Best Goad Poems
In the past during many a generation,
a horse has been used for transportation.
Usually obedient animals not needing a goad,
they are quite strong, and can pull a heavy load.
Horseback riding is a past time many know.
On a country trail, it’s the way to go.
Sometimes, horses are animals with a mind of their own.
If they don’t like a rider, that person can be thrown.
Horses can be insubordinate and very fickle.
If you fall off a horse, it doesn’t tickle.
These creatures can be a very faithful friend.
However, they can cause injury that may be hard to mend.
Our separation's taking its toll
more frequently my tears simply roll
for you, orphans of the virtual kind
from solid stock and elders fine
Your aims are certain, steps are sure
sad separation you endure
from friends and fam'ly, sweethearts too
by absence honed, your love holds true
Tho' lone my path I'm not alone
your faces etched in every stone
each road I venture on to take
I feel you trailing in my wake
You wink at me through treetop heights
your brightness dims the city lights
you goad me on with comely smiles
I sense love's nearness o'er the miles
Our names are daily writ and laced
devoid of distance; closely spaced
know you're missed, KEEGAN and MIREILLE
my reason for being, I love you muuuuchly
To my twins, who left the country within a month of one another towards the end of last year. My daughter is working in Thailand and my son in Dubai. May God watch over them always and grant me the strength to endure our separation.
This one hurts.
Haiku one of my first poems on soup
rattlesnake
Georgia rattlesnake
venomous dangerous foe
hidden in garden
A Rattlesnake In Georgia
Metamorph Revision
To the herb garden meandered
Some squash needed picking
Gloved hands and a six inch long blade
No thoughts of snake sticking
Rockie our Rat Terrier pet
Jumped 'pon retainer wall
Then back down as fast as lightning
The snake did forward crawl
Putting some herbs in the basket.
Out of corner of eye
Something in a flash moved
'Twas a snake going by
Looked like a rat snake mixed in straw
"Twas a Copperhead then
Sticking him with my blade so hard
He crawled off, coiled just when
I thought I had him conquered_ he
Rattled, raised up, fangs showed
Backing off out of reach, gave thought
When he dropped, my blade goad
He crawled off injured; Hope he died
I didn't want him to strike
At unprepared family member
Enemy still dislike
Inspired by:
Debbie Guzzi
Contest: Metamorph
The form is similar to Quatrain but not exactly.
It is a form used by Emily Dickinson in many of her poems.
It is a type of Poulter's measure.
It is 8,6,8,6 with the six rhyming.
Verse is a stanza of a poem so these are stanzas or I can change it to Quatrain..
Slovenly sorrows cause a blur,
Shameful shallows seep and stir.
He whimpers; a cowering cur,
Deathbed's deals, give-take, now occur.
Soul dried, bunched ball of prickly burr
Waste-of-time tears, goad like a spur.
Apologies, are but a slur,
Regrets besmirch like rancid myrrh.
Slanderers’ stooge, no amateur,
Souls sold, Evil’s entrepreneur.
Atropos to cut; F A T E S concur
Time to let loose this saboteur!
“Burn in H E L L”, said the whisperer…
Susan Ashley
July 28, 2017
~ Third Place ~
Contest: Early August Standard
Sponsor: Brian Strand
I’m so confused, what do they want?
Those judges seem to goad and taunt
One week they ask for something new
Then criticize when you try to!
To my dawg, Randy, I’ll throw a bone
For Paula, I’ll make it my own
For Kara, I’ll be RIDIC-U-LOUS
And, for Simon, I'm meticulous
What will I do this summer, now?
I'll miss my Idol nights, and how!
I wonder if Kara'll be back
Or if Simon will cut some slack
To the darker side this show appeals
But I love my Randy J. for REALS
And Paula just can't help but be
Her gushing self, oh my oh, me!
Till next winter, I'll have to wait
And with each teaser I'll take the bait
And sit, transfixed before the set
For the greatest Idol season yet!
Mottled bodies inside and out
Needled veins black and about
Eyes dark through unsleepened nights
Lying in door ways that's about right.
Bottles and tins surround my life
Once i was married, no longer have wife
Kids disown me as i lie there spent
Confused they are where the family has went.
The above is not me, if you don't mind me saying
Its a vision of life, for the ones who start playing
Who take that fork they meet on the road
Again the doorways no family abode.
Many a home in this modern world
Hit by life's Tornado's in never ending twirls
Some see the light at the end of the tunnel
Some down the drain, in a spiralling funnel.
Society seems to breed the above
Are they really the clever, who absorb that first shove
To be an Addict as you walk down that road
Be ever so brave, ignore that goad.
Live strong, live free
An Addicts life is what you don't want to be
Sometimes, don't think of you, think of others
Or they remember you under an earthly cover.
GRAIL
each has their own prize
tucked away in a wish
deep in the inscrutable heart,
it rises from time to time
like a treasure only seen
by the eyes of innocents.
it rises up unbidden
to remind that there is more
than a, nose to the grind stone life.
allotted to a new babe as it is born,
a grail fantasy is implanted,
a carrot on a stick of sorts.
whilst we live, unaware for most
except, for the ants that
occasionally attack our thoughts
cause restless legs to strain at
the conformity accepted as life.
wanderlust without a goal.
daydreams that seem to have
no righteous home.
all dismissed as silliness
or insanity depending,
on the strength of the call
to leave the bonds of uniformity.
that golden seed we have from birth
is the poets goad,
the musicians lost chord
a writers perfect tale.
it is not for fame and glory that we seek
but for our holy grail.
Clad in doldrum
with yarns of fuchsia
hemmed here & there
twisted amidst the layers
& simulacrum
esoteric verse
slicked in ethereal
& outvying
of vehemences, I goad
to scatter zeal
into the waves
grand & unbiased
while perching with
a quintessence unclasps
to the orbs thence
& the musings of yours
undying zest
for morrowing unfolding
in yearnings
& beyond.
1St Place Contest Winner
Written: July 13, 2022
A BRIAN STRAND PREMIERE CHOICE Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Brian Strand
My heart is yours
For what its worth
It beautiful and cruel
and it misleads many with lovers eyes
to follow what they believe are stars in the night
Like fairys dancing in the dark
It will lure you in with shining lights
And goad you into a taste
Of wine posined with a bit of lust
Fully believing that you are in love
It will take you by the hand
And drag you to the rocky cliffs
Convince you you'll want to take a swim
Breathing in the salty taste
You wont realize that as time passes
Your only wasting away
It will tell you sweet lies
They mean nothing of the truth
Though it may perhaps care
Its only infatuated with you
It will tell you that you have wings
And push you to fly to the heavens
But when you spread your arms to soar
You'll realize that is was just a fake image
It will hold you gently
Like an andaconda in a dream
Feasting like a carnivor
Silencing your scream
You'll find that you are trapped
With no way to be released
Until it wakes from its dream
- Until it wakes from its dream
If you want it you can have it
Though it will only be on lend
My heart is yours
For whats its worth
Remember I warned you my friend
A zephyr skipped along, midday,
Rose-daubed my cheek in ides of May,
As if to goad, and giggling, say -
'My lad, this moment's wasting ...
Such zest waits for the tasting!'
The sea was donning Sunday's best,
With shimmered pearls upon its breast,
Its voice reminding from each crest -
'My lad, the hours are wasting ...
Such wine awaits the tasting!'
New heather danced atop the hills,
With white and pink Chantilly frills,
And sang to me with plaintive trills -
'My lad, the day's a-wasting ...
Such fare waits for the tasting!'
The creeping dusk, swathed in the moon,
Enchanted, blue, each dale and dune,
Then, tender-voiced, began to croon -
'My lad, the night-tide's wasting ...
Romance awaits the tasting!'
Oh, months and years go far too fast,
As dreams are swallowed by the past,
But time still beckons, clear and vast -
'My lad, each breath is wasting ...
There's life left for the tasting!'
There's LIFE left, yet ... so TASTE it!'
Moving up one's journey uphill,
Though for many a soul a thrill,
Is a scary endless struggle
Verging on a daily battle.
One may expect thorns on the way
And a scorching sun through the day,
One may witness wild winds uphill
With not a spot oneself to shield;
One may expect rough, rugged roads
With no single voice one to goad,
One may expect to face a cliff
Or down a precipice to slip;
One may expect blows from vile men
Or a stab on the back from friends,
Envious of one's seat to take
Or eager to snarl at one's fate.
Moving alone up a steep hill
Calls for zeal, power of the will
Courage coupled with bravery
And the gem of divine mercy.
When our path is shrouded with doubt
Let us give a positive shout
To clear away any dark cloud
That of ourselves we may be proud;
When along a road we do fall,
Let us surely rise after all,
Pursue our journey till the end
With spirit of a real man.
When the top of the hill seems far
Let us think of the distant star
Some billions of light years' away
Shedding light to brighten our way;
Let our end goal be the hilltop,
Instead of a slippery slope,
Gaze at the distant horizon
Where emerges the rising sun.
Your Master’s righteous cloak is not
a bold retreat from evil’s plot.
In peaceful times and in discord,
You shall know that I am the Lord.
In busyness or when you’re bored,
in argument or in accord,
in health or in a hospice ward --
You shall know that I am the Lord.
Noah, a man, perfect and just,
built the ark displaying his trust
in full view of a mocking horde.
You shall know that I am the Lord.
Daniel, confident, skilled and wise,
kept on praying without disguise,
sentenced by a conniving board.
You shall know that I am the Lord.
Job, upright, blameless, God-fearing,
endured his friends’ steadfast jeering,
the goad to curse God, he ignored.
You shall know that I am the Lord.
These three, Noah, Daniel, and Job,
God, deemed righteousness as their robe.
Thru famine, wild beast, plague, and sword,
You shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 14: 12-23
The repeated phrase is used some 50 times in Ezekiel.
Written: October 12, 2023
Cinquain Poetry Contest Sponsored by: Ink Empress
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Guile gust
I grasp your gasp
goad grafts gently glowing
the gray grove greenery growing
glean grace
Skies Straight
I snared your sight
Schizoid swing of Steward
sewn souls spewing as oxblood stems
stark stance
Wince, wight
I've weaned your whiff
the world-wedged wink was wrapped
while not washing down the wild waft
when whet
Froth flow
your frisk frame flits
follow fall foliage
freshly framed flimsy fruity field
faint flame.
Sand stake
of smog steam sieve
you stride in silence steps
by slamming a skulker-shaped slope
spread string.
And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:19)
And where, my dearest, where might your star be?
We spend our days afloat and rudderless -
have no true sense of north, nor light to see.
The intellect engages to assess
prophetic writings there within God’s
word, which does not penetrate, we must confess.
More often though, we find ourselves at odds,
fully convinced the path we choose is right;
confirmed within our minds, we need no rods
to goad us from the darkness toward the light.
Which star up in the sky commands your eyes?
You must look up to keep it in your sight!
Will you place trust in that which rusts or dies?
Do you prefer the company of fools?
Well spent, would seem, a consult with the wise.
To live a life like this is but a trap;
pay not the pharisee for his advice.
Attention to the shoulds and oughts can sap
as much as draining blood from turnips twice.
To what or whom might our attention turn?
A star of greatest worth, of course - a
lamp thus filled and trimmed, prepared to burn,
shining a small reflection of its source.
In truth, all scripture points us to this star -
a light come to a world in greatest need.
Dark is man, and darker still, his heart:
place the Morning Star would have set free.
Until the light breaks forth, in trespass lost,
the true depth of his need not understood,
day after day, he fails to count the cost,
dawns not on his small thoughts, or even could.
And then, in but an instant, he is changed:
the monergistic workings of our God.
Morning brings mercies new, no more estranged;
star bright and lifted high, his visage awed,
rises bright, majestic in his power.
In a day stretched toward eternity,
your blood, once shed, illuminates our
hearts; El Elyon, the only star for me.
July 25 Praises to God Bible Meditations Based on Ecclesiastes 9-12
Key Verse – Ecclesiastes 9:7… God now accepteth thy works.
PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR ACCEPTING OUR WORKS
Praise be to God for accepting our works that are:
Righteously worthy by His mercy
Responsibly watched with His might
Rationally wrought well along His means
Rendered wisely through His Word and miracles
Rejoicingly wondrous along winsome ways midst His marvels
Ecclesiastes 10:2 Praise be to the Lord for
giving us a wise heart as we:
Testify about His gearing goad for growth’s glow
Trust His guidance and governance
Thank His guarding gentleness
Toil along His goodness
Triumph in His grace
Ecclesiastes 11:9 Praise be to the Saviour for
enabling us to rejoice in His:
Prosperous progress with His peace
Powerful presence and protection
Purposive promises of provisions
Perfect plan by His providence
Priceless and precious person
Ecclesiastes 12:1 Praise be to the Almighty for
charging us to remember Him, our Creator in the:
Days of our youth
Demands of our yoke
Duties of our yearnings
Determination of our yes
Delightfulness of our yields. Amen!
July 25, 2024