Best Functionally Poems
THE PHASES OF GRIEF
bereavement pain physical
spiritual and philosophical
SHOCK & DENIAL
can’t find relief
overwhelming numbed disbelief
PAIN & GUILT
unbearable preemptive suffering
remorseful chaos excruciating
ANGER & BARGAINING
growing bitter frustration
time rewinding negotiation
DEPRESSION & REFLECTION
grieving bitter loneliness
memories filling emptiness
THE UPWARD TURN
adjusting calmer living
affliction less unforgiving
RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH
willingness to survive
becoming functionally alive
ACCEPTANCE & HOPE
handling new reality
reinventing integral repartee
Submitted on October 8, 2018 for contest SIX-WORD COUPLET SERIES ENCORE sponsored by MARK TONEY - RANKED 1ST
Categories:
functionally, courage, endurance, grief, introspection,
Form:
Couplet
Being a God-blessed Coffee tree
I have a privilege status in my country
Aside from being functionally free
I’m sought-out as Christmas fixture for December glee.
This year, I’m a decorated Christmas tree in an Orphanage-home
And I’ve witnessed the Lord’s love exercised inside compassion’s dome
Along kindness with packed gifts upon comfort’s foam
For youth who once in the streets did wantonly roam.
Delighted am I to behold blessings shared and given
Making abandoned kids receive provisions in their new-found haven
Merrily unwrapping presents tied with care, constantly proven
From donors contributing cheerfully, verily joy-driven.
In my commitment this holiday to signify the Saviour’s birth-celebration
I stand with the conviction to serve my purpose, full of jubilation
Praising God that in my beauteous fortification
Special children courageously smile midst their difficult situation.
“Oh, Christmas Tree…” I hear such song addressed to me with prayer-ray
An ode acknowledging my usefulness in blissful triumphant way
Not only as a Christmas celebration-display
But most of all, to honour God* in my tasks every day.
*Judges 9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
December 12, 2018
12th place, "Screwed XIX" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Rob Carmack; judged on 1/2/2019.
Categories:
functionally, appreciation, blessing, christmas, god,
Form:
Personification
Digital technology so prevails
functionally serving its purpose well
benefitting all --- everyone can tell
midst constant advancement that never fails.
With digital technology’s impact
learning soars toward accessibility-height
that drives teaching to innovation-might…
such is educational power’s fact.
Through digital technology’s progress
science keeps on unleashing useful zeal
while medicine upholds right-treatment seal
aiding health and wellness against distress.
By digital technology’s usage
global partnership enhances friendship
likewise spirited worship and fellowship
along livestreaming bond with love’s message.
Digital technology brings blessings
God allows to work by His wisdom’s best
optimizing resources of goodness-zest
for mankind’s grateful stewardship* praisings.
*1Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
March 7, 2022
1st place, "A BRIAN STRAND 1095" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand; judged on 3/25/2022.
Categories:
functionally, appreciation, blessing, christian, education,
Form:
Enclosed Rhyme
The corridor is darkly invasive
usurpation knows not where it steers,
my nightgown caught on wildfire,
ending was indubitably a flimsy inferno
dreaming phantasma went up in smoke
i was flying naked in my captured head,
blissfully feverish in comfortable suffering
chose not to wake as you prickled slumber,
whilst functionally violaceous pain screamed
taking flight to swap business dealings
i could have opted out, your gray reluctantly
presented within Pandora's key predicament,
contracts were sealed, sensed a lethal attraction
twisted mid your tongue tied transactional eyes,
you presented an untimely shiny gem,
was hungry for anybody with a flaw
we cozied up on a nonchalant sofa
underneath blankets of complexity,
shared a hot cuppa mocha java delusion
spiked with combustible confusion,
dripping havoc like beaten egg whites on crack
handed over lockbox to a transfixed universe
awoken to find the bomb had dropped,
missed wily antagonism & landed pon converted uppers
heeded being so high up amid gallerias' artfulness
titanic nightmare sank beneath three hours indifference,
the machine was out of order, swallowed another pill
spellbound hot air balloon was carried away for safekeeping,
all that was perceptibly audible were familiar Pink tracks on twisted breezes
'shine on you crazy diamond'
'Sorta delusional dreaming...'
Categories:
functionally, allegory, dream, hyperbole, imagination,
Form:
Imagism
Wishing the time would stop
I got rhymers block
But I a shine a lot
Listening to mines & PAC
Music confused when my time will start
Influence by the recruitment oF Noah's finest ark
I'm grinding hard cover your thoughts I will blind the dark
No matter the size I'll guard
Any Goliath
Faith of a mustard Tell my enemies try it
Days I put my trust in thee kept my enemies quiet
You can't even crush my dreams
My beliefs or the book that I read
The Basic instructions before leaving earth
Help me functionally breathe
Thinking what's my worth I went to church & got baptized
They ask why cause My sins was long as satire
Sins without 1 repent is like a Benz with a flat tire
I vent and ask god to give me strength when I'm mad tired
Cause When you on the edge
You can't lower your head
Instead take a moment to pray
And say Jehovah show me the way
I lose focus some days
But I know that im chosen
I know that I'm golden
Martin had a dream that a new king would be so outspoken
I'm starting to see how real things go unnoticed
Cops kill us po kids
& the Judge closed both lips
Jury read the verdict
We furious he nervous
But the case is always innocent god what are we dealing with
They kill us black guys before we get a job and hit the dealership
Can't even drive on 95 without getting our feelings killed
They say Sky is the limit until the ceilings built
Keep your eye on the price and strive keep Fulfilling it
& If you fall try 2 climb that hill again
When you reach the top of the mountain
Teach everybody you surrounding
& that's how we make it out man
Dr king paved the way
& It's safe to say that we have to make a way today
Quit being afraid and let your bird leave it's cage
Do you know why the caged bird sing ?
Because in it's mind it's not afraid to let freedom ring
Categories:
functionally, africa, america, analogy, beautiful,
Form:
Free verse
Delusion and Reference
(Paranoia)
Once there was only one, not fun,
So then this became two, did moo,
But my mum thought there were two,
There was her, and then guess who,
God said this, that, she said, like glue,
So her and Him had chats with another one,
This to me made still two in the room,
But the room had three to happy her,
And to the other one with her, further,
They deludedly found her valid and clever,
So they never hissed at her nor did mur,
Such that to them in the room done,
There were also three in the room there hun,
Not to be bred, so him and her and Yun,
Simmered my symptoms which decayed,
My youth and I was subjugated dismayed,
Such that I am now discharged recently,
Not newly promoted without ropes concisely,
Didn't want to placate the man walking behind,
Erroneous paranoia is best left to fester inside,
And so I don't know why health professionals sit,
Without asserting this mistake of faith which does slit,
Numbers - if functionally for other people and the kids,
There’s three, and her factor always liaisons her upper lids,
Then there are three real people in the room, lipids,
To them, at medical appointments, healthcare visits,
Meetings, excuse the syllogising of a sought parallax hits:
So the real converser, the professional, they must cohere,
That mum’s views may be quietly rejected unsaid,
Subtly accepted but then bypassed in favour of the kid,
Who needs to be pulled up from the pit of loneliness, bid,
By the health professional who must relinquish resolutely -
Through paperwork just to file away the sinner here absolutely,
Because ABC to me means that there's two in the room,
When there’s only two in the room, tested, there's two chemically, boom,
Since hormones cannot combine with a metaphysical being to boon,
He will loon when dislocated occupations and displacement loom -
A mathematician is not an essayist and neither a fit bit a goon;
And therefore, please remember that you become what you've done,
Not what you've sung and altered, so when healthcare workers are spun,
You get paranoia, not mum by ego, if they don't bravely come into the sun.
Categories:
functionally, abuse, anger, angst, atheist,
Form:
Shape
I belong to metallic soiled Earth,
solar-fired water's atmosphere;
these oil and blood-fluent elements
would feel freer
not belonging to you,
to us.
They
we
are our belongings
but not our property,
commodity.
Our multicultural values
measure and calculate
design and develop
investing primal qualities of time
predicting secondary quantitative spatial outcomes.
Less time constrains freedom and value and love.
More freedom responds to surrounding needs and wants and relationships
with less dissonant restraint,
competitive response;
with more cooperative invitations
for mutual mentoring regenerate options,
our pacific path revealing positive intentions.
Missing freedom suffers,
as missing incarnation dissonates,
as absent polynomials disformate.
Incarnation's value grows enculturing time
measured with Earth's elements,
temporal functions,
systems design and development.
Each element
identity
system and set
contains regenerative potentiating value,
functionally forming network constellations
of prime-frequency, flow,
rhythmic relationships,
sustaining balanced harmonies,
an ecological economy
static until its season to unfold again.
Limited value decomposes from ego-systemic mortality.
Regenerate value emerges from eco-logical coincident, co-arising comprehension.
Space enacts time's liturgical rite of passage,
as time incarnates space's ambidextrous function
with fractal equivalent information.
Ambivalent eco-normic tipping points
out equi-valent ecological potential,
permacultural regenerate systemic nutrients
for sustaining polycultural maintenance.
We grow adeptly incarnating cooperative economies
as we become allergic to commodifying competition,
win-lose systemic incorporations.
Well-apprenticed permaculturalists,
Taoists,
Buddhists,
Fullerian Synergists,
enthymematic communicators
re-ligious self-with-other integrators,
economic ecological care of Other,
Earth Justice,
perhaps even Universal Intelligent therapeutic care,
evolves yeastfully prime rooted in multisystemic integrity.
We reach deeply and widely within remembering
our justice womb of poly-solidarity,
regenerate subsidiarity swimming
remerging toward light's bright flashing flight.
We belong to Earth
and feel freer longing with all of us together
in one Earth-bound network cycle.
Categories:
functionally, freedom, god, math, nature,
Form:
Free verse
We are the most intelligent specie on this fraction of a dot within our universe,
yet our behaviour continues to remain so dis functionally diverse.
Categories:
functionally, people,
Form:
Couplet
...He flipped through the paper he’d bee given,
And saw the name ‘Ms. Karen Mallory,’
his mind reeled again, incredulous,
that was the girl he had saved by the sea!
Soon enough he was dragged into a court
and Ms. Mallory did loudly attest
that without consent he had kissed her,
and pawed like a pervert at her breasts!
His lawyer counter,”Consent can’t be given
when a person is hurt and unconscious,”
that nothing he did be called sexual,
and that a good soul could do nothing less.
Mallory’s activist lawyer shot back,
“Maybe she would have preferred a death
to knowing that she was violated,
forced to breath in a molestor’s breath.”
She prattled about body sanctity,
how even frantic times did no excuse men
from shamelessly groping defenseless girls
who were not able to give their consent.
Dylan rolled his eyes so many times
that he though they’d fall out of his head,
he’d known Feminazis could be extreme
but this pair was functionally brain-dead!
He expected most folks would see the truth
and recognize that he’d done a good deed,
nut one day a friend sent him a link
and told Dylan it was something to read.
He gaped as he read a professor’s rant,
filled with reasoning utterly absurd,
claiming that death did not justify ‘groping,’
never had he seen such nonsense words.
Then the many ‘minds’ on the internet
all chimed in with their digital voice,
half said that he was a would-be rapist
that unconscious girls could not avoid!
Then the media latched onto it,
made it their outrage-scandal of the week,
with people declaring ‘unconscious consent’
as a dark too of ‘The Patriarchy.’
And of course his boss feared the attention
so Dylan was quickly drummed out of his job,
for trying to step up and do the right thing
of a living he’d wrongly been robbed.
Inside the court they pointed to wild nights
to try to smear him with misogyny
regardless of the fact that his night life
had nothing to do with events on the beach!
In the end, at least, the jury chose right
and saw his actions for just what they were,
still the media called it travesty,
an ‘act of oppression’ against her.
As he walked out a reporter pressed close,
said,”Can you tell me what you learned inside?”
“Yes, next time you see a feminazi drown,
you’d be better off just letting her die.”
Categories:
functionally, abuse, anger, beach, dark,
Form:
Narrative
"Time is the thief you cannot banish."
Phyllis McGinley, Writer, 1905 - 1978
as God’s gift to treasure along life you value
my essence is functionally worthwhile
granting meaning to every moment
substance midst hours’ impact
vitality for achievements daily
significance in annual reports
quality upon inventory pursuits…
bestowed to be your growth partner
my nature has witnessed you since birth
while the Creator blesses your advancement
midst my watchful calendars, diaries, journals
goading your steps--- forwarding … ascending
commending your milestones with enthusiasm bliss
prodding your spirit to keep on…
having seen you raced with me in beating deadlines
beholding you, praying to the Lord with faith for interventions
how I love to command my clocks and watches to stop
so as to accommodate your requests for “more time, please…”
yes, my heart favours your yearnings toward “perfect time”
believing that such is God’s will, the best for your triumph
never to hurt you; yes…. never…
now, that I’m convicted of a crime, which I’m not guilty of
…accordingly as a thief you can’t banish
to your discernment I appeal regarding these truisms:
culprit am I of aging for those who deny such reality
adversary to the slothful, indolent, as well as to the sluggard
accomplice to fatalists, and “que-sera, sera” fellows
friend to “Time is gold”-driven stewards maximizing my opportunities…
here am I, time*, confronting you; what have I stolen from you
yet, how about your misuse, and negligence to enjoy or optimize me?
*Ephesians 5:15-16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
November 13, 2020
5th place, "Writing Challenge - Quote Inspired" Contest
Sponsored by Constance La France; judged on 11/14/2020.
Categories:
functionally, character, christian, faith, god,
Form:
Personification
Indus River Dolphins are listed as, endangered
and are only found in the lower parts of Indus River, Pakistan
They are believed to have originated, in the ancient Tethys Sea
when it dried up, about 50 million years ago, an antient discovery
They are one of four, river dolphin species and sub-species
and they spend all their lives, in fresh water rivers
They use echolocation to navigate, hunt and communicate
as they’re functionally blind, and adapted to muddy waters
Numbers have declined, because of human encroachment
destroying their habitat, with all this human development
building dams and barrages, that degrades their migration
and other threats are, bycatch, poaching and pollution
Categories:
functionally, animal, beautiful, earth, education,
Form:
Rhyme
Children are the future
the next generation
the enriched fruit to the productivity of society
they are the seeds beneath the earth that has been planted
that will eventually reap
to continue our culture
to instill the norms in the next generation after them
Children are the young values to our society
the babies which will continue to take care of our society
the future acquaintances of society that will make it run functionally
and economically.
Demeter Edwards
Categories:
functionally, children, philosophy,
Form:
Awaking the earth as the living Light
Almighty assures His presence aright…
Breathing-out good health midst wellness sun beam
Bursting hope all day for peace-filled moon gleam.
Creation grows with photosynthesis’ glow
Carrying orders through fruitfulness’ flow…
Driven toward blissful iridescence
Directed for meaningful existence.
Enjoying blessings of heavenly rays
Enlightened souls seek routes for care-share ways…
Following Christ’s steps, leaving bright impact
Flaming with love to spread; oh, goodness-packed.
Guided by God’s kindness that does glisten
Guarded from selfishness as minds listen…
Hearts radiating grace of gratitude
Hoist praise-lit torch along faith altitude.
Illumined against distress, pain and gloom
Inspired spirituality reigns to bloom…
Joyously reflecting Light* Source freely
Jubilant to reach-out functionally.
*Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
March 18, 2022
Lyric in Quatrain and ABC forms
Categories:
functionally, appreciation, blessing, christian, god,
Form:
Lyric
Sumatran Rhinos are listed as, critically endangered
and are now classified as, “functionally extinct”
as they are only seen in zoos, for their genes to be preserved
but the death of two subspecies, makes them so distinct
Sumatran Rhinos used to live, on Borneo and Sumatra islands
and are the smallest, of the living Asian Rhinos
These Rhinos have two horns, very unique to these hinterlands
and their long hair relates them to, the ancient Woolly Rhino
Poaching of Rhino horns, are sold on the black market
for medicine and ornaments, that makes them a big target
and the biggest markets, are in China and Vietnam
as the greed of money, is a worldwide human scam
Categories:
functionally, animal, beautiful, earth, education,
Form:
Rhyme
Competitive capitalism
is about dominance,
which increases separation,
space between Winner haves,
and Loser have-nots
Degenerating into polarized views
more culturally dominant
than old-school cooperative middle
in-between
socio-economic median disappearances
Away from civically active democratic imagination,
focus,
functionally experiential frames
favoring cooperative democracy
over capital plutocracy.
Democracy is about win/win bicameral consensus
which grows integrity
between co-investing Haves
and HaveNots,
depolarizes our EitherHave/OrNotHave
eco-politically valued lives
Mediating in-between re-membering,
reweaving multigenerational cooperative
matriarchal empowering history
of mutually enlightening democratic health care
Through cooperative ownership
stewardship
citizenship
home and meal management
integrity of co-responsive thought and feelings,
polycultural communication
and multicultural energy systems
Refracting integral re-MEMEory
left-hemisphere empowering
right-hemisphere energetic win/win
neurological waves of win/lose healing
win/win co-investing light.
Categories:
functionally, earth, environment, games, health,
Form:
Political Verse