Best Festival Poems
In the bush the dancing begins early
Leather drums call from far and near.
Steady rhythms mark timed steps, and
Swahili is proudly spoken here; come
Join festive reveler from the village,
Flee to the running brook you see
Asante for being here...for being alive!
Listed #51 in Top 100 Poems
on Poetry Soup
March 23, 2021
Listed #61 in Top 100 Poems
on Poetry Soup
March 7, 2021
HONORABLE MENTION
Poetry Contest - All Poetry
sponsored by Kwame Cunningham
July 26, 2021
DIWALI- FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Gilttery lamps, Myriad diyas and light
Illumination pan India filled with delight
Whole nation splendent like lovely bride
The zest of fest spread far and wide
From northern mountains, western sands
To eastern coasts and southern islands
The spirit of triumph of good over bad
To dispel darkness like light, in life to add
To cleanse both our inner and outer sleaze
Infuse purity, love and peace like fresh breeze
Plenty sweets, delicacies for taste-buds to savour
Fire-works add shiny and shimmering flavour
All families get together to celebrate this occasion
Bond of love enhances in every relation
There’s fun, there’s frolic and there’s prayer
Brings happiness and joy this feast every year!
glossary:
Diya- is an oil lamp, usually made from clay, with a cotton wick dipped in ghee or vegetable oils. Clay diyas are often used temporarily as lighting for special occasions, while diyas made of brass are permanent fixtures in homes and temples.
date: 2nd November 2016
Let’s fly to the celestial fiesta of the cherry blossom,
In the North Eastern Region of Shillong, named, “The Scotland of the East,
The abode of the cloud,” in the lush mesa of the magnetic Meghalaya!
The wheezing Pine forest of the whispering waterfalls in the Khasi hills,
is bustling with the nature’s fairytale of pink, white and ivory!
As far as the eyes can see, the rolling tableland is ringing, ridden by the radiant petals of cherries!
Neither Japan, nor Paris, a mere remote region of Indian plateau,
Glowing in nature’s sublime glory of pellucid picturesque pinks!
Nicknamed, Prunus Cerasoides, the cherry blossoms,
a delightful boon of Himalayas,
are blooming profusely in the magical
verdant highland of the East Khasi hills!
The November is rippling with
moonlit music, plethora of flamboyant folk dances,
pageants, stalls to cater to the globetrotters’ penchant for the ethnicity
of the fur-flung region’s tribes’ cuisines, wine, arts and cryptic crafts!
Such bedazzling is the serenity of the panaromic platonic plateau,
As folks of the vicinity, are traversing despite the rampant pandemic,
to glimpse the shangri la of the richest biome of the floral magical lane!
The resonating frolic of the chirping and twittering from the cheerful cherry bushes
are teeming with the twirling bliss, intoning,
in winters whistling whiff!
A nature’s bounty, a pamphlet of picturesque hamlets’ terrains of aromatic sensuous purity!
Blessed are they, who have witnessed the once in a lifetime scene of crystal clean roaring rivulets, murmuring brooks, the ravishing orchids, quirky root bridges, aesthetic lakes and rills, scented wild flowers, encompassing the enigmatic cherry blooms of the mystic land of the majestic mountains!
An euphoria to have a ride amidst the clouds of the misty moorlands,
gliding languidly to take the signature of the mementos of the moments;
to kiss the plateau of wild orchids, flowering Cherries and sacred woodlands of those Khasi hills,
crackling with the sprouting, cherry blossom festival of the far East!
Happy Diwali friends
As golden orb descends in dainty steps to invite
black darkness to embosom the sky at night
on this joyful eve of 'The Festival of Lights,
amidst dangling artifacts - a common sight,
my simple clay diya radiates light so bright:
glowing and gleaming steadily despite
swaying gently in soft wind after twilight -
and gently whispers Divine wisdom to enlight
our souls with the bliss of purity of the right
and in its warmth, may the spirit of goodness alight
and dispel the gloom of hatred and greed - to ignite
and invoke the holy spark of Truth in delight
Date: 11/4/2021
2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 18 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Mark Toney
Dewali night-
beyond the fireworks of sky
a lonely star
always reminding me
you are no more dad
========000========
Contest- Sad Holidays
Date- 6th December 2013
A Festival Of Lights In November
The ~ Ganga aarti ~ is performing
Oil lamps held at the Banganga
Marigolds and crimson rose
Diwali ~ of the ~ Gods
Martyrs remembered
Swans gracefully
are glowing
in this
pond
*Diwali-Hindi-meaning "Festival of Lights"
*Ganga aarti-Hindi-meaning "Feet of the Lord"
*Banganga-Hindi-River in India
since nearly three millennia
the exact origin
muddled thru times
come every fall
from the Taj Mahal
to sacred temples
to the humblest homes
around the world
the festival of lights
dazzles during five days
of exuberant worship
and lush ritual in celebration
of triumph of good over evil
millions of oil lamps and candles
and sparklers are lit
setting the nights ablaze
in honor of knowledge
and consciousness
as families gather and feast
unleashing prayers for peace
Published in my 24-page photo/anthology ~NAMASTE~ 2020
AP: Honorable Mention 2020
Submitted on June 28, 2019 for contest YOUR CHOICE SEASONS-FESTIVALS VERSE sponsored by BRIAN STRAND - RANKED 3RD
Festivals
We all meet each other ,greet each other
Happiness ,smiles spreading each other ,all around the world
Indian festival gives us fun ,new clothes ,pooja to the god in the early mornings ,so much of devotion ,prayers
Indian festival fun to celebrate
Festival makes us to foregt the bad past
Creates a new good begining
Festival fun to celebrate
So much of good happening spreading in the house
Lots of food preparing the house
Indian festival so much of fun to celebrate
Family staying together having fun together , strongest ,smart part of the Indian festival
Anyone would love to be a part of festival.
When lanterns paint the sky,
I'll weave tulsi trinkets, celebrate divine sight~
while stars fly..
Wings of new moon,
flare as festivals of delight,
in tune.
We praise,
eternal light~
rays.
When lanterns paint the sky,
flare as festivals of delight~
rays.
Pentecost
Festival of First Firsts
The Day of the Giving of the Torah
The Culmination of the Passover
The Season of our Rejoicing...
The Festival of ‘Shavuos’ has many names
Keeping track of them all is a fun game
Shavuos itself means ‘Weeks’ and also ‘Oaths’
Israel counts 49 days – Seven Weeks from Passover to Pentecost
The ‘Oath’ stands for the Oath of Marriage
For on Shavuos, Heaven came down to Earth
God married Israel, His bride
The Torah, their marriage document, their guide for Life
Ever since then, the task of Israel
to reunite Heaven and Earth
And thereby, to the Messianic Era
give long-awaited birth
~~~~~OPA~~~~~
This is the happiest day of my year!
At Saint Basil's Festival, in my heart.
You would see fireworks and hear the cheers.
Nothing can keep me from this Festival apart.
It's the kindness of Greeks, so sparkly of heart.
It's my home on this earth.
So though I will be not online this morning~
You , who support me, are going with me, no warning.
Of Greek pastries and food you will sup,
And even Retsina.. drink up, drink up.
Ah, the Frappes and music divine.
A few Greek circle dances, you will feel more than divine!
Love,
Panagiota
For crying out loud, the flowers are gorgeous,
Fresh, happy, young, alive, and vivacious.
Regrettably, we, humans, cut their lives short,
From time to time, from events to events.
For God’s sake, let the flowers live like the monuments,
Let them enjoy a long life, like the statues in the court.
Almost every event, like birthdays, weddings and anniversaries,
Is the end for those petals, which are sinking in past memories.
Even the funerals are not sympathetic to the beautiful lilies.
In lieu of flowers, why can’t they write beautiful poems,
Make memorable cards or fake flowers with dead leaves?
Let the flowers live in the garden, and plant them in the cemeteries,
In lieu of flowers, send meaningful poems that inspire dreams.
For crying out loud, please end the customary bereaves.
Copyright © October 2015, Hébert Logerie, All rights reserved.
Hébert Logerie is the author of several collections of poems.
aerial viewing
outstretched crows flying frenzy
harvest festival
As we walked towards the festival
We hear the drumbeats and the chanting
Soon we were close enough to view the dancers
Fantastic costumes - red, blue, green, yellow
All the dancers were wearing feathers and pieces of metal
which jangled at they danced
Surrounded by onlookers the dancing
reached a fever pitch
The winners were announced
Later, buffalo burgers and a look around
at Native American crafts
Great way to spend a warm Saturday in June
From North to South, East to West
From Lands End to John O’Groats,
You can always find a festival
That will surely float your boat
There are festivals of music
For blues, folk, jazz and rock
And festivals for foodies
Where you can learn to cook in a wok
If you’re not into music or cooking,
And your interests are literary
You can participate at a book festival
With story telling and poetry
You can visit a festival for the arts
Or an Eisteddford, where people sing
Or hear jokes, at a comedy festival
If singing is not your thing
Or be a viewer, at a film festival
Watching copious ‘films noir’
Or take a walk round a festival of gardens
Through a plethora of fragrant flowers
History, culture, religion, the sea
Are all covered by festivals too
Genres for everyone, regardless of age
Whatever you like to do
Festivals for this, festivals for that
For each month throughout the year,
But the festivals I like to frequent the most
Are the ones that involve drinking beer!