Best Elective Poems
I reached retirement age a year ago,
but still I like to teach and so I do,
but three days now instead of four a week.
I start at 9 and finish up by 2.
I love my students, and I joke with them.
My class most fun is an elective: Film,
but first class of the day I love the most
because our foreign students need it most.
It’s grammar, and without it, other skills
fall flat. I feel that it’s my strongest suit.
Although my major happened to be Spanish,
I felt inadequate, nor did I want
to teach our teens so little motivated.
One doesn’t get paid well in ESL,
but students are adults who wish to learn.
My personality goes great with teaching
since I love words and knowing how they work.
I get to be creative and tell stories
to illustrate my point to students who
appreciate me. From them I learn too!
I came to poetry in my mid-40’s.
I’d only written stories in my high school,
I now use poetry to write about
all sorts of things, by using classic forms
in which the structure of a sentence matters.
I love poetic elements such as
alliteration, rhyme and metaphor.
I’d never make a stunning free verse poet.
Iambic beat came coursing through my veins,
and led me to the way I write today,
RE-THINK
Self-reflection rather than global critique;
Not better or worse—individuals unique
Searching solutions, as opposed to blame.
Fostering what is right, instead of the same.
Focus on traits that are strong;
More than what is wrong.
Words to rephrase—
Such as never and always.
Uncover all or nothing thought—
Must, should, have to, ought.
Things beyond control, versus choices elective
When negative things happen—finding perspective.
Barbara Campbell
I choose elective surgery.
Yes, that will do the trick.
Make my inside match my outside
so I'm no longer sick.
First, I'll take my heart out,
remove it from my chest,
scrub away the pain of you,
but choose to leave the rest.
Then I'll pluck my eyeballs,
right out of my skull
filter them with shades of rose
so life won't be so dull.
Then I'll saw my head off
so I can see my brain.
I'll sanitize it thoroughly,
so no sad thought remains.
I'll sandpaper my lips down
until they've lost your kiss.
With no sense memory remaining
there'll be nothing left to miss.
But then I must peel off
every single fingertip,
if I'm to lose the feeling
of touching your soft lips.
I will plug my ears with tar,
so I can't hear your song.
And as my head grows heavy,
it's destined to grow strong.
Now I must plug my nose
so I can't be deceived
into thinking you are near
when at long last I am freed.
And I elect to cut
my tongue out of my head
so I'll no longer crave
the taste of things unsaid.
And once I've cleared my senses
of their memories of you,
I'll look into the mirror
and see my work is through.
But wait, something has happened!
I don't know what that is.
It appears something is missing,
for it needs a soul to live.
RETROSPECTIVE RELEVANCE
Relentless search for relevance
Reflective selective reassurance
Rationalize elective rehashing
Relentless search for relevance
Regenerating nostalgic recall
Reminiscing connective reclaim
Reconciling corrective record
Relentless search for relevance
Radical projective refusal
Reluctance infective reclusive
Regarding objective regain
Relentless search for relevance
Ramify detective recall
Reason affective release
Recover prospective radar
Relentless search for relevance
Copyright© April2013—Kim van Breda
Prayer for our First Lady-Michelle Obama
Heavenly Father in the sky continue to give the
First Lady strength to be by the presidents side.
Even when unpleasant situations
tried to reside.
Continue to have her be the rock
of his foundation that gives him
aspiration to clean up this nation.
Bless her with the role
to uplift her husband’s soul.
Allow her to hold
your godly wisdom firmly and bold.
Grant her to be a reflection
for every woman who is seeking
a positive direction.
Permit her intellect to be an inspiration
of every ethnic girl’s educational determination.
Let her complexion be a symbol of
success for the female race
to show them they can achieve in any high place.
Give Michelle wisdom in
This First Lady position
so she can carry out your divine mission.
Keep her safe from harm
and protect her in your lovely arms.
Allow her supportive years to create a lasting
impression on every future generation
in becoming the first- Afro-American
“First Lady” elective collaboration.
“Amen”
Michelle Obama 2008
(c) Naomi Johnson
G.I.R.L. (Gorgeous Intelligent Radiant Lady)
What started out as a message on myspace
Is the reason I keep a smile on my face
And the reason I keep a smile on my face
Is because you put it there when we first locked face
I looked at you the 1st good time by my guy locker
Then felt a cohesive aura that gave me a shocker
Then we twice in a row met in front of the lunchroom
And the eye contact felt like a sonicboom
In my heart I have reserved limitless room
Til the end of the earth for you I zoom
Sittin with you at lunch
Damn I feel a hunch
To hop on top of you and kiss you
Everyday I miss you
I may sound thirsty
Or maybe even thirty
But you won't say "Baby I thought you'd never hurt me."
Is this love at first sight
I hope I'm right
I promise I don't bite
Love you already I just might
Whether in a box or a house
A pet dog or a pet mouse
For richer or for poorer
I'd never call you a whore
Sex is not my objective
Being with you is no elective
I didn't choose this it just happened
I'm serious I'm not laughin
When I see you blood pumps rapidly to my heart cuz my emotions are clappin
That's a colossal applause
Does our bond have a cause
If not let me know
And as fast as I came is as fast as I'll go
Not go away but go harder
Travel farther
Than a train
In heavy rain
I'm no doctor but I can heal your pain
To show I got education
I make no hesistaton
To start a relation
Take this ship to its destination
I'm sick of the female exploration
I make you my top nomination
You are my flower who completed pollination and fertilization
To me you are the best in the nation
Or better yet, the world
To you: Beautiful G.I.R.L.
Spring has sprung
And we are won!
No cold or frostbite,
But dew holds tight.
Circulating air,
Breeze fare.
Blossoming plants
All bright slants.
Growth exists,
Beauty consists.
Blizzards gone,
Winter’s long!
Open necks,
Hit the decks!
Perspective,
Elective.
Dialect loved,
Speciation beloved.
I have so much ahead of me
all because of you
if you hadn't done this
I wouldn't have either
you are my inspiration
the reason for my success
I never want to disapoint you
You convinced me to put band down
as my elective
For that I owe you my life
You are like the big sister I never had
Aunt Amber You have taught me everything
from playing my flute to finding the greatest deals
for that I owe you my life
What if a dream should actually come true?
Can you imagine how that really might feel?
One day you are laying down flat on your face,
The next day you are dancing a 'Scottish reel.'
'Good accidents' can befall the unlucky,
And 'bad luck' can sometimes cripple the chosen,
A tropic typhoon can ruin a vacation,
An arctic heat wave can thaw out the frozen.
You should know dreams are not just about venting,
Not just part of a 'Walter Mitty' life style,
Your dreams can be precursors to real action,
The kind that just might make your own life worthwhile.
It is not enough just to want what you want,
At the very least one more step you will find,
To visualize first how your life would be changed,
This act alone might just bring peace to your mind.
To visualize something is in fact to dream,
The difference is just that you're conscious,
All the action still taking place in your brain,
All the chemistry is in your subconscious.
We're all glad God leaves some prayers unanswered,
Well it turns out that not all dreams are equal,
Before you say dreams are a waste of your time,
Think! Any dream can give birth to a sequel.
I hear some of you saying you don't get it,
And you think that fate is not an elective,
But don't throw your baby out with 'bath water.'
Please just reflect on the powr' of perspective.
Brian Johnston
January 13, 2014
#OH MY GAWDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!
"I'VE BEEN WILD CAUGHT!"
Who would have thought???
Something soooooooooooooo savory, utterly most delicious and immensely tasty could be sooooooooooo
A M A Z I N G :-). Enough to transcribe and describe this INCREDIBLE, SUBJECTIVE "ELECTIVE" {SMILE} brought to you by
-TASTE BUDS FROM THIS POETESS!
Allow me to address...
If today were my last day on earth and I was absolutely certain {intuitively} it were...
I would request for Breakfast, can you please heat me up some pizza from the day before, it has PINEAPPLE, FRESH BASIL AND SHRIMP ON IT!...OH YES! AND...
THANK YOU, MUCH OBLIGE :-)
Lunch: SAME, THANK YOU, MUCH OBLIGE :-)
DINNER: SAME, THANK YOU, MUCH OBLIGE :-)
AFTERLIFE: FIRST DAY...
SAME, THANK YOU DEAR CREATOR, AND
*ALWAYS*...MUCH OBLIGE :-)
NEXT DAY: BREAKFAST...HEAVEN MADE WAFFLE AND OUT OF THIS WORLD MAPLE SYRUP..."PLEASE! KINDLY!" :-)
AFTER THAT, ANY GIVEN TIME...
HINT*....IT'S ON "RE-SET***" {S M I L E}
©Renee D. Gross {GHPPR} March 2023#
See Things Objective Horn Haiku
See Things Objective
Not Always Be Protective
Much More Elective.
Jim Horn
Cocoa from this bean derived
Essential to this product
Scarce thought for the deprived
With creamy blend of milk and butter
Our tendency to indulge
A fair wage and exchange- it's juster
Alas sugar laden, it feeds the bulge
And addiction
In assorted shapes and packs
To enhance temptation
While the bean pickers live in shacks
Obesity the scourge of the West
Small amounts only is the lament
Hard work and long hours spent
Sparse time for rest
An essential gift for the yearly fest
And post elective fast
Fair trade for all we must propound
You see its full of beans
So make it last
Beauty beheld by a devil
Would fury and lust incite
Taunting him to revel
At things lovely and bright
And only annoy and dishevel
The beast like a collar too tight.
Ugliness happened upon,
Say, a carcass that lay in the road,
By a being much wiser prompts parallels drawn
Between dead dog incisor and silver and gold
For to only a saint would it ever dawn
On the saint as a thing to behold.
Far be it for us to decide
If the tendency, blessing or bane,
Gives the zealot convenient places to hide
Like a judge too lenient on those who bring pain
Or the serial killer a lovable side
Excused for his natural drive to disdain
Or the servant, content to serve,
Feeling blessed for being alive
While the privileged scoff as they take an hors d'oeuvre
As he earns just enough for his child to survive
And never once thinks of the nerve
Of his master, blinded by drive.
If neither side can be dissuaded
To yield this same elective,
Their perusal, predicated
By stubborn refusal to wax objective,
Leave both cherished and hated
Victims of perspective.
I think my best years are clearly already behind me
That everyone persists in reminding me, it is glee.
I don’t think my traumatic childhood years were elective
That’s certainly true from my adulthood perspective.
I won't consider sharing those god-awful teenage years
They were replete with so much trauma, agony, and tears.
I remember best my first year in college, Berea
They, most of my buddies, went to Korea!
I loved being stationed in our newest state, Hawaii
The U.S.A.F. took me; I soon became a beach flea.
I returned to wild and wonderful West Virginia
The rest of my story there, some day, I shall continue.
I think life began when I met sweet Deborah, my wife,
That should suffice, I think, for a quickie look at my life!
THIRD PLACE WINNER
Written August 15, 2022
submitted to "Dot Your i's and Cross your t's" poetry contest
sponsored by Hilo Poet
[14 lines of 14 syllables per line
checked with PS Syllable Counter]
My eyes you conquered with the might of Alexander,
Puru I gladly became at that thunder.
My heart a plaything became at your hands,
Unconditionally surrendered I time thousands.
My lungs hyperactive emerged at your sight,
Panted I with delightful fright.
When you approached, my feet terribly trembled,
From limb-mind configuration, courage I assembled.
Your presence made me feel neuron-quake in my head
Producing dew-drops of perspiration in the forehead.
Sharp-tongued am I with the gift of the gab,
Alas! Your sovereign presence rendered me drab.
In my constitution, you caused an adrenaline rush
I think, I trod the path where angels fear to rush.
You took a toll on my veins and blood,
By making the red humour flow in streams of flood.
In Geography on chapter Egypt, you made my attention cursory,
Elective Maths became real elective, making you compulsory.
You made me forsake the empire in me and the books,
To be the Columbus of the empire within fine frame yours?
You made the atoms of my physique
Pathologically you-sick.