Best Expectations Poems
between the plant pots and the trays
the cobwebs had seen better days
and for all the wood and damp and soil
the smell was one of paint and oil
as flies and wasps lying in state
were curled up past their fly-by-date
and nails and screws and metal hooks
shared space on shelves with brewery books
beneath a clock with broken hands
where time stood still amongst the cans
and jam jars full of pip-like seeds
stood next to things that no one needs
and while her tears had stained the glass
that looked out on the unkempt grass
upon the floor amid the mess
..a letter
and her wedding dress.
I have the rhythm of a winding road
how do I consign myself to being confined...
rows of poplar pillars prop
rendezvous canopies beneath we meet
—I self-cajole on ooh-la-la afternoon
yellow eyes; daffodils watching
lean into gossip groups nodding
a prodding breeze instigating deep-freeze—
I am a sweet weed in this place of sway and betray
with a stranger I stroll my arranged betrothed
height of his black top hat challenges trees
much like Corinthian columns
guards of an aisle I must walk —dear God! must walk
trepidation trips down my bridal spinal column
tiger eyes; lilies watching wish they were me
dare they dream they could uproot their roots like me
wish they could wedding waltz like I must —like I must
but their envy-leaves remain embrace-less
—I secretly envy lilies’ arms empty of yet unmet love
daffodils; empty-headed —laugh
they try to read my mind to fill their own
what do I care of their curdled thoughts lemon tart
and orange lilies’ with their brocade brimstone
what do I fear of fire-breathers burn of words
undergrowth feels the square heels of my lace-up boots
post impression grows more expressive than first—
beware French tongues of sundew and burdock burr
marriage-carriage rolls in ruts to Versailles
where my coerced corset of hooks and ties lie
rhythm of a winding road dies in minuet strangle-hold
spilling mother’s milk
Nature’s bounty feeds her child -
river’s youth fades fast
Susan Ashley
April 29, 2020
~ Fourth Place ~
Premiere Contest: Hi-Ku (5)
Sponsor: Brian Strand
I flew to Olympus, to find its heart,
armour intact against Hades’ dark wrath.
At birth the power of light made its start
as Homer's ghost sent me upon my path!
Yet there I found only an empty throne
where once Zeus in glory firmly reigned.
So sad! For no lighted wisdom was shown,
such that grievous and blue, my heart was pained!
Thunder and lightning I didn’t yearn to find,
nor divine favours for eternal youth.
I wanted reassurance, peace of mind,
justice for all and no distorted truth.
At the foot of Olympus I sought love
but no compassion came down from above.
---------------------------------------------------------
Robert Lindley & Paul Callus ~ 21st November 2015
Chosen Poem Of The Day, 3rd December, 2015
Not who you think I am
6/22/26
By Dustin Branum
I’m not crazy, I’m lost....
I’m not depressed, I’m suppressed....
I’m not lying, I’m selective....
I’m not paranoid, I’m aware....
I’m not high, I’m enlightened....
I’m not weak-minded, I’m indulging....
I’m not hateful, I’m disgusted....
I’m not resentful, I’m resilient....
I’m not angry, I’m expressive....
I’m not wrong, I’m open for the debate....
I’m not picky, I’m exploring my options..
I’m not mad, I’m disappointed....
I’m not rebellious, I’m standing up for what’s right....
I’m not selfish, I’m protecting mine....
I’m not denying, I’m refusing to condone....
I’m not enraged, I’m enslaved....
I’m not unstable, I’m unstoppable....
I’m not delusional, I’m conclusional....
I’m not stupid, I’m far from it....
I’m not deaf, I choose not to listen....
I’m not resisting, I’m refusing to bow down..
I’m not dangerous... to all....
I’m not a con, I’m a prophet....
I’m not dismissive, I’m filtering....
I’m not evil, I’m confused and tired....
I’m not woke, I’m awake....
I’m not okay....
I’m not you, I’m not me no more either....
I’m not accepted, I’m rejected....
I’m not jealous, I’m in envy....
I'm not a psycho, I'm a Scorpio....
I’m not for sale, nor doomed for hell....
I'm not the warden of this jail cell....
Betrayed Expectations
(Sonnet)
I flew to Olympus, to find its heart
armor intact against Hades' dark wrath.
At birth the power of light made its start
as Homer's ghost sent me upon my path.
Yet there I found only an empty throne
where once Zeus in glory firmly reigned.
So sad! For no lighted wisdom was shown.
Such that grievous and blue, my heart was pained.
Thunder and lightning I didn’t yearn to find
Nor divine favors for eternal youth.
I wanted reassurance, peace of mind,
justice for all and no distorted truth.
At the foot of Olympus I sought love
but no compassion came down from above.
--------------------------------------------------
Robert Lindley & Paul Callus ~ 29TH November 2015
Note: It was a true pleasure collaborating with my friend
Paul Callus on this poem. His poetic advice and addition
both were top notch. And appreciated greatly was the
opportunity to learn from him.
You have my sincere thanks, my very talented poetic friend.
Today’s students strive only to meet expectations
We used to go all out to exceed expectations
Young people have no real goals, just vague destinations
Their minds seem to be set on low-level vibrations
Our young people seem to lack worthy aspirations
Discouraged teachers are left with exasperation
With weapons in schools they must avoid confrontations
And keep a close eye on escape route locations
These kids can’t even hold meaningful conversations
Or do the simplest mathematic calculations
Their free time is spent in video game fixations
A "C" or a "D" harvests little indignation
Teachers get no support from school administrations
Even when students fail final examinations
These unmotivated kids have few variations
They only want to slide by and meet expectations
One day these children will be running corporations
Or choosing how governments make appropriations
It’s frightening when you consider the implications
For our world's future, I have angst-filled expectations
* For Paula's "Meeting Expectations" contest
Passions for expectations with life were none
Till the teenage accepted life as it came anon.
Went to gym, played games, attended school
Swam in the open sea, life smooth and cool.
Might’ve been endowed with great expectations
In gestation to perform later in life like everyone.
Sprouted while in the university educational zones
Both of literature and dramatics as milestones.
Both meted out in career as a university teacher
Not so easy but had miles to go in my endeavor
Was quite fortunate to meet the inspiring persons
Who directed me to perform the righteous acts.
I did meet my expectations later in matured years
Performing Moliere in his own country and theatres
Attending the poetry conferences in three continents
And honors in literature that missed in early periods.
Aimed for the moon but reached the sky amidst
Never complained about the wind like a pessimist
Never expected the wind to change like an optimist
But adjusted the sails like a down-to-earth realist.
+++
October 14, 2014
Form Free Verse
Dr. Ram Mehta
Third Place Win
Contest: BIO by Regina Riddle
You swallow billions in cash, yet your assault strengthens,
everything with life now stands on one side against you
but your unpredictability is what gives you this audacity.
Your sarcasm and indifference to mankind
may seem to amputate medical science
but even on wheel-chairs,
we will hold hands together, never giving up.
You now pass through numerous gates
to the fat, slim, male and female;
to the adults, kids, rich and poor;
to drunkards, smokers, abstained or perverse;
to the omnivore, vegan, sexually active or not;
to the religious, spiritual, free thinker or non-thinking.
You shoot them all in an unfair rampage
making the task so herculean for you to be controlled.
Your spread plays the gruesome music of death
inviting the straws of extinction to sap life out in slow sips.
The more your covered distance, the more your torment.
Towards the end of the road, your merciless afflictions
are an indication, nature can acquire a bad side.
You come with a red card held by a fatal hand
then go with a white one with the inscription of a soul.
All humanity fight, but our blows seem not to reach you.
For long, we’ve taken your jabs
and being on the receiving end is becoming so protracted.
But we’ll hold steadfast, never giving in to a knock-out;
staying strong, united and hopeful,
that someday, victory will be hope's fashion
for the new dawn to be here permanently.
Expectations
Triumphant note of a magnolia's pearly white
Wakens the sleeping ground,
Beautiful ballerina
Impressing all around.
Herself the spotlight.
Brave fragile snowdrops light the woods' darkness,
Fluting, keen, white and green
Like panpipes in Peruvian mountain scene
Banishing starkness.
Each year we come to see this lovely sight....
Now, Spring's within our scope,
From Winter's chains we're free.
Like children now, our hearts are light:
Pilgrims and Druids we,
Embracing light and hope!
****************
It’s May 18th, 2022. I’m poised, alone, heart pounding, in front of my laptop, waiting for courage, my finger hovering over the return key, like a child hoping the timing of my keystroke will bring me luck.
I took this summer off - which drove my mom absolutely CrAzY. “You CAN’T!” she’d said last month, only to be overruled by my Grandmère. Now I’m home for summer break and tonight she’s flush with exasperation.
“You should have applied for a dean’s fellowship,” she said, her voice rising as she rubs her hands together, as if scrubbing for an operating room procedure, “and a summer research position!” She’s practically twirling with suppressed emotion.
I get why she’s upset. She only goes “deep end” when she's worried about my future. She knows what’s needed to get a medical school slot in 2025 like other moms know their favorite recipe - after all, she’s done this twice before.
Leong’s upstairs, avoiding this family scene. When I described my family expectations as “hustle culture,” to my roommates, they all understood - we’re that much alike.
Step (my stepfather) is trying to de-escalate and calm us (her) down. “Look,” he says, holding up his hands like someone talking down a gunman, “NEXT summer she’ll buckle down, get in more volunteer hours and get a dean’s research fellowship” he says, sliding his eyes to me. I nod “ok” almost imperceptibly. “It’s ok to start grinding sophomore year - that’s what I did.”
OOOO! She turned to him and if looks could kill, he would have exploded like someone in a Tarantino movie.
By some psychic grace my Grandmère chose that moment to call. Step and I fled the den like it were on fire, going our separate ways to halve the chance of being followed.
In my dark room, lit only by the light of my MacBook, a quiver runs through me, and I finally press return. My grades for Spring semester - and Freshman year come up. My eyes water and I relax back against my chair when I see “Dean's List.”
I smile to myself, and slowly, fiercely I clench my fist with a “YESS!" As I postulate my victorious reprieve.
Do you know what I'm sick of?
Expectations
Expected to live this picture perfect life
My life is not a post card
I do not own a picket fence
And if I did it would probably be black
And broken
But that's ok
sometimes my life can be terrifying
I spent 36 years trying to be someone I'm not
Waiting for the Pat on the head of approval i never got
What is it that I'm doing so wrong ?
Why is it that my efforts are never quite enough ?
So one day I decided
No more
My heart is good and my soul is kind
This will help me sleep at night
An overachiever my whole life
But who for ?
Who am I trying to impress ?
It wasn't me
Because all that ever did was make me miserable
So I've dropped the act and this is now me
If you don't like it then it's fine
I seek no ones approval but my own
You see I wasn't acting before
That timid girls still in there
But she deserves some peace
To know that she's enough
Not for anyone else
But she's enough for me
Diminished Expectations
Everyone lives with a degree of frustrations
Although having backgrounds from different nations
Lives are destroyed by giving into temptations
As mates try rebuilding on broken foundations
Leaders lust for applause and standing ovations
While the common mans dreams are lost in translations
Children busy with visual fascinations
While parents practice their rehearsed simulations
Human predators love their killing sensations
As their victims lose their treasured habitations
And so we live with diminished expectations
Rejecting even logical explanations.
Sample for my 12 by 12 Monorhyme Contest
John Derek Hamilton
January 11,2017
She longed to be a baker
Though neither thumb was white
Couldn’t rise to the occasion
And the contest is tonight
“Listen Cupcake, don’t you fret”
Your name is not Sue Flay
Just do your best and let
The chocolate chips~ fall where they may
You just might win this contest
And be rolling in the dough
It’s when you yeast expect it,
Those creative juices flow
Kneading inspiration,
I whispered in her ear
“You just can't roll over”
And give up out of fear
You’re shortening your lifespan
With silly complications
You should learn to trust yourself,
Start raisin expectations
Let's reflect on
being mortal, and spiritual beings.
Between the pain and confusion
life offers, and the finality of death:
we find faith, hope, trust, and love.
We're endowed with emotions, consciousness,
and a conscience;
which fuels the human heart:
buttressing the poorest foundations,
to carry the weight
of higher expectations.
Miracles only happen
to those who believe in miracles.
Looking back in time:
often shows us a distorted image of reality:
a collection of brutal truths and outright lies,
filtered through the passage of time.
And while bigotry cannot erase yesterday's shadow,
it can alter tomorrows',
by penciling in the shadows of today.
History's jagged edges
cut as deeply as any knife;
draining the heart of love,
and the soul of hope.
Skin color is a human obsession:
God is color-blind,
as is Man's best friend: the dog!