Best Go Over Poems
I can't describe just how I feel,
when I go round on a Ferris wheel,
the lights, they shine so bold and bright,
above the carnival grounds tonight.
My mood is uplifted into the air,
as my heart beats without a care,
I feel so free, as if I could fly,
with nothing between the ground and I.
The cool night wind flows in my hair,
the people look so small, way down there,
I hold my breath as I go over the top,
a feeling, surreal, I don't want to stop.
As fear escapes and I enjoy the ride,
I can't help but look down, over the side,
I am up among the stars and the moon,
an exciting feeling that ends, all too soon.
FROM A HOSPITAL BED
Wordancer
Even if I’m dizzy with an aching head,
I must not disturb the others in the beds
In this hospital ward where not much is said
For fear of making a fuss.
It’s not much fun with nothing to do
Can’t even get up to go to the Loo
The doctors come, and ask, ‘How are you?’
It’s hard to tell them which is worse
Visiting hours and here’s Dad and Mum
Who immediately asks me why I’m so glum.
I tell them, ‘The others had ice-cream, but I got none,
And, if it was you Dad; you’d curse!’
Patting my hand, Mum says, ‘It’s all right,’
And Dad says, ‘You might get some tonight,
Cos you’re looking better, you’re not so white,
I’ll go over and ask that nurse.’
Back he comes grinning down the ward,
And sits back in the chair without a word,
To Mum he whispers so he can’t be heard
Then his eyes meet mine, his lips are pursed.
The doors swing open; a nurse comes through,
Carrying a tray and says, ‘This is for you,
You can have some now you are healing like new,
To Mum, Dad says, ‘We’ll cancel the hearse!’
I’ve broken no bones, the x-rays prove,
But there’ll be a scar and a slight groove
Left from the fencepost that failed to move
When I fell on it, off my horse
With an arm in a sling and one foot on the ground,
The other in plaster and my head bandaged round,
I’m going home soon, and my horse has been found
Across the river, but he’s none the worst.
It’s easy to laugh with no aching head
And it doesn’t disturb the others in beds
‘There is no need to fear,’ as everyone says,
‘Just ring the bell for the nurse!’
This year I turned the big ‘5-0’
And my body is acting strange
So I went to see the doctor who said
Not to worry, as I was going through ‘the change.’
“Is there anything I can take?” I asked
He replied, “There’s HRT
But I don’t believe in prescribing it,
Let’s try to deal with this naturally!”
You could have knocked me backwards
And I thought, all well and good for him
It wasn’t his raging hormones
Making him feel like a stranger within
He doesn’t get narked, by the little things
That before would go over his head
Or wake up at night, in a lather of sweat
And have to get up to change his bed
It isn’t him having palpitations
Which make you feel like you’re going to die
It’s not him, who feels angry one moment
And the next as if he could cry
He’s not lapsing in concentration
Or feels like he’s his losing his mind,
Because he put the milk in the washing machine
And it took him an hour to find!
It isn’t he who keeps feeling so crap
When a ‘monthly’ is missed or comes late
And I bet he never just has to look at food
In order for him to gain weight!
He’s not always taking medicine for thrush
Or constantly needing to pee
So I bet he’d be first to pop the pills
If it was him going through this, not me
So I looked at him and said “I’ll give it a go
But I don’t really hold much hope”
And walked out of his surgery, feeling as though
I could have hung him with some rope!
But off I went and months have gone past
Of getting worse doing - ‘naturally,’
So I’ve made an appointment with a lady doc
Who might take pity, and prescribe ‘HRT.’
Long ago when I was a child my sister died,
Everyday in grandmas arms I cried and cried;
Time ticked and grandma left and I had to say goodbye,
Then when my baby boy was born and he never saw the sky.
Inside I dwelled, asking God why, a reason I wanted to know,
Nothing anyone said reached me, then slowly, slowly I had to let it go;
Getting on with my life and one snowy day my love crashed his car,
Gone from this world, deep inside I existed, my soul travelling so far;
Oh soon I knew that I had to let the pain go, but forever I will kept he scar.
My mom and dad held me close and protected me,
Beautiful love allowed me again to let it all go away;
Writing poetry and penning my sorrow was the key,
Suddenly my dad died, and mom left sadly one day.
the path is lonely
that leads me to her stone name-
mother I let go
__________________________
April 2, 2016
Poetry/Acrostic/Quatrain/Senyru/Letting Go- Over and Over
Copyright Protected, ID 16-774-190-0
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym.
For the contest, Letting Go,
sponsor, Laura Loo
First Place
My Handicap Beach
As I lay here and look out the window from our hotel at the absolutely amazing view..
It makes me wonder how something so simple creates such beauty and always seems so new..
I feel sadness for those who pass by every day and don’t think another thought about..
The beauty that surrounds them from the beach and the water with the waves washing in and out..
The lighthouse that stands unintentionally stoic and tall and lights the way for those out at sea..
And the sand that finally runs across my toes which has been a dream for so long for me…
This was only possible with the help of a loving person who got me where I needed to go…
And to whom I really hope does realize how much they have helped me in many ways to grow..
And there are always a few people that have to make a spectacle of a girl in a wheelchair..
As they walk by me and say things in a whisper as if they think I can’t hear along with a stare here and there..
If they only knew that It was one of the best days of my life and that I am feeling so relaxed and at ease..
I will take all of their comments and let them go over my head along with the beautiful breeze..
Because this morning I may have been the disabled girl on the beach which was a wonderful thing to me..
And until you learn to see the view from down in a wheelchair every day I don’t care what you think you see...
Because today my view was from the warm sand on a beach towel that was laid down just for me and was the best..
Day I have had in so long because I was no longer that poor gilt in the wheelchair and felt almost like all of the rest..
Of beach goers and comers to the new jersey shore in Atlantic City and right on the pier that is very well known..
For gambling and partying but for me it was just to feel the sand on my toes and feel like I was not handicapped if even for a few moments alone..
Coming home with my stuff in disarray the way it always is along with a few souvenirs because they are from my very first trip away from home..
I loved it so much and want to thank those who took me long on a short but awesome vacation to start me going more which I really hope..
Because it’s nice sometimes to go to places that make you feel different than the usual girl in the wheelchair always needing help from what I call in my head my proverbial rope..
Buffy Sammons
Socialites
those was good days.
sneakin' out the bedroom window
tryin' harder not to wrinkle our frocks
than not to wake momma
runnin' down the dusty road
with pointy-toe pumps in tote
hopin' we didn't miss too much
of the party.
greeted at the end of the road
by three cats
in they daddy's shiny black Bonneville
waitin' to give us a ride.
they'd be justa skinnin' and grinnin'
thinkin' they might just get some ass
before the night was through.
some nights,
if them cats was slick enough,
they would.
we'd Slide all night at the juke joint.
eatin' pickled pigfeet and
gettin' high off of stump-hole liquor.
tellin' lies 'bout how
we was gonna go to New York one day
and how we was gonna go to Coney Island
for hotdogs at Nathan's.
and then go over to Queens
to find us a soul food joint
for a taste of collards and cornbread.
from there,
we would just follow the crowd to Harlem
and take us a place in line
waitin' our turn to
bow at the feet of Apollo,
god of the Chitlin Circuit.
soon,
he would entertain us with
his dukes and his queens, and his godfathers
and, boy!
that palace would be smokin'!
'course
all eyes would be on us-
the socialites from the sticks-
all dolled up in our fitted skirts
with can-can slips underneath
and the cats in they pencil suits and wing-tips
and all us thinkin'
if only the niggas back home could see us now-
snappin' and tappin' in Harlem
with dukes, and queens, and godfathers.
I got tired of losing
So much goddamn losing
Losing friends
homes
Hobbies
Moving to new towns and cities
Familiar faces of people I never met
Those who lived for years in the same place
They had their cliques
They got each other’s jokes
They knew what was on the next page
Mr. Jones down at the corner store knew them all by name
The bus driver gave them knowing nods
Big brash Bobby who was once cute little Bobby
“I don’t want no trouble today Bobby!”
Then they’d fist pump.
I was the invisible kid, sitting next to the window, listening to the sound of laughter
I prayed “Please let this year be different.”
For a while
I was the new kid
They were friendly and curious
Like a new flavour of Ice Cream, I was okay for a treat.
But they preferred the familiar chocolate and vanilla,
or better yet meat and potatoes.
It was okay though, I’d be gone by next year.
They’d soon forget I’d ever been there.
I was the loser
who couldn’t go over to Jimmy’s house to play
Ya that weirdo loser
who couldn’t play baseball after school
The loser who had to go straight home
After a while I wanted to move
I wanted another fresh start
I was tired of losing
So much goddamn losing
Maybe the next town
or the next city would be different
Maybe if I tried really hard I could be chocolate or vanilla
Or even better, I could be meat and potatoes.
A teacher asked me for this homework, to give some advice about the difference between empathy and sympathy, then I wrote this poem, but we didn't go over it yet. I'd like to share with you all and I hope people can be more empathetic in 2016. Here you go (it is a bit silly, don't laugh at me):
I have this homework to do
which is to give some advice
about when you walk in someone's shoes
or just say something to be nice
It's about empathy and sympathy
there are some slight differences
but I'll put it simply
and I have to make sentences
Sympathy has no affection
it's like saying "I'm sorry that you're blue"
but empathy fuels connection
you feel as if the other person were you
you come up with the right thing
just because what you say is true
you don't judge the other human being
empathy is as if it were you
In order to connect with someone
It is simple and I'll explain:
you feel like your hearts were one
you also suffer from the other's pain
If someone shares their sadness
you recognize their emotion
your heart is not callous
empathy is like an open ocean
One thing we do sometimes
is we're sympathetic to be polite
Sorry, empty words are like crimes
I wonder if it is right
The truth is love matters more
than words we say in vain
if a friend comes sad to your door
open your heart to relieve their pain
How can we comfort a friend
who has been picked on by the boss
or to bring peace and put an end
to their pain because of a loss?
Connection is what you have to find
and be honest and sincere
do not try to make up their mind
and if you feel, just drop a tear
this is what empathy is about
to feel, to know, to share
life stresses us out
but we care, we care...?
Belove, my dear friend
Stand by my side
For I shall not cry
My sins, will go over the earth
Mountains shall depart
Father, I'm talking to you
I remember, dreams and memories
Times my soul was lost in the valley
And in your arms
In moments I open my eyes
I see your shadow on my curtain
Feel your spirit above my head
Feel the wind and sense it's you
Daddy, listen
I'm speaking to you
I never had a chance, to tell you
Give me your pain
Let me carry your weight
Drown your medication in my blood
Papa , listen to my thunder
I was only fourteen
In another state
Hearing, cancer was your case
Yet, it was a little to late
The day my ears heard
Your soul went to rest
Dad, come in this soul
Listen to my thoughts
I will never forget your face
My dear friend
I will keep you in my dreams
Daddy
I will treasure our memories
Papa
I will always remember my soul in the valley
Dad
I will know, you are my father
By blood
Dear friend
By communication
Angel
By protection
Belove, shall always stand by my side
For, I shall no longer cry
Only stand by your side
In a beautiful lifetime
Love,
Daddies little girl
It’s a recurring thought –
Over and over again –
Reverberating in my head,
Bouncing back and forth,
Reeling up and down like a Yo-yo,
Like a boomerang that keeps coming back,
Like a song stuck in your head,
A thought that gnaws at your will to live,
Like an army of termites devouring
your soul making you hollow inside,
Like the waves of the sea
lapping its shores ceaselessly.
It’s a nagging thought
to just shut off everything,
Like turning off the light switch
and walking away;
A thought to strip off all my
worries and cares of the world,
Like a snake shedding its skin,
And just wandering away,
Leaving behind petty rivalry,
envy, jealousy, shallow ties,
The promises and perils of life,
And to step forth renewed, reborn,
into a new place with no identity,
no name, no past, no aspirations--
just living for the day
As I like, As I please,
With no vagaries of life,
No yearning for paradise.
Walking away folk free
unrestricted by time or space,
customs, creed or the rules of the law.
But this thought
Like an active volcano ever brewing
and rumbling but never erupting,
Like a seed sowed with care and nurturing
but never sprouting, never coming to fruition.
It just keeps kneading and churning
Forever bobbling in the doldrums
Performing boondoggle tasks
Bearing the burden of the world like Atlas,
Unable to sigh or sneeze,
Fearful that a sudden moment
The slightest shift might cause
an upheaval in someone’s life.
Ah, the woes of life!
Why thou linger willy-nilly in my vicinity?
Why thou not forsaketh me?
Go and befriend the dark, foreboding clouds
And burst down upon some distant shores.
Let some sun shine upon me,
Let love gather me in her warm embrace,
Bequeath to me days rife with joy
and mellow moonlit nights,
Let my path run some distance straight
and not twist or turn at whim,
Let there be spring in my seasons
instead of the cold and bare winter,
Let me rejoice in the day’s toil
And earn me the night’s repose –
It’s a recurring thought,
Over and over again,
Reverberating in my head...
Wait just a minute!
Didn’t we go over that already?
~09/10/15
"Inside My Head" contest by John lawless
Take My Hand in yours,
Lets Run in Green lushed Fields,
Lets go canooing ,rafting in Rivers,
lets swim naked in Crystalline Streams,
Lets walk in Gold Fairy forests,Pen poetry,
Write a Love Story,called 'The Poet and Me'.
Lets have a picnic under the shade of tall trees,
Lets Smell the Freshness of Wet Velvet Leaves,
Lets follow the path,Climb up the Highest Mountains,
Lets reach the Grey Smoke,the tent at the peaks.
Lets lie down on Rich Reddish Silky Brown Soil,
Lets watch the Healing Spring ,steaming and boil,
Lets make love On a Carpet Of Coloured Flowers,
Lets here the Sweet Sound Of Bells,Ding Dong Hours.
Lets rest On an Ivory Hammock,swinging in breeze,
lets drink the Sweetest Honey of Bees.
Lets play in the Snow,Lets bask in the Sun,
Lets take a journey, to My World of fun.
Lets go over the Rainbow, Get lost in Our Fantasies,
Lets open Our wings,fly On White Cotton Clouds Puffy Dreams.
Lets Open the padlock,to my Secret Magical Land,
Lets escape to the place Of Eden,Just hold On to my Hand.
Let Me Show You My World,Let Me take you with Me.
I've got a locket ,and inside there's a Unique Silver Key.
Charma
As a child
I sat beneath my grandmother’s table
And listened to the stories and whispers
Of all who gathered 'round
If mom was in a really good mood
A cover could go over and make it into
The most exciting of hideaways
As I got older my friends would gather 'round
To watch me blow the candles from a birthday cake
The streamers, the noisy horns
The spills dripping down the middle
It became the place of games
Cards and much fun
And sometimes a wee bit too much competition
But always
Laughter and friends
It’s the place the women stay
And discuss everyone, everything
After dinner and football is on
It’s the office
Mail in stacks waiting to be dealt with
The weekly writing of checks
It’s the place my children have gathered
To pound play dough
Stir brownies
Carve pumpkins
Do homework
Paint masterpieces
And blow out their own candles
Her death STARING me down
Staring. . .
Her drooping eyes dangling low
Warm blood
COLD blood!
Don’t come any nearer!
I told you to leave!
You killed them all, one by one
I did it for you!
DON’T BLAME ME FOR LOVING YOU!
Give me a kiss. . .stay quiet
NO! Tell me it’s a lie
. . .
This must be a nightmare
The nightmare ends here—I swear
Hold me close and we’ll comfort each other
While they pass by
You’ll be safe, unharmed
And then you can run, you beautiful soul
It’s too late to run, remember?
I lied
There’s still a way out
You’re only giving me a shred of hope
Hope. . .
So you can tear it all down
Tear them all down. . .
We’re together. . .just you and me, And Nobody
I’m scared of you
What’s new?
Use me to save you
You were built to destroy
To CHASE
Run. . .run. . .I beg you to run
I’m not going anywhere
The pain has just begun
Hide. . .hide. . .they’re coming inside
Let them come
I’ll never say goodbye
You left me with Nobody
And Nobody is me
So I’m stuck with you and you’re stuck with me
I want you to go over there
Don’t look—turn around
They will enter me and you will see The Nobody
I’m not scared of Nobody
YES YOU ARE. . .
Run. . .run. . .please run. . .
No I’m not
Bodily odors and sulfur
Blood and oath—SUFFER!
Trying to fill the void,
makeup all destroyed,
standing in your pretty dress,
hair all crazy and a mess.
Flowers are everywhere,
go over and take a chair,
watch the people walking by,
no one notices as you cry.
All here for the same reason,
it's like the changing of the seasons,
don't worry about me I am fine,
maybe you need a glass of wine.
All the decorations oh so fancy,
being here was never chancy,
flowers, music, and the candles,
hope it wasn't too hard to handle.
I loved you til the end,
I held you close my dearest friend,
now it's time to put me in the ground,
you were my best treasure ever found.
KNOWN JUST TO GOD AND ME
The Unknown Soldier
Rows and rows of snow white stones, no names upon their face.
Thousands more who went to war and left no earthly trace.
One unknown for all unknowns, Canada for thee,
I am the unknown soldier, known just to God and me.
Mother country’s call to war awakes a young man’s dream.
Escape from toil on barren soil to a uniform’s esteem.
No thoughts of mothers losing sons, just of a chance to roam,
A year to spare, go over there, defeat the Hun - come home!
Dark train rolling through the night toward the eastern sea.
Young soldiers seeking glory, not knowing what will be.
Last sight of home, across the foam, where the unleashed dogs of war
Will soon declare no glory there, just mud and blood and gore.
In Vimy’s tunnels warriors stand awaiting dreaded dawn,
Each one a knight in someone’s eyes, each one a front row pawn.
The hand of fate soon to decide the minutes or the years
Left to the souls who leave dark holes to face their greatest fears.
Comrades all around me fall, each fought his private war.
With will and might we take the height where others failed before.
Amid the sleet, the roar, the heat, the chaos all around,
I do not feel the bullet strike that drives me to the ground.
Buried in a blanket shroud, forgotten and alone,
“A Soldier of the Great War” inscribed upon my stone.
But then I’m chosen to return, across the same grey sea,
Back from my hell of shock and shell, back from the Ridge Vimy.
I lie in state and share my fate with mourners passing by.
A moment spared for one who dared, a tear in every eye.
From where I came and my own name known just to God and me,
In a hallowed space in a state of grace, I will spend eternity.
And once a year again I hear the cadenced cannons boom,
And feel the love from those above, the poppies on my tomb.
A country’s grief for her lost sons who kept her strong and free,
The Canada I died for upon the Ridge Vimy.
Rows and rows of snow white stones, no names upon their face.
Thousands more who went to war and left no earthly trace.
One unknown for all unknowns, Canada for thee,
I am the unknown soldier, known just to God and me.
I am the unknown soldier, known just to God and me.
Ellis Pringle Craig
June, 2019