Best Elicited Poems
I have a butterfly in my pocket,
that will never fly again.
When I think back to yesterday,
it’s a pretty reminder of my pain.
Butterflies aren’t meant for pockets,
you my dear were not meant for me.
I have my pretty reminder,
that without me you are free.
We kissed in the sunlight,
a butterfly landed on your toes.
It elicited smiles and laughter,
I loved how you crinkled your nose.
Bright skies filled with clouds,
in just a matter of days.
A butterfly stays just a season,
how I miss your delicate ways.
You left me without warning,
I saw our butterfly on the ground.
Like you no words were spoken,
my heart made a breaking sound.
So I put our butterfly in my pocket,
imagined you flying again.
I’m left to ponder my sorrow,
with a pretty reminder of my pain.
Categories:
elicited, angst, farewell, leaving,
Form:
Quatrain
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.
Categories:
elicited, child, dad, daughter, father,
Form:
Rhyme
The wizened hunter had but one cartridge
remaining this was no trifle matter.
For he’d been attacked by a hungry horde
of rats when he took shelter in this cave.
And now a mordacious wind was morphing
into a severe storm and he was scared.
Yet he had to layover until dawn
for the blizzard’s wrath had imprisoned him.
The mere thought of his starving family
elicited nightmares and pangs of guilt.
For he felt shackled to this loathsome cave
unable to hunt and provide them food.
Setting the horizon afire Sol rose
as dawn's first light pierced the black of night.
And with one shot starvation was diverted
for a buck stood dead center in his sights.
Categories:
elicited, angst, emotions, fear, feelings,
Form:
Blank verse
Impressions of a teenager
I was born today twenty years ago
A healthy child with eyes of a doe
I grew up in a free world
Saw the national flag unfurled
Sang national anthem with devotion
A hand on my heart and no motion
It stirred my pride on secular belief
Sacrifices of martyrs elicited grief
I studied in cosmopolitan schools
Learnt honesty and obeying the rules
Ne’er differentiated between rich and poor
Or had any delusion to a life of grandeur
The TV news showed a bitter killing
The video clips were very chilling
A result of animosity between two men
One of whom lost in a gambling den
Days later two groups fought a bitter battle
The bone of contention was lifting of cattle
One group accused the other of eating beef
They said it was against their religious belief
Another day a young couple was burnt alive
The relatives and parents decided to connive
The girl loved, married the boy of lower caste
Retribution by the elders was prompt and fast
It’s awfully risky for girls to travel alone
Even if she has her mobile phone
She can be waylaid by men at a lonely place
Forced to satisfy their lust and face disgrace
“What has independence given us?” I ask
A discordant society oblivious of its task!
The sacrifices of martyrs appear to be in vain
All principles and ethics are down the drain
Greed of wealth and power is the motto
Governance is like a game of lotto
Honesty has ceased to be a virtue
Questioning the corrupt is breaking the curfew
End
Categories:
elicited, independence day,
Form:
Rhyme
Sports Day at the primary school
The kids were 7 and 9
They’d been at the school for 4 or 5 years
It seemed such a very short time.
For dads there was the Blue Ribbon event
I always gave it a bash;
The ritual humiliation of
The 70m Dash.
Now bear in mind that some of these dads
Were barely in their 20s
While Muggins here had carried his bat
And made my first half century.
I’d first run this sprint 5 years before-
I thought I’d give it a blast;
I ran like the wind from gun to tape
And made a respectable last.
Similar results in subsequent years
Elicited standing ovations
The crowd recognised that despite getting old
There’d been no deterioration.
Year 3 I ran like a galloping mare
The fruits of my training I reckon
And earned for my efforts a personal best
With a time of 31 seconds.
(For training I ran a marathon
I didn’t finish last in it, neither!
I nearly caught that pantomime horse
But outclassed the deep sea diver).
But then I devised a masterplan
To help me succeed in the task
And at 50m I stopped for a tea
Out of my vacuum flask.
I’ve got you puzzled by this strategy
How can I be so content?
Of course I came last in the Dad’s Open Dash
But first in the next event.
Categories:
elicited, funny, sports
Form:
Light Verse
A miss, with handsome curved thighs,
From men she elicited sighs
- Try as they would
- None of them could
Ever lay hands on the prize.
Categories:
elicited, funny, hilarious, humor, humorous,
Form:
Limerick
I revere the witty verse of Ogden Nash,
Whose versifications are so waggish and brash!
His work elicited from the masses many a guffaw.
Alas, he met his doom after consuming infected slaw!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
(c) All Rights Reserved
Categories:
elicited, humorous,
Form:
Clerihew
She isn't real.
Near mere measures of perfection,
Upon the pedestal to be placed.
All faults beyond my exception;
Within consciousness falsities laced.
Wanted to feel,
Mortal intimacies elicited by her proximity,
To finally feel wholeness fulfill.
Cover my existence with normality,
Ultimately gratifying my eternal thrill.
Inability to deal:
Simple presents pose problematic,
Appearances irrational without reason,
Alterations of plans appear automatic.
My heart, ignoring my mind, commits treason.
Heart will seal.
Now my inabilities stretched past feeling.
Outward perceptions beyond dealing.
Consciousness and soul left reeling.
Uncomprehending of the things she's been stealing.
She isn't real.
Categories:
elicited, lost love,
Form:
Rhyme
The secrecy that ad-libbed by the muteness
Embraced fervency aroused by the speechless
The darkness that mildly faded by the moonshine night
He gently took hold of time
Holding her by his arm, softly he lauded
The moment with rhyme –
Three melodic words as he whispered
Broke through his heart and spoken by his eyes
An adorable smile shared by her
That touched his essence longed beyond time.
Soothingly he crossed his arms by her back
And slowly and slowly…
They adhered themselves nigher
No more words uttered and benumbed their breath
They stormily gazed themselves
Throbbing of the heart, the only fathom eared.
Blink of lashes felt upon by the adage intimacy
Bedewed by secretion when two lips sensed the legacy
They prolonged by the eroticism that shone,
He slowly and softly eased his hands
And allayed her by her dorsum, which upraised
Her desires with eternal dusk that kept on.
A kiss of betrothals on her forehead
Whispered by drops from her eyeses
And wordses were bespoken by the affair of silence,
He slowly and gently held her across her waist
By blink of an eye they fell upon abreast on the rose bed
Where the secrecy lingered by the comeuppance.
A kiss of attachment on her neck
Pulsed by innate reflex of her body
And tepidity elicited by the adhesion.
Longanimity of love felt upon by the quest for lust
Peeled by the vehemence when two body conjunct by their essence
They made love by the sound of their gratifying whispers
And sometimes a smile was shared
By the presence of affirmation and touch.
Wallow in their squeeze on the bask shed
They rollover dearly upon their ardent bed
The running away time failed to apprehend
They abstracted themselves
By the renascence of ignition with glows of love.
The secrecy then ad-libbed by the muteness
Embraced fervency aroused by the speechless
The darkness that mildly faded by the moonshine night
That actually met the dawn by the running away time
They were benumbed by the naive realism
And upheld their sensualism by the moonshine bright.
Categories:
elicited, love, passionwords, kiss, love,
Form:
Free verse
Humans not meant to dwell in caves
Drowned out,
No inherited inhabitants
Mother black bear's in rage
suckling on the land of mass construction
Dry and toxic is it's tit
Oh no more!
No natural function
Seduced seducing men mock
Abyssal in spirit!
Is this the choice of your decision?
Idly dragging you down
Can you hear it?
Tick tock!
To you, I give this vision
Stanza 2
Humans not meant to dwell in caves
Drowned out,
No inherited inhabitants
Mother black bear's in rage
While dancing with the devil
Did he place your feet upon the truth?
Did he tell you..
'Dance!' 'advance!'
To this evolution, my envious booth!
Hanging on the doors , the walls, no sanity to crave
Cleaned out,
beheaded!
Mother black bear died in vain
Stanza 3
Humans not meant to dwell in caves
Drowned out,
No inherited inhabitants
Mother black bear's spirit of rage!
They claim we came from monkeys
Starting of dwelling in caves!
Satan twisted the truth
But it seems you'll die this way!
Humans not meant to dwell in caves
I'll burn you out!
Inherit the Inheritance of truth
The mother black bear of flames!
As a Native American symbol, the bear is as free in spirit as the great wind; and grander than its mass. To match that magnitude is the quality of unpredictability in the bear. A massive animal who forages seemingly peacefully in the woods on berries and bush. when provoked in certain ways, the First Peoples witnessed a ferocity expressed from the bear that (understandably) could elicited terror.
Because of this potentially furious storm brewing just under the surface of bears spirit, our native forebears were extremely cautious and respectful of this animal. Even tribes inclined to peace honored the spirit of a warrior, and witnessing the bear seemed to embody that kind of blind, powerful surge of courage and strength that every warrior is want to tap into.
Bear meanings were enhanced by observations made tribal sages. These vital tribal figures were inclined to pensive and deeper understanding of how nature communicated intent in all her forms. These sages found connections between human and beast and from these associations would interpret profound meanings that propelled the community into direction, action, and wisdom.
Categories:
elicited, abuse, animal, humanity, nature,
Form:
Rhyme
I was a “why child”
but unlike many others
didn't ask my questions
right out loud
for they never elicited satisfaction-
only bizarre grown-up reactions
discomfort shown
in odd looks or awkward glances
at each other, over shoulders
uncomfortable silences
growing colder
nervous laughter
qualmish coughing
even worse- the teasing, scoffing
or miserable mealymouthed
meaningless exchanges
in that drudging monotone
of “I'll explain later”
or “you'll understand better
once you're older-
or you're grown”
And so I dug for
the answers myself
delving in dresser drawers
combing through closets and
straining to reach the very
highest-high shelves
I wanted to know all the kinds of things
that people keep to themselves
Until one day, I finally found it
the holy grail I was searching for-
in an anemic cream-colored binding
weathered and worn
my Mama's diary of secret thoughts
from the years before
Breathless, I broke it open
impatient with worrisome wait-
wanting to savor it, to slow down, and taste it
every scandalous secret enclosed within...
so I scanned the dates before reading the entries
to find out where the story would begin
So far, so good
it was ancient to me
back before she was even married
and I couldn't wait to know the fullness
of it treasures trickling down
like a delicious waterfall
cool and refreshing
invigorating
but- Oh!
how she had let me down!
Ruining all my breathless fun
I found that my Mama
was not a very
exciting
kind of woman
Categories:
elicited, childhood, family, people, perspective,
Form:
Free verse
Conundrum Reaching Conclusion
Create a conundrum
Create a query
Conundrum seeks a solution
Query wants to be found
Solution has many facets
Found a clue
Facets bring about obstacles
Clue usually hones us in
Obstacles must be tackled
In order of relevance
Tackled by a certain mindset
Relevance proves paramount
Mindset is imperative
Paramount are the attributes
Imperative to results
Attributes must be studied
Results will take commitment
Studied the partakers must be
Commitment is born inherent
Be manifest destiny
Inherent is the seeker
Destiny holds the key
Seeker must prove worthy
Key is seek out all that surrounds
Worthy of gleaning absolute information
Surrounds the query to be unearthed
Information must be carefully elicited
Unearthed essentially uncovered
Elicited with worthwhile foci
Uncovered by sheer determination
Foci must be unimpaired
Determination to procure the truth
Unimpaired by subjectivity
Truth will not come easy
Subjectivity is difficult to bestow
Easy never being prolific
Bestow untethered concentration
Prolific ends come with dissection
Concentration is the key
Dissection may bare connection
Key is the element of discovery
Connection connecting fragments
Discovery brings moratorium
Fragments strung together
Moratorium reflects conclusion
TOGETHER triumphs are accomplished
Conclusion will evade till then
Accomplished are the chosen…
Then nature must take its course…
Course
Chosen
Sunshine Williams
Categories:
elicited, inspiration, visionary,
Form:
Blitz
I was curled up
with Shakespeare
on frayed pages
with dog ears
marveling
at the depth of words
nuances read
between lines
knowing that
many hands
had turned
the same pages
reaching
different conclusions
and evoking
myriads of emotion
my fingers
touched the spine
shivering
with history
connected
through thought
and with imagination
running wild
and I mourned
for the children
in todays world
who's Shakespeare visits
on flashing lights
and computer bites
lost is
the old world charm
such as Elizabeth wrote
and Robert devoured
ferociously
my tears fell
upon parched pages
leaving
an indelible stain
that would be seen
and felt by others
who reached and touched
the words
I realized that
tears on a screen
would only be
wiped away
without memory
of the emotion
that was elicited
leaving nothing at all
for history
to record...
Categories:
elicited, introspection, life, social, words,
Form:
Free verse
The sidewalk menu listed
All the specials of the day,
Inviting every passerby
With time and means to pay.
But one such item on the list
Elicited a grin
And made me wonder ‘bout the tool
That reeled that sucker in…
For “pole-caught tuna” was the dish
On which one might have dined;
Yet Huck or Jim upon their raft
Was what it brought to mind.
The restaurant wasn’t fancy
And I’m sure nobody thought
About the method used
To get that tuna snagged and caught.
If I were writing adjectives
To make that menu shine,
I guarantee that “pole-caught”
Wouldn’t be a choice of mine!
Categories:
elicited, fish,
Form:
Rhyme
Workaholic had been his usual bag
Long suffering girlfriend had been her tag
Accountants reckoned him a millionaire
Travelling countless worldwide miles in the air
Now inspiration had deserted him
He was doubting when, where, how to begin
So far his typewriter had not been used
Glancing at it, he shrugged, slightly bemused
Then remembered finding Beth's gold earring
Knowing, without doubt, their love was no fling
His literary agent then rang his phone
Which elicited a negative tone
His airline ticket was cancelled forthwith
With hand on heart there was no more to give
He lifted an overflowing ashtray
Seeing Beth's lipstick stained stubs from the party
He emptied them into the rubbish bin
Then knew he would ask her to marry him
Categories:
elicited, change, girlfriend, how i
Form:
Rhyme