged into the salty sea.
O' Salty tear but it's time you learnt to wash away
all and any poignancy from your shedder's heart
and be such a buddy who never wishes to meet again
the tearful shedder from whom you depart!
Would an ocean form created by ditched lovers
if someone collected their fallen tears?
Categories:
ditched, sorrow,
Form:
Quatorzain
Hear a babe in his crib who is wailing,
left there with a rash that’s got infected
From hours of sobbing, his voice is trailing . . .
What monsters left their son so neglected?
Now see a girl; she’s only four years old.
She is lost and feels so disconcerted.
It’s getting dark; the wind is bitter cold.
How long will she survive, now deserted?
Picture this: A pimple-faced boy, fourteen
is walking home from a dance, dejected.
The girls he asked for a dance were so mean!
Why stay there longer being rejected?
See a bride. Her groom's not there. She's in tears.
She waits with her many guests at the church
as she faces one of her secret fears.
She can't believe she's been left in a lurch.
A groom sees his bride on his wedding day
walk down the aisle. He can’t wait to be hitched.
Suddenly she turns! She’s a runaway!
His smile fades, for he knows that he’s been ditched.
See someone wed for years – hair turning grey.
Her sons are grown; she’s a sad rose wilted
next to her ex-husband’s young fiance -
the epitome of being jilted!
But wait . . .the most tragic by far
together with these others I have lumped.
This last poor soul is carried in a car
to the woods where - throat slashed - she then is dumped.
June 18, 2020
For the Thesaurus - Abandon Or Abandoned Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Dear Heart
Categories:
ditched, people,
Form:
Rhyme
My pen pal and I both had a passion for poetry books
The city library was thought of. We met in her nooks.
Shush! Shush! We heard from a librarian, truly staid.
With face of a rooster, we knew she was an old maid.
Two pen pals forever, we only had one day to meet.
We knew it would be fun, endearing, exceedingly sweet.
We ditched the library, my forever pen pal and me.
We headed northeast, where two terrific poets should be.
We picked out a spot where literary mermaids danced and sang.
Faeries and brownies came along with a hull-a-balloo band.
Dictionary gargoyles got frisky, and gave us some sass.
We rolled our eyes, ignoring them, and their syllable grass.
It was a fine time. Two poet pen pals having a blast.
Collaborating hard, ideas in spurts, and real fast.
And that is how we two pen pals finally met, and had some real fun.
If you doubt this incredible tale, you are not the only one.
Categories:
ditched, books,
Form:
Rhyme
Leading his horse in the heat of the day
Been gone a long time but he still knows the way
Just a few shacks when he went for the gold
He’d found a few nuggets but now he’s too old
So, home to the town that he’s heard has expanded
He’s also aware that the town’s been rebranded
He knows he’s too late to catch up with the guy
Who’d bid him farewell but now lives in the sky
He stops on the trail by the boundary sign
He don’t read-n-write but he knows the design
He knows that the words on the board aren’t the same
Must’ve been changed to display the new name
“Howdy, Old timer,” a passerby said
“The hotel’s just yonder for resting your head.”
The prospector said, with a big toothless grin,
“What’s the new name of this town that we’re in?”
“It’s now ‘Milton Creek’, as it says on the sign
It’s new name remembers a good friend of mine.”
The old fella, grinning and shaking his head
Said, “Milt said he’d live on long after he’s dead.
“I used to tell him he was being absurd
but he always was just as good as his word.
To be sure that fella deserved the ovation
But can we just rename the towns in this nation?”
The passerby said, “There are them that makes rules
And then there’s the ones that behave like their mules
But sooner or later things get a bit rich
And the mules all rear up and scratch at that itch
“Soup Creek fell prey to the powers that scheme
With lynchings and lashings an ongoing theme.
There’s cells in the jailhouse where innocents dwell
Soup Creek’s reputation had heard its death knell.
“You see ‘Soup’ emerged as a four letter word,
And good folk would tremble when e’er ‘Soup’ was heard.
So we ditched the mouldy old cheese for best stilton
And renamed our town to remember our Milton.”
The prospector slapped on the passerby’s arm,
“You think I just ran from the old funny farm?
When you said ‘Stilton’ twas just for the rhyme.”
The passerby grinned, “Fella… got it first time.”
Categories:
ditched, western,
Form:
Rhyme
Springing up, like a cactus sprout, after the First-World-War,
The concept of New-World-Order did not touch deeper core;
Like, water drop on lotus leaf, it stood touched and untouched,
Sometimes it appeared ditched; other times, again, it got clutched...!
Thompson Woodrow Wilson thought of International peace,
Is peace, so simple? Do tensions within minutes get ease?
Did he, yet, ever think of such concept, in any way?
Or, any other leaders, on this, their opinion say...?
Is it a ploy, like monkey becoming judge for the cats?
Or, is it like the fox asking the crow to sing, as tact?
Why did the race-course stop, in midway, as though at random?
Hare lost or tortoise won? - Why no information, solemn...?
A New-World-Order, indeed, is prerequisite today,
It's not like an advanced nation, swaying power away;
Nor like an alien troop beyond nations control the rule,
And making all others, as though asses, permanent fool...!
New-World-Order is a system, in which, concord exists,
Peace and prosperity, among all citizens persists;
Caste, color, creed, sect, ethnic variations are erased,
Dealings midst beings are always compassionate love- based...!
Poor and needy, like twigs among bouquets, should have their place,
Care for others, like horse-tack, should control the cut-throat race;
Each, in this planet, should have their essential piece of land,
If anyone lacks, others, like brothers, should lend their hand...!
World, as made by God, must turn like the Garden of Eden,
Fresh air, fresh water, measure freshness should ever deepen;
If one thinks, this thought is Utopia, let this be one,
Won't striving toward such a state be an unending fun...?
24 April 2022
New World Order Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Robert James Liguori
Categories:
ditched, life, world,
Form:
Rhyme
There once was a snitch ditched in itchy pride,
sick of being tied, to grumpy cats side~
she lured his furry tail,
trapped him in a caged tale,
she sat, blowing kisses that were denied…
Categories:
ditched, cute,
Form:
Limerick
The most popular educational trend
Courses labeled as ‘STEM’
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
Offerings that lead to destruction and wrath
Nuclear fusion and fission they aid and abet
Not to mention ‘AI,’ which’ll destroy us all yet
The more ‘modern conveniences’ we have, the more harried we are
Ask folks who bicycle, glad they ditched cars
Perhaps we can teach the next generation
how best to avoid war through negotiation
Failing that, mankind seems doomed to stagnation
Categories:
ditched, education, irony, science, technology,
Form:
Rhyme
If Washington came back to life
I wonder how he’d feel
To be pictured on a quarter
And a dollar bill – surreal!
Abe Lincoln, too, would bust a gut
If he became alive,
To see his visage plastered
On a penny and a five.
And Alexander Hamilton,
If he could live again,
Would love the play about him
And his picture on the ten.
Had Andrew Jackson ditched his grave,
He’d likely argue plenty
About his image front and center
On our nation’s twenty.
Ben Franklin, though, would be real proud
If he came back to earth,
To find out that a hundred dollar bill
Proclaims his worth.
McKinley’s portrait graces
Money that we rarely use.
(I’ve never even seen that bill –
Five hundred smackeroos!)
Poor Jefferson, despite his wealth
And all he got to do,
Unfortunately got his mug
On the elusive two!
The pictures on our currency
Have long been set in place.
Thank goodness or our current prez
Would swap ‘em for his face.
Categories:
ditched, money,
Form:
Rhyme
Am I the only one to think
that a kite is such a sad thing?
Flimsy...frail...
never really free,
forever tied to a string
Yes, it can soar indeed,
so high, with the wind taking it places,
almost making it forget,
just enjoying the wind rushing through,
lighthearted
The wind drops,
then it gets snared
among tree branches maybe,
or perhaps stuck on a roof or elsewhere
with its string all tangled and knotted,
almost impossible to untangle
if made with paper,
it should be lucky to still be intact,
with nary a tear
more often than not,
it gets ditched in the trash,
the price to pay for
its momentary freedom
Sometimes, though
perhaps a rarity these days,
there is that boy who makes
that kite from scratch,
whittles the sticks himself,
painstakingly forming that frame,
creating that kite with love
So when it does get all tangled up,
that boy still tries so hard to fix it,
to make it new...
never minding the cuts
he gets in the process--
That string not meant to tie down
that kite,
but a lifeline to the boy
But like I said,
that must be a rare thing these days...
For I am one to think
that a kite is such a sad thing...
Flimsy...frail...
never really free,
forever tied to a string
** There are many of you who have helped me in my journey in writing, & my heartfelt smiley thanks to all of you but I'd also like to give thank you hugs and smiles to Chris D. Aechtner ^_^ I distinctly remember asking you about Sijo, wow when was that? 2 years ago? Back then, I knew I asked the right person--& from there, you've helped bring to light (& helped me appreciate) a lot of other writing forms, just talking about those forms was a blast, just you sharing some of what you've been learning along the way (& believe me, I've learned even a thing or two! can I just say this? I bet you'd make an awesomely cool teacher :D)-- from sijo, to limericks, to sonnets, to haiku and kimo, to than-bauk to that Grook! ook! Being mainly a free-verse writer, you've helped me diversify & that means a lot to me. So my heartfelt thank you for being there in my poetic journey, and for being my friend :D
oops. that wasn't a couple of lines?! lol
Categories:
ditched, allegory, life, me, sad,
Form:
Free verse
I once dated a chef …
I was worried about getting a bun in the oven
But when I saw him mincing across the kitchen
I knew I wouldn’t be getting my fingers burned!
I once dated a fireman…
Oh he was HOT HOT HOT
But when he got out his tiny hose
It soon put out the flames of my desire
I once dated an electrician ..
Hoping that he would light up my life
But he was short tempered and would quickly blow a fuse
Sadly in the end there was no spark between us
I once dated a plumber…
I was flushed with pride when we were out together
Sadly he had problems with his waterworks
I ditched him… he was always taking a leak
I once dated a bricklayer
Couldn’t resist pointing out my faults
He wouldn’t listen, it was like talking to a brick wall
In the end he drove me up the wall and our relationship crumbled
15th April 2016
Categories:
ditched, boyfriend, humorous, jobs, love,
Form:
Free verse
Ole Bugs was a rascally rabbit
a bunny with Fudd foolin' habits
each carrot he stole
and ditched in his hole
caused Elmer to scream Bugs G_d dam it!
Categories:
ditched, funny,
Form:
Limerick
The Uniform
When I grew up if you came from a poor or austere home,
the joining of the merchant navy could be a rescue,
if you kept your nose clean and went to a navy academy
you could become an officer and got to wear uniform.
I did go to school and after seven years of drudgery I was
a catering officer, with three silver stripes on my uniform.
Only other officers, say, those the bridge or engine wore
golden stripes, again I felt inferior ditched my uniform wore
a blue blazer instead, golden buttons, my title and logo like
firework on my chest. When It dawned on me I had reached
the pinnacle of my career I wasn´t going any further and
promptly lost interest in the supplying profession.
I wore T shirt and jeans tried to be equal only to discover
when you are an officer the crew will never accept you as
an equal and will treat you as the fool you are
Categories:
ditched, humor,
Form:
Blank verse