Best Grade Poems
Some of us are secretive at first. We hide our poetry’s soul self,
gently letting her peep out; sometimes regretting it immediately.
Fearful of critiques from people who do not understand that poetry
is something we are compelled and born to do with our feelings.
Your diary entries may form themselves into goodness or badness
before you realize your calling as a poet.
Truths shockingly ooze out, surprising you.
Feelings creep out onto a page, in loud angry letters,
or romantic feelings daintily brush onto a crisp lined page
in the form of sweetness and light.
You are a word player, because you cannot
stop this obsession, but it does not define you.
This poetry gig is but a glimmer of a glimpse of yourself.
You might be a caregiver, or a wonderful friend.
People who count on your smile every day may not realize
you have a love affair with words, and an obsession to write them.
We are each a unique jewel, mined from God’s mind.
Poetry may initiate a whisper of a tiny facet of ourselves,
but our secrets are safe. We not merely poets. We are lovers
of life, and words. Most importantly, we remain gloriously hidden
and unknown to most.
Written 12-20-18 Contest: You Are Not Defined by Poetry
Sponsor: John Hamilton
Categories:
10th grade, 11th grade,
Form:
Free verse
Grim fog, I praise the shelter of your drear,
the sundown ghost morose not grandiose,
I walk alone - but, no -- with my despair;
a bittern bids a bitter adiós.
The breakers so in agony they gnash
and gnaw the strand with thrash of foamy green,
the tempest witch brings ironfisted lash
alas, the eye-of-storm epiphany unseen.
Free, free! The tern who flies in Gemini
above beloved peak and shore and wave,
sun-painted wings, away you went -- so spry,
so fierce! Bluebird pierced and buried in your grave,
..and the stars understand; a fateful fall into the sea --
Damn the deep! It’s jostle docile.. my scream to meet the scree!
Susan Ashley
June 29, 2021
~ Fourth Place ~
Premiere Contest: 2022 Poetry Marathon Mille 11
Sponsor: Mark Toney
~ First Place ~
Premiere Contest: Contemporary Sonnet
Sponsor: Charlotte Puddifoot
*bittern: any of several tawny brown herons
*scree: an accumulation of weathered rock fragments at the foot of a cliff
*a Modern / Contemporary Sonnet is a poem of 14 lines addressing any theme of the poet's choosing. It does not need to adhere to any set rhyme scheme, syllable count or meter, nor does it need to include a volta. The only true requirement of a modern sonnet is that it consists of 14 lines*
Categories:
8th grade, beach, bereavement,
Form:
Sonnet
Oceana
Oceana flings her sequined petticoats
Upon the sands as if to toss the seaweed
From the swirling edges
While she dances with the wind
With each turn she swings her skirts
In thunder
As she passes – faster, faster -
Until her laughter foams upon the waves
And in the early midnight dawns
She turns to cover up
Her turquoise evening gown
With capes of fog so thick
The soaring gulls seem to carry
This her summer train
To quickly change into a dress of silver satin,
Bound with trims of frothy sprays,
Rising and swelling,
When morning reaches for windy afternoons,
She teases sudden lightning outbursts
Leaving behind upon the outstretched strands
A foaming lace of pearls
That decorate her new rippling dress
Of brilliant sapphire blue
Drawing it around the world in flowing currents
To follow, ever follow, the lilting music
Of her lover moon,
Softly singing enchanted melodies,
Ever beckoning his earthbound bride unto himself
To watch her gaily waltz upon the rolling seas
Circling to his rune.
8-22-25
3rd - Rob Carmack Premiere VIII
6-29-22 - N/A
Contest: Marathon Mile Five
Sponsor: Mark Toney
8-13-22 -
5th - Poetry Marathon Mile 12
Sponsor: Mark Toney
6/20/19
On Top 100 All Time Poems list
1st - Trophy Win - Juliet Lingon
1st - Julia Ward 11/29/20
1st - Brian Strand 1/14/20
Featured Poem 5/2/21
Included in Poetry Soup Anthology #2 - It's Still Poetry
Included in CWC Anthology - First Prize Winner Independent Publishers Award
Indie Press Awards
Categories:
10th grade, 11th grade,
Form:
Free verse
I leave the daily hustle and bustle
and the cacophony of city sound.
And head to where the leaves softly rustle
in the breeze, and no one else is around.
When I'm alone, I experience peace
that raises my soul to a higher plane.
And anxiety's attacks slowly cease,
free from critical critiques and disdain.
Seclusion fuels imagination;
shaping reality within my mind.
And it's a feeling of liberation;
unrestricted by rules of any kind.
Whenever I seek solitude by choice,
I heed the whispers of my inner voice.
Categories:
8th grade, beauty, feelings,
Form:
Sonnet
I will be the stars
The moon will be my mum
The sun will be my dad
The rain will be my brother
The wind will be my sister
The rainbows will be my friends
The rocks will be my cousins
The fountains will be my happy tears
The waterfalls will be a nickname
Of an edifice I carved for you
Among the rocks and
That I have chosen just for you
The fields will be my attires
The paper and the ink
will be my parcels for you
I tell my mum to rule the nights
Take away sorrows of darkness from you
Caress away your insomnia
And clothe you With her cares
That her night gleams your attires
And I will be the stars
I tell my dad to shine on you,
sunbeam your countenance,
away your damp with his warmth,
and smile always at your hustle
And I will tell my brother to feed you
With the heavenly springs
Flow on your droughts
Feed your greens
I will tell my sister to cool you
With her tender breeze
See that you are bathed
With her oxygen
I tell the rainbows
Of how you wrote me
Many poems of love
And how we smile together
As co stars
And I will tell The Fields
To weave you coat of many colours
red, green, yellow, blue,
violet, orange and indigo coloured
The rainbows will lend a helping hand
I will be the Stars
I will tell the Fields to plant
In your garden multiple colours of roses
They will add a sunflower also
I will tell them to fit in berries,
red, blue, multiple berries
And I will be the stars
Up above among heavenly
Bodies, I will shine as the firmament
Daniel chapter twelve holding three
And brighten your tomorrow
Shining your prayers to God Almighty Alone
First PLACE WIN
STRAND NO 800 ,any theme,any form FINALE
https://youtu.be/ivsD7Er0a_o (it video on YouTube)
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my thankful heart goes to you
6/16/2020
Categories:
1st grade, beauty, bible,
Form:
Free verse
Medicine Hat Appaloosa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember free will too has been gifted,
with freedom allied to fate's fickle choice.
Tendered words uttered still..now uplifted,
God provides each one a life and a voice.
Ere life ebbs and scrimshaw scrolled hands beckon,
find strength in Medicine Hat horse's paint.
Flesh prized and spirit bold, yet to reckon,
respectful head bowed, pray it isn't too late.
Of sarcasm's sharp sword, one can ill afford,
cursed hubris' price which is never repaid.
The cost of soul's vows torn in broken chord,
word's sting or solemn praised tapestry made.
To cheat one's own heart with standard-less staff,
turned now to stone, to write lone epitaph.
Poet's note: The Medicine Hat Appaloosa is the poem.
Quoth TheRaven - 7 July 2019
Categories:
6th grade, earth, god,
Form:
Sonnet
What is holding you back?
What is stopping you?
What is making you uncomfortable
about asking?
about wanting?
about dreaming?
about wishing?
about expecting?
about planning?
about setting new goals?
about learning new things?
about figuring out other ways?
about being your most excited self?
about opening yourself up to new opportunities?
New possibilities? New people? New places? A new job?
Or is it a who?
Categories:
10th grade, 11th grade,
Form:
Free verse
Hocus Pocus
Poets are like magicians.
They trick the heart into feeling,
“things” they had no idea, were there at all.
Sadly poets don’t always know how their tricks work.
They sit and think, and study, and hope and even pray.
They are prone to mistakes and misinterpretations.
Yet…
Poets, dare to dream in colors,
of blue, and yellow, and green.
They sing songs to no one,
people that can barely hear at all.
They make jokes that people miss,
sometimes on purpose.
“May I read you this?” a courageous voice in the crowd.
Met with scoffs and “Oh my’s” or worse.
“How long will it be, why did you bother?”
“Will it make me laugh or smile?”
“Perhaps I do not want to feel that way!”
Then…
they leave their words,
lying on the ground.
Un...cared for.
A blessing,
they are found…
treasures all around.
words on a page, a tiny perfect stage.
When we are alone,
not being what others say we are…
we are closer to ourselves and not far from Him.
Some of us, not all of us, but a few…
look at the words and dare to consider,
to ponder how it feels to fly, from a wheelchair,
to sing without a voice,
to laugh at yourself,
and even…
dare to love.
Categories:
12th grade, abortion, abuse,
Form:
Free verse
You've no doubt heard of fire-breathing dragons,
and their obsession with hoarding treasure.
But you have never heard of Huffle-Winks,
magical creatures that promote pleasure.
Invisible, atop their dragonflies,
they ride the winds of fate mile after mile.
And wherever they encounter a frown,
they attempt to flip it into a smile.
They summon dragonflies to get around,
for, unlike dragons, they haven't learned to fly.
But, if you suddenly feel like laughing,
it's a safe bet; a Huffle-Wink's nearby.
In winter, when dragonflies disappear,
they hitch a ride upon tumbling snowflakes.
And if you're lucky enough to catch one,
it's like winning the lottery sweepstakes.
I've never seen one, except in my dreams,
but I feel, in my heart, they are real.
And what makes me so sure that they exist
is the joyful way that they make me feel.
When you're feeling particularly blue,
remember, Huffle-Winks are all around.
And as spirits of jocularity,
they ensure that smiles and laughter abound.
Categories:
8th grade, cute, fairy,
Form:
Quatrain
Helicopter seeds
from my maple tree
drift down,
swaying
back
and
forth
from the strong branches above.
They all fall around me,
I am encapsulated by the swirling seedlings.
Snug within their warmth,
the wind sends me on my feet.
Dancing with the music of the air
that is rushing through my hair,
I inhale the sweet, mellow essence of what life has granted me.
Then I exhale the words,
"I am thankful for this life and the road, no matter how rocky, has served its purpose".
As I leave this place,
I hum the tune of the masterpiece conducted by the wind
that rustled in this tree.
~5/28/18~
Categories:
9th grade, love, nature,
Form:
Free verse
Lingering rays of sunlight slowly die
as scarlet burns the sky, where clouds ignite.
And while the birds roost, bats begin to fly,
capturing elusive moths in mid-flight.
Luna hangs high in an ebony sky,
spinning dreams into beams of golden light.
And twinkling stars, like fireflies in the night,
confetti the heavens, dazzling the eye.
Like gold filigree, pinned to the darkness:
galaxies adorn the heavens above,
and shooting stars unzip the black of space.
Yet, Man stands unabashed in His starkness,
for Nature's beauty can't compete with love;
an emotion intrinsic to His race.
Categories:
10th grade, 12th grade,
Form:
Sonnet
"what is this strange place, we find ourselves in
trapped in the open, we are free within"
in the darkest realm of desperation,
we find love and some hope for elation,
in swirling crowds, solace of solitude,
amongst stony hearts, pearl of gratitude,
in eddy currents of tears, hint of smile,
in scorching heat, shade to rest for a while,
a crack of lightning in gloom of clouds,
in violence of storms, beacons on grounds,
in chaos, anarchy, voice of reason,
a rose in full bloom, outside its season,
so ride on, ride on, ride on till sunset,
captain your life, ride on with no regrets,
sail with your dreams, with strong courage to win,
trapped in the open, we are free within!
Categories:
10th grade, 11th grade,
Form:
Rhyme
Grief conceals itself
behind a veil
of anger, fear, and disbelief:
and yet, it invades your every thought.
In your heart, you want to lash out
at Death:
to send the hurt back!
Grief clings to Death:
and in so doing
devastates the living.
Your world shrinks
to memories:
reflected in pools of tears.
And life loses its spark:
a part of you is missing;
leaving a hole in your heart.
Time is but a concept
of the mind:
it has no power over grief.
And yet, there is something
stronger than time,
that can numb the pain, and comfort the soul:
a faith, fueled by love, hope, and trust.
Categories:
10th grade, angst, anxiety,
Form:
Free verse
Rise Up
Rise up to the blessing of another day.
To all that awaits you this moment.
To all that will challenge you and enlighten you.
Rise up to the opportunity to live in your truth and appreciate the truth of others.
To make a difference and matter to those in your path and to those you never noticed.
Be awakened by the joys of opportunities both sought after and placed before you.
Rise up to the choices that you have the freedom to make and take delight in being the vessel to enforce them.
Embrace your beauty, your strength, and most importantly, your flaws.
Be courageous when faced with adversity and smile when you’ve conquered the impossible.
Rise up to your fears and shortcomings and face them with the belief that you are not the only one; you are never alone.
There is so much turmoil in the world today. Be that small ripple in the water that becomes the huge wave of hope and positive change.
Be that spark that ignites into a blaze of restoration.
Rise up to the responsibility of reminding our youth that they are royalty and should conduct themselves as such.
With the dignity and respect which is needed to be a part of resolutions and not part of our demise.
Although life has a way to often break us down, we must rise up to the realities of our destiny.
We cannot be broken. Our spirit cannot waiver. Our souls have been fortified with ancestry that embodied perseverance, power, and the will to praise God.
RISE UP KINGS
RISE UP QUEENS
We are backed by our foundation of greatness and all that we are facing in the world today is our foundation of inspiration and purpose.
We must be inspired every day to simply and deliberately RISE UP!
Categories:
11th grade, 12th grade,
Form:
Free verse
Thank you, Mr. Rogers (yes, his real name!)
for rescuing me from teenage purgatory.
Perplexed teenager, lacking social lumen
pulled C's in English, D's in History -
my dreadful retrograde trajectory
projected no collegiate acumen,
in prom discussions, practically subhuman!
Then, your poetical geometry
and sleek Cartesian choreography
became my sailing ship, and I, its crewman.
Derivatives soon danced in arcs non-static.
Pythagorean proofs helped me progress,
vectors resolved problems that once would vex.
Your agile algebra of joy quadratic:
my new hypotenuse of happiness
helped me to find myself... I solved for x.
Written 13 March 2020
Categories:
10th grade, 11th grade,
Form:
Italian Sonnet