Best Emissaries Poems
Old and ugly and well married is the visage
that I carry, and yet, there is another world
that keeps opening up its magic door.
It sends me notes and emissaries
that I could be,
I should be much more than what I am.
The first message, that I was aware of
came to me in the high desert where
I sat Walden-like by a pool trying to
get back to the source, I'm told, is
within us all.
Suddenly I saw a flurry
a mile across the valley floor,
a point took flight and became
a mystic preying mantis
that picked my shoulder as a perch.
Mid day church bells rang
at that moment and I watched
the sound reverberate
shaking bushes and trees
down the valley, scattering
birds and small animals.
Yet the mantis on my shoulder
calmly sat, cocked its head,
and in its eyes there was a question.
I replied to the mantis' query that
"I was old and ugly and well married and
I am simply not quite ready,
but keep the offer open and
I will be ready soon."
After a month of worrying that
perhaps I had gone too far,
in refusing to go through an open door,
I summoned it again.
Right there in my backyard I heard
a flurry and found a grasshopper perched
where you had perched before.
The question in its eyes left no doubt
it again was you.
I replied that I just wanted to make sure
that the offer you had proffered still
was mine to take.
You flew away as I explained that
"I was old and ugly and well married and
simply still not quite ready but keep the offer open,
and I'll be ready soon."
Years went by and I forgot the magic,
indeed, avoided magic.
I went to a marriage yesterday,
I sat alone, away from the others,
on a bridge, by a pond,
amongst tall pines and redwoods.
I thought again of the mystic mantis.
Suddenly you were there.
You came out of a crowd of happy guests
and crossed into my solitary space.
You touched my shoulder and my hand
and kept it there for the fastest hour.
We talked about nature and
books we had both read,
the giant puppets you made,
and about things
I'd never tell a stranger.
I looked into your eyes
and realized
that we had met at least
twice before and saw the familiar offer.
In my mind I pleaded for more time because
I am old and ugly and well married,
but please, please keep the offer open
because I'll be ready soon.
Suddenly you were gone.
Happy New World
A new day glows as the year comes to close
Opting for true love that rejects old throes,
Wishing happiness for all ringing heavenly bells,
Offering hand of friendship as tranquility dwells.
No need to waste time making elaborate plans,
A silent prayer in unison will awaken all hands
Linking solidarity to defeat emissaries of evil
When angels will join in to vanquish the devil.
Citizens of this world over seven billion strong
Have enough power to defy mighty atom bomb,
For no one would die if no one would fight,
Refusing to pull trigger will end unsightly fright.
Healing won't begin until we recognize the pain
Hiding in places where despair and grief reign.
A tiny part of each of us can restore dignity
As people rise-up to save anguished humanity.
May volunteers bring smiles to saddened faces
As regal actions shine brightly in angelic graces.
Imagine billion hands reaching to those in need
Uplifting resolutely, engaged in a noble deed.
May the world unite with heartfelt compassion
As message of kinship reverberates true passion.
In a world without wars there are no weapons
For trust builds friendship that peacefully beckons.
May new-year dawn wishing happy new world to all,
May deliverance of goodness answer every call,
May courage dominate defying perils big and small,
May harmony loom large as unity stands tall.
December 30, 2017
First place: Best poem contest by Silent One
As soft winds rustle leaves upon forested hills
And fog envelopes depths of verdant valleys
Receiving a missive from auroral emissaries
When the night that dreams of trills and melodies
Awakens the new dawn of ebullient themes
Poised to wish new-day a blessed good-morning,
Let the show begin, with the chorus of robins.
When day cedes to twilight’s orange, rosy skies
Sketching sunset in kaleidoscopic skyscapes
And stars enlighten kingdom of the cosmos
As seductive tunes complement astral ensemble
Serenading a soulmate in lyrics of romance
Enthralled in fantasies fervently longed for,
Let lullaby of heart warble nightingale’s song.
When spring blossoms on tulips and daffodils
And summer devours apples and blueberries
Feasting on bounty of sumptuous grain harvests,
Traversing the seasons north, south, east, west
Where weather’s the best and freedom reigns
Waltzing in ambiance of liberties yearned for,
Let fantasia enunciate repertoire of bird songs--
Sing now, sing aloud, all the birds of this earth
And articulate the splendor of mortal existence,
Lift the song of life, raise cadence to crescendo.
April 30, 2020
Placed 2nd:Pick-a-title, Vol. 16 – Free verse 2 poetry contest
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
HM: Brian's Choice 3 Contest by Brian Strand
"Human mind knows no constraints. Without spending time or money, one can make an odyssey into the outer space and even into other planets. What is needed is the fuel of imagination." - By Poet
Outside, the night was gathering strength
How swift our lightning Sputnik,
Out running the speed of sound and light
Shot into space with a violent jerk, leaving us psychotic.
At a distance were luminous spheres
Suspended like glowing lanterns
Comets and meteors in hyper space
Seemed more like diffused patterns
An asteroid came whizzing towards us.
I closed my eyes in dreadful shock,
Fearing a terrible head on collision.
Thank God! It deviated from our track!
I looked at my friend seated beside
Obviously not here, lost in thought!
Looking down, I saw Mother Earth
A luminous ball, not bigger than a sapphire dot
Oh! How quickly we landed on Mars
It is so different from what I had learnt
Neither a barren belt of sterile terrain
Nor a rugged stretch of craters burnt
But a heavenly place so cool and serene
Full of scintillating scenes and ravishing sights
We, the emissaries from a far away land
Were warmly received by a team of alien sprites
The weight of the world suddenly lifted from us
We bounced up and down almost floating in the air
Found ourselves in a gorgeous garden
With springing fountains and blossoms fair
Trees were laden with dazzling gems
Lagoons and lakes of liquid silver
Vast expanse of tawny vistas
Plains waving with luxuriant verdure
What fun…! Hmm…over there,
Nothing like those seen on planet Earth
A herd of animals so strange and rare
Grazing on red grass in a canyon of great width
Our restless eyes scanning all around,
We accelerated our pace in rising delight.
As we were eager to explore every bit of ground,
We moved forward with enthusiastic gait.
Sudden was the sound I heard behind
And saw my mother standing near
Puzzled and confused as I looked around
In my ears her voice fell ringing clear-
“You lazy one, know this is exam time”
Rough and curt was her angry tirade.
“Again you can’t play a dumb mime”
Her words made my afternoon reverie suddenly fade
I saw my open book sneering at me
And my uncovered syllabus, a vast sea
Snow showers arrived from the darkened sky
Sometimes like rain, sometimes white flakes
Swirling freezing winds, whirling fallen leaves
From street to street and town to town they went
Shining grassy fields, crowning barren trees
Painting a winter scene, peaceful and serene
Then a new day came, with its own emissaries
Changing my landscape, erasing old footprints
March 17, 2019
Placed 1st: Late March 2019 contest by Brian Strand
An impossible crisis intervene
is a heavy nothing to God
It’s such a light thing,
a very light thing
When we're facing a certain death trap,
it only takes a light tap
from the Hand of God
to turn a dire situation around
Completely flip it upside down,
crook the devil emissaries' smiles into frowns
This is such a very light task ...
a vapor helium ask
A vacuum void of empty
devil indemnity,
sending attack demon dog beasts
with sharp teeth
Stressful prayers of saints
under siege ...
crushing soul gravity
Heavy hearts
dealing with weighty,
mountainous odds
Ain’t nothing but a light thing
for Almighty God,
it’s such a light thing ...
Faith given wings like a dove,
feathery joy fluttering up
to the heavens above
Prayer amen hands
given double-blessed love
Showing us that ain’t nothing too heavy,
too hard for God
Signs of a needed miracle ... something impossible,
is a nothing deed that nod
yawns Him
to barely lift His Messiah rod
With ease,
the shadow returned backward
ten degrees
This was such a light thing
Raising the dead from the grave
was such a light save
For Almighty God,
a very light thing
These be such light requests,
requiring only a slight touch
from the Finger of Power
It’s such a holy light thing —
in the eyes of God, we’re not asking much
Miracles performed
are such a very light thing ... but not to us!
The natives believe that the Mississippi River
carries the souls of their ancestors into the water of judgment
wherein they will either enter the Sun's fire of joy
or sit in the ice of the Moon having their feathers counted and examined,
I suspect that when we, The Corps of Discovery accomplish our mission
this Grandfather river will haunt us like a deep dream that fights Time,
He is an American river now, an avenue for the trade of empire, substance and soul,
President Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon in 1803
for 15 million dollars, enough gold to build a bed with
and a landscape large enough to construct a nation on,
it is now summer of 1804 and with hearts, rifles and ores we explore
into lands that lurk with life old as oceans and tribes ageless in tribulation,
we are three dozen men whom hunt not warriors or wealth
raiding and rapine be not our pleasure, war party song our spirit sings not,
we are agents of destiny,
emissaries of Washington and explorers of the Northwest Passage,
the Spanish, French, and English already have merchants and mercenaries
peppered in remote areas of lucrative wilderness
furs, precious metals and trade routes lay naked to the will of disciplined conquest,
for the Indians survival is the business, their heritage hinges on heroism,
everyone has a claim yet only one power will reign,
J.A.B.
The best of nature lies in thy bosom
mother Africa, the toast of continents
your strength and opulence draw
kings and nobles to endless
rift of spoil sharing and gun trotting.
Africa! The strength of
the universe, the last bride of
nature with sumptuous virginity
from Somalia to Kenya, deep
down the creek of Delta to
the arrogant diamond of the
Zulus, earth cannot rival
thy blessing and extravagant
endowments.
Shameless kings seek second
dominance in oil rich north
with flying birds and explosions,
they sowed corruption in Naija
they brought AIDS and HIV with their planes
and then send grants to mock us
Yet the African spirits wax stronger!
Mother Africa,
inside thee lies peace
endowed by creation, but
these evil emissaries of
violence sowed poverty
and grief in thy land
knowing the volatile nature of
thy productivity. Alas, in torrent
we have reaped pains and bloods,
four years drought in Kenya, two
months xenophobia in south Africa,
endless genocide in Sudan
endless NATO assault in Libya
with piracy holding sway in
Somalia, oh mama Africa!
yet thy love intoxicates me
like the tribal white wine of Iwaya!
they tell our stories in biased satellites
they label us evil and apish
oh Mama Africa, arise, arise !
out of thy trial in awesome purity.
Arise! Arise! Arise!
Arise from thy slumber and give
hope to our fleeing children!
Bring them from the south,west
and north and let the
eastern hemisphere release
thy heritage.
Now there is war in Africa
but soon there shall be
unassuming peace and
discoveries of earth
noble secret in thy enclave.
Joy everlasting! Blessings manifested
The crowning glory of why I visited
Heart overflowing with amazing grace
From the Father, sustainer of the human race
He gives the word, go reach my son
Out of this place my will be done
Spared his life, from sins decay
Enshrine with your glory, O Lord I pray
Emissaries of the Lord, took up the strain
Words and deeds will not be in vain
Heart, body and soul, in preparation
In readiness for the great convocation
Put an hedge around your son dear Lord
Your blessings in copious showers afford
Satan’s charms and wiles confound
The Holy Spirit’s presence there to abound
Blessed Lord, for this opportunity, I give you praise
Thanks and blessings, continually to you I’ll raise
Overshadowed by grace redeeming love
All praises to God who reigns from above
I see no future in tomorrow,
For the war coming,
The soldiers are ready for feud,
Just waiting for a trumpet sounds.
Following the illuminating light from the west,
And the Egyptian pyramid,
Spying,
Watching over all.
Here we stood,
Ignorant,
Depending on the enlightened,
Who blindfold's us?
We are scared to say,
But we know they hunt,
They are the oligarchy,
The emissaries of cleft.
They’re mechanics of war.
They besiege by night,
Clamouring,
Blood bathing,
Making demonic symbols,
Singing the songs of the Egyptian Mummies.
The death of millions of heads,
Give birth to crude oil,
Crudely they all smile in pity.
They forgot God never sleeps,
We will rejuvenate.
By the end of the war,
And God will Judge.
The winds of war are starting to howl,
rumors of war beginning to spread even now
Emissaries of governments speak lies at negotiating tables,
full of vomit of distrust ...
as the gathering storm blow those past crushed bones of dust
into the roiling air
Fear mongers go down into hidden, subterranean installations
to prepare
for the looming destruction that will rain from the air
Death don't care
how many bodies will be littered
on the ground everywhere
The foul wind begins to blow from the gathering storm
Merchants of war congregate in their smoke-filled,
dark boardrooms ...
Dividing the spoils from the soon-to-be laid waste lands,
and the vomiting of distrust begins again
Territorial maps will be shifting with the wind,
as multi-national corporations confess their inside trading sins
to their false profits and false gods
Baleful winds of destruction is howling at the door
The gathering storm of war has arrived
upon the shore once more
I am the hunter with belt and sword.
I am captivity and desires searched for.
Great my name has become.
My dynasty is vast as a Roman Legion.
I stand for truth and honor.
Many have tried to defeat me.
Many I have defeated.
I am glory and shame in a world devoured.
So overwhelmed that we sputters to speak but overcame undefeated.
I am Law and Justice.
My government is Monarch.
I am the Emperor and Judge.
My engagements are that of Poet and Philosopher edification to instruct my people out of darkness.
So obfuscated, they splutter to speak but I am there as their teacher.
Mystification is our world.
Those who find us are forewarn that we are given life by God,
therefore, we are sentient to what is said.
If he or she sojourns, he or she must learn our ways.
So distinguished we are.
We have conquer multitudes.
Delegation to our land we deploy.
Emissaries formed and our people adhere.
We rejoice over our victories.
Measures are not require.
We know who we are.
This is our Empire beyond the stars.
Galactic bears as named.
Galactians are woman, man, and child.
Our minds are affixed.
Our hearts are forbidden.
We are not forsakes of love.
We are the image of unions.
Neither he nor she achieves without some form of unity.
Here is our belief and our creed.
We are the Galactians of Orion.
Constellation on the equator east of Taurus, we are one world diverse.
Our people are multifarious.
We are unions unified.
Our missions is to remain distinguishable from all others.
Strength of our brothers is strength to all.
Solidarity is domain, which includes woman and child.
Diversification must form.
Mixt we are colors all around.
Amalgamation is a twilight zone.
We are the Galactians.
Once discovered, we embrace.
Conformity is our aspect.
We informed with a straight face.
Life is not lost here.
Our horde will segment.
Our ways must be sought.
To those that come, whether by choice or coincidental, we inform.
Our creed is our belief that anyone can be a Galactian.
Within a dream, we may live.
Within in a world, we are.
If you are the choice or the coincident, we are your protector from enmity.
We are the Galactians.
We are warriors and man!
As a Roman Legion, we possess the power and the strength.
_________________________________/
Date Written: March 29, 2014
For the Roman Legion Contest
THE LION WHO RUNS FROM A LION
Born of a Lion
But raised among sheep.
Stronger than iron
But shiver like leaves in upsweep.
Boldness is one of your identities
But at the sight of your clan,
you flee in company of groupies
And scatter before God and Man.
Instead of taking your territories
As it is written from the Genesis,
You succumb to your enemies
just at the sight of their emissaries,
Not knowing the old saying of wise words:
"He who runs because he has seen the Lions
can never run faster than he who runs
because the Lions has seen him" in the woods.
Since the son of a Lion is a (lion) cub,
Then the son of God is a god.
That's the veracity you have to absorb.
Accommodate this truth in your taste bud.
Vick Manuel Poetry {VMP}
Copyright© December2022.
This game of killing is no longer
Safe in our heart of hearts.
This game of looting is no longer safe to
Hear in our society, change and change!!
We no longer dream of disposing innocent
Babies in the heaped dustbin in the street.
We are tired of lobbying and craving for our own
Selfish pocket when others are hungry and sad.
We are quiting from backbiting and bribery because
The eyes of the people are now on us breaking us.
We are sick of looking at the poor spread out in the streets because they seek help and future.
Help us find a way, this game is no long safe with us.
Tell those unfriendly friend that enough is enough,
Those who conquers, defeat and caged our soul
With evil that we can't come out from that the game, it is over between us, we can't continue with this.
Look not at us, emissaries of destruction; we are blind with the work you gave to us in the darkness.
You are giving us reasons to frown and brown,
This game of corruption is no long safe in our hands.
Enough is enough of this "Yes sir" always!
Give us freedom to breath and bright!
Enough of this baberic act against our own people!
You that wears smile as if you are happy with us,
We are leaving this game to your dead hands.
You that rape our dignity and give us sorrow;
This game is no longer safe in our righteous hands.
We are breaking away, we are calling it quit now!
You that empty our stomachs to feed yours;
We can't do this job again, our conscience is against us.
THE POETS
We are the conscience of the heart; the custodians
of her emotions: conjuring, molding, sculpting and
etching her most sacred feelings upon the canvas
of time’s times.
We are devoted lexical midwifes;
delivering depolarized doses of liberated thoughts
from the wombs of metrical pregnant minds.
We are dream catchers of the soul;
unflinching emissaries of truth’s truth;
unafraid to dispel lies and expose hypocritical cries.
We are the mourners and revelries of nations;
standing strong, silently screaming,
slowly stirring sleeping souls:
We are poets.