Best Illumining Poems
I am me, is true
I have always been me
I have always been, not me
emotions folded into one
Wine sets mind free
to not be me
exploring contemplations
buried deep
Id tell you a story
Id tell it to you true
I shall you tell stories when I am blue
I now let the other speak
Sadness is a friend
a companion for all of life
meteors falling
illumining this friend of mine
She
medieval dancer
enthralled in rhythmic trance
she sings in embers whispers
He can not speak
he can not walk
his mind musical
he is also me
Child, hunger in black forest
when dusk arrives
and creatures sleep
he dances his fears away
Friends
all for one, one for all
friends, till the universe
turns out the lights
Categories:
illumining, art, beautiful, dance, friendship,
Form:
Quatrain
Line of inquiry:
“Yes, I affirm, I have seen God
But He appeared and then disappeared
This knowing that transcends mind, left me awed
But until what’s imbibed is assimilated, by fears I’m seared”
Once I felt the power of God
It seeped into me like lightning,
Illumining the track it traversed
It settled somewhere down,
Within the vibrations of light and sound.
In my heart a delectable music swelled.
My life was deluged with song.
His guiding light led me through devious paths.
When was it that I lost connection with that power?
It happened gradually without my knowing
In course of time, it got veiled and eclipsed,
By the darkness of worldly desires.
I was caught in life’s swift current.
Wishing to stay afloat, l drifted,
Into the midst of peripheral comforts,
Like one chasing the deceiving mirage of the desert
My ego bloated like a balloon
I walked on stilts that I forgot the feel of my feet
I felt the stream of love narrowing into a trickle
And then drying out completely.
I was busy making money
In my mad rush after power and pelf,
I threw my values to the wind
Soon storms began raging into my life.
I was befriending gnawing anxieties and strangulating fears.
My dreams shattered like glassware
My world lost its rhythm and I lost my calm.
Life seemed to go on, leaving me behind
Never more I could endure the desolation
That hovered over my me like a dark shroud
Like a mother's despondency at the loss of her child,
An emptiness enveloped my spirit and being.
I knew it was not too late,
To recover all that I lost.
I decided to trace my steps backward,
And travel in reverse gear.
In all earnestness, I turned my downcast eyes heavenward
Soon I started breathing with greater ease
I began getting healed in love’s gentleness
Binding me to God through an unshakable bond
Like sunlight arching through the dark
Once more He came into my life to light my interiors
Now he resides within me, not at the periphery as earlier,
But deep down as a living power, changeless and timeless!
Categories:
illumining, anxiety, character, god,
Form:
Free verse
The self-obsessive free will seemingly dormant,
envelopes the mind with an unreal veil transient,
obscures the ordained pathway God paves,
that l need to travel for it’s designed at His will.
The unseen glow of the omnipresent light
floods my possessed essence, but I don’t discern,
for I formulate life’s tenets encompassing the ego
in the ignorant realm of fantasized self-deception.
Unshackled out of the dark abyss of despair, I take
an inward journey through layers of consciousness,
perceive in the soul the radiance of divine beacon,
illumining the corridor leading to the abode of bliss.
After the ill-conceived venture the errant mind
finds the gloomy path of introspection lightened,
the secret door of the inner sanctum opens,
where suffused with divine light the lotus blooms.
When the soul shines in spiritual glow in inner space
as the unfurled petals of the consciousness flower,
in my self-searching odyssey at the edge of eternity
I perceive the grace of God within the sacred bud.
__________________
August 26, 2022
Contest : Where Is God Hiding
Sponsored by : Unseeking Seeker
Categories:
illumining, god, spiritual,
Form:
Free verse
God is my great help:
Assuring my soul
Building my life
Cheering my heart
Directing my feet
Empowering my will
Fortifying my faith
Gladdening my spirit
Hoisting my well-being
Illumining my mind
Jubilating my service
* Exodus 18:4 ... The God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me...
May 18, 2018
Categories:
illumining, appreciation, christian, confidence, devotion,
Form:
ABC
GOD be praised and thanked for His Word*
We acknowledge as Spirit’s sword
declaring “Thus saith the Lord…
The Bible --- Scriptures of grace-ford!
Assuring soul's great salvation
God's Word anchors our redemption
As well as sanctification
Enabling our transformation!
Always at work in fellowship
With the Lord's truth-braced leadership
Gearing our faithful stewardship
And triumphant praise-filled worship!
Indeed working for reaching-out
While sharing Gospel without doubt
Illumining for heaven's route
Midst joyous hallelujah shout!
*Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
December 27, 2021
Edited on December 7, 2023
Categories:
illumining, appreciation, bible, christian, faith,
Form:
Lyric
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 of the Bible's King James Version
“All things work together for good” indeed
Thus declares the Scriptures of divine creed
Illumining minds midst spiritual feed
For perspective, breeding cheerfulness’ seed.
Toward a better end along faith’s might
“All things work together for good” sheds light
Serving as wisdom’s inspiring insight
Toward blest jubilant heavenly flight.
Despite a seemingly wrong and flawed start
That can put despair to a hopeful heart
“All things work together for good” shields dart
Against staying futile, not doing best part.
Along God’s compassion, mercy and grace
Triumph is assured in running life’s race
Conquering guilt with His forgiveness-brace
“All things work together for good” always.
March 26, 2025
3rd place, "This or That, Vol 31 on Felix Culpa" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 4/7/2025
Categories:
illumining, blessing, christian, faith, god,
Form:
Rhyme
July 15 Scripture Meditations Based on Isaiah 7-12
Key Verse – Isaiah 9:6 … His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
MY GOD, THANK YOU FOR BEING MY MIGHTY GOD
Thank You for being my mighty God, called as the Wonderful
Who is exceptional, divinely beautiful
Always enabling me to be faithful
So that I can do my all for You, diligently fruitful.
Thank You for being my mighty God, known as the Counsellor
Who is wise, advising perfectly--- the best Tutor
Always leading me, Your sailor that relies on You, my Director
So that I can pursue toward Your righteous endeavor.
Thank You for being my mighty God, declared as the everlasting Father
Who is loving, constantly my satisfaction-contentment Provider
Always meeting my needs for faith maturity further
So that I can please You, my bountiful Rewarder.
Thank You for being my mighty God, proclaimed as the Prince of Peace
Who is gentle, longsuffering whose mercy does not cease
Always cheering me up, forgiving my confessed sin that causes guilt’s crease
So that I can fellowship with You with trust-increase.
Thank You for being my mighty God, recognized as the salvation-Source
Who is sovereign, really supreme in every redemption-course
Always assuring me against doubts from evil unbelief-doors
So that I can worship You joyfully midst any challenging force.
Thank You for being my mighty God, esteemed as the Author of compassion
Who is caring, dealing with me along Your endowed virtuous transformation
Always empowering me to prioritize You with utmost devotion
So that I can seek first Your kingdom by Your instruction.
Thank You for being my mighty God, acknowledged as the Truth and Light
Who is brilliant, shining midst transgression-darkened night
Always illumining me through Your Word of holiness-might
So that I can live for You with submission-delight.
July 15, 2022
Categories:
illumining, blessing, christian, faith, god,
Form:
Rhyme
No Particle Theory can ever be Unified –
for there is always the space between...the
unknown that separates while binds us
in a matrix of primitive wonder. Dark
Matter is only dark to those accustomed to one
light...for those whose eyes adjust to the
thin horizons of others who have passed
before them – and not the endless expanse within,
the heart and soul of a boundless Universe. So,
we slowly peel-back our outer layers, those of
earth and moon, the illumining stars, limiting
skins of meagerly defined senses. Without God
there is only Science...
hopping from one physical rock to the other, skimming
over the depth of spaces,
stepping cautiously into shallow pools
as yet to explore the unimaginable realms
of a far greater Spiritual Sea.
(More Context)
We are observers...consciousness existing
in an elevated dimension of reality. Difficult
to imagine, yet our thoughts are entirely
separate from our physical senses and their
body sources; we truly, not figuratively,
look in or down upon the many instances
and vehicles of manifest substance.
There can only be
one Unified Theory: it must be a Continuity Theory,
where separation is merely an elaborate illusion:
In fact, all we see and seem are Wave effects
propagated through a flexible yet solid dimension,
driven by vibrations or shivers (so to speak) –
Waves collide, and those peaks or points
of collision become our physical reality –
these are the pixels our eyes and minds interpret
and assemble in the likeness of recalled
references, desires and predilections – We look down,
look in, look out, but always from positions independent
of the objects of our inquiry. Mind, Consciousness
is entirely independent of the physical. This
explains the phenomenon of Savants. Our
brains are not developing receptacles of
knowledge – but, in fact, developing
gateways. Who we are, where we come
from, and how long we live progresses
far outside our experiences of birth and
death.
Categories:
illumining, creation, imagination, inspiration, light,
Form:
Free verse
Exposed by Your divine glowing glance
My soul melted in carnality’s shame
Revealing hypocrisy lurking against guilt…
I earnestly repent midst judgment-balance.
Caught by Your compassionate look, never hasty
My heart yielded to be locked inside Your fortress, love-built
Delightfully abiding in Your gracious imprisonment
Braced upon mercy and truth’s security.
In Your omniscience, I’m kept in Your care
Never facing terror of grievous abandonment
You valued my being with grand significance…
Now, I can vanquish torturous loneliness-scare.
With Your approval, sealed by Your favour*
My faith, Lord, meets Your gaze of illumining fervour
Yielded I am for Your guidance in my endeavour
Offering to You my service as oblation of sweet savour.
*Psalm 106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation.
February 25, 2020
3rd place, "STRAND CHOICE B" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand; judged on 3/10/2020.
Categories:
illumining, blessing, christian, faith, god,
Form:
Rhyme
Once,
I saw rainbows,
across the tear washed sky.
Their iridescent gleam
illumining the astral realm
and spilling down into the waters below.
Buds burgeoning on every branch,
Flowers opening their delicate folds,
and summer bees spiraling around,
gathering nectar for frosty days.
Saw radiant smiles gleaming past,
angelic babes’ innocent face,
Men toiling from dawn to dusk
going about their lives’ odyssey,
Speeding vehicles moving down
as ants, in an unbroken chain,
Nature, posing from time to time
in silken green, amber gold
and in dazzling white
Everything fleeted past,
as through the window
of a speeding train.
Neither did they linger long
nor were they daubed bright
in paints variegated,
on my mind's impressionable canvas
to call them back to mind at will.
I lived my life in acute haste.
Colors, shades and myriad scenes
passed me by as common sight
But now with a heavy mist blocking out my sight
and an inexorable darkness
covering me like a shroud,
plunging me, all of a sudden, into a perpetual night
where sun beams never again shall fall,
I realize with a jolt, how much I have missed
and how much more I will miss!
Categories:
illumining, angst, depression, loss, senses,
Form:
Free verse
Bombastic… So grandiloquent
We are stated to be pompous asses.
Therefore, our outcry is heard.
2017 is over.
We are ready to bring in the New Year when the clock hits eleven.
One more hour to go.
Yet, time is moving too slow.
So, we party!
We are dancing and singing our favorite songs.
Illumining where we are demonstrative and high-flown.
Magniloquent… So bombastic
We are as plain as eyesight.
Our excitement is not pretentious.
We ready to blow minds.
2018 is the year to overcome the barriers that preexist.
It is time to move on and the past is history.
This because we are futuristic.
Orotund in the New Year with laughter and good will.
__________________________________________________________
Written at 8:40 PM EST on 12/31/2017!
Happy New Year!
Categories:
illumining, celebration, december, january, new
Form:
Free verse
Salutations to The Divine Mother
Who envelopes us in a bliss shower
God’s divine essence aglow in our heart
Innate aliveness enabling each breath to start
Effulgence of a thousand suns dispelling darkness
Entwining our mind-body to the That oneness
Moment to moment in a joy continuum
There remaining no ego residuum
Oh Mother! We are bemused by illusion
Senses externalised, desires beget delusion
Fallen from grace, we have forgotten our nature
Your fragrant touch alone restores our true stature
Awaken Mother, here in form, love and wisdom
May our consciousness rise to the sensorium
Dual polarities melding, illumining our soul
That bliss suffused, we again feel whole
09-November-2021
Inspired By A Translation Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Malabika Ray Choudhury
Notes: Gayatri mantra is a popular, age old prayer, in Sanskrit language. For literal translation please visit - https://medium.com/imeditation/gayatri-mantra-translation-word-by-word-meaning-in-english-547431a5d464
Categories:
illumining, spiritual,
Form:
Rhyme
Awesome stars* are art works of the Almighty
Beauteous midst darkness, sparkling bright
Creation masterpieces supremely crafted
Designed perfectly to serve as eyes’ delights.
Extolling the grandeur of divine excellence
Firmament jewels driving astronomic flight
Galaxy ornaments that mystify constellation gazers
Heaven’s wonders are stars** for promises’ hoisting
Influence-compass intensifying travel-impact
Journey-leader to magi searching the King of kings with joy.***
Kindling reality-awakenings for inquisitive kids
Lights are the stars**** along truth-seeking luminescence
Marvels with wisdom-beam midst queries on magic or mystery
Night’s treasures as “diamonds in the sky” bringing wealth nigh
Opening opportunities to dream and soar with optimism.
Potential inspiration and muse source for poetry
Quiet, yet clear witnesses of victims in their justice-quest
Radiant gems to aspiring champions revealing rewards
Steadfast signs are assuring stars***** against skepticism
Testifying about timeless blessed celestial triumph.
Up above they are stars****** reflecting Christ’s glory ultimately
Victorious in asserting faith that vanquishes vain vision
Watchfulness they show, glowing for guided winning
‘Xcellence marks their illumining expertise surpassing any x-ray
Yes, they are shining in the Scriptures today and yon
Zealously gleaming and glaring with enlightenment’s zest.
*Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
**Genesis 15:5 … Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them…
***Matthew 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
****Jeremiah 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth … the stars for a light by night
*****Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars.
******1Corinthians 15:41 There is … glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
March 18, 2020
“Double Abecedarian”
5th place, "A Star's Heartbeat" Premier Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Chantelle Anne Cooke; judged on 3/22/2020.
Categories:
illumining, appreciation, blessing, christian, faith,
Form:
Abecedarian
(one of my very few macaronic poems. If you read even a little French, you will understand why I chose this form)
Your tongue embraces paradox, Monsieur,
in its perpetual romance,
and most condign, the dancing words
that fall upon my psyche, as
the lorelei I seek would not do well
beneath the moonlight--
wet and tender, laughing.
Her illumining is from within, and her
faint call may not be heard at all--for like
the drifting ship with all hands lost at sea--
or yet the Voyager that dies among the stars,
her presence is a question, not a creed--
as when a wave would deliquesce
upon an island somewhere,
leaving only echoes
susurrus within the winds
along the shore.
Might there be more, Monsieur?
C'est impossible; c'est vrai.
C'est la musique, decouler de mon coeur.
Toujours...jamais...
toujours
~
Categories:
illumining, allegory,
Form:
Free verse
My GOD, YOU are my life
my existence revolves around YOU
being my breath’s source
the verity-cause of my heart beat…
Here am I humbly exalting YOU with love’s propelling might:
declaring, “Dear GOD, I love YOU so”.
As my life
YOU are my survival’s Bread
granting contentment bliss
beyond sufficiency’s exuberance…
Hear my spirit of fervent devotion YOU deserve:
whispering, “Dear GOD, I love YOU so”.
My life
bearing my soul’s Light of illumining truth radiance
YOU shield me from grievous engulfment
of ignorance-obscurity…
I come to YOU with divine affection, moved by YOUR sublime love:
affirming, “Dear GOD, I love YOU so”.
Life of my essence
YOU are the great Saviour
author of my redemption eternal
freeing me from hell’s wrath forever…
To YOU do I yield my loving esteem that can’t commensurate YOUR sacrifice:
proclaiming, “Dear GOD, I love YOU so.”
Enabling my life
YOU are the good Shepherd
offering to me YOUR grace
packed with pardon toward gratitude…
Indeed, loving YOU along faith that pleases YOU is my best response:
asserting, “Dear GOD, I love YOU so”.
With YOU, my life
fulfillment wraps me
around YOUR compassion wholeness…
Since YOU first loved me…
I’m privileged to love and serve YOU, my LORD GOD, my LIFE:*
testifying, “Dear GOD, I love YOU so”.
*John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
August 1, 2020
2nd place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol 20 - Free Verse 3" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 8/4/2020.
Title was changed after poem was judged.
Categories:
illumining, christian, devotion, faith, god,
Form:
Free verse