Best In The Rough Poems
French trader Tavernier in a greed-inspired way
Glared at an idol of a temple in Mandalay
Prying a gem from its eye socket, a curse prevailed
Tavernier died bankrupt soon after making the sale
Louis XIV bought the stone, 1668
A gift to his mistress, Louis had it cut heart-shape
For dabbling in Black Magic, this madam was burned
A century passed with the curse’s power unlearned
The diamond was then bestowed on Marie Antoinette
For wearing it with boastful pride, Marie lost her head
She lost respect from the commoners of her nation
This gem has since been linked to the French Revolution
Cut far smaller, the gem resurfaced, 1830
When a London banker bought the rock of infamy
Henry Thomas Hope survived; the curse appeared to break
For 70 years the Hope Diamond’s wrath lay in state
A Hope heir’s marriage collapsed; his wife evoked the curse
As she foretold, subsequent owners’ fates would be worse
French broker Jacques Colot went mad, suicide his road
Sultan “Abdul the Damned,” insane after being deposed
Then to an American the Hope Diamond was sold
Washington Post owner Maclean watched horrors unfold
Other household members died, but it was Maclean’s son
Ten years old, struck by a car, his Dad’s mind came undone
Ultra-light ray tests caused the mystery diamond to glow
With safety in mind, Hope’s eerie stone found a new home
It remained locked on display in the Smithsonian
Could it be to blame for all that’s wrong in Washington?
Tragedy also tied to raiders of King Tut’s tomb
Perhaps lessons can be gleaned from those who met their doom
Robbing temples, burial sites, outcomes always bad
Greedy souls’ quests for wealth can leave them totally mad
So don’t expect me to purchase a diamond in the rough
Considering this gem’s history, a sandstone’s quite enough
The flower still stood in the midst of the storm;
its petals still fresh and divinely clasped together.
The winds and rains couldn't stop buds to blossom,
though being in a hostile weather.
It was a plant brought down from the heavens by divinity,
to proof the existence of manifestation of invisible invincibility.
We all have the flower deep within;
it is waiting to glow like the Sun.....
A network of supportive allies.
True friends urging you to be you.
Precious few to be treasured.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
The silky pearly-white soft skin, beneath her comb's dark beams
and her intriguing olive eyes' attentive, thoughtful gaze,
behind the night's befalling veil, with elegance supreme,
like mystic crypts enchant the men and cause infernal blaze.
Involuntarily transmits her messages across
a forest nymph expands her spell beneath the moonlight's phase,
beguiles the thoughts; romantic dream her cherry lips of gloss
the nightly creatures stuns and laws of reason disobeys.
Untamed, a diamond in the rough, the nymph in darkness shines
without a partner to escort her dance beneath the sky,
denies to coexist with men, proposals she declines,
and so belongs to breezy streams, that lift her image high.
© Olive Eloisa Guillermo, 08-20-2014, All Rights Reserved
(Quatorzain or Iambic heptameter
Diamonds in the rough
Let's do us both a favor
and choose to be free
let go all insecurities
and strive for simplicity
eyes wide shut
immune to
doubt and mistrust
our very own window seat
on a passionate bus
Allen Poe
Let's share this window seat
arms entwined
souls speak
take in breathless peace
trust and serenity
admire our blissful view
the many eclectic horizons
of me and you
if only we'd trust
we would be unbreakable
Diamonds in the rough
Lay
The Diamond in the rough has been lost in the masses of panicked flesh
He looks through the eyes of the unnoticed,
He thinks with the questioning of his being,
He only looks to escape the day
The Diamond in the rough only leaves in the night
bereft of joy he entraps his plight
He makes music alone waiting for pain to escape
he looks in the mirror and cries at his face
the Diamond in the rough he's escaped far away
He's tired of the masses he sticks to like clay
He walks the silk plains and travels alone,he's severed all contact with his past and his home
His potential may be realized and maybe it won't
He writes in his soul what his eyes have absorbed
They hear it and like it but they always want more
His soul's been exchanged by demons in suits
For MTV slots, platinum plaques,drugs,sex, and a bust in a room
The Diamond in the rough,no longer there lies
but he's had enough he's decided to fly
The fame and the fortune has darkened his day
It's tragic, but masses proclaim him cliche'
He knew they would view him as weak,and then scared
Nothing else mattered he was always prepared
He couldn't fear fear any longer inside
Alone in a tower a diamond he died
He Found A Cubic Zirconia In The Rough
he sat at the bar looking over at her tee
in bold letters it read catch and release me
after a few drinks he was game
closing on the brink of her flame
his shrank as she imparted a handling fee
connie pachecho
4/12/17
Kobey is a Diamond, who despite his verbal trials
Got taken to a courthouse, for he baulked at dingos wiles
He lost his rag, he'd grabbed his phone; he swore he'd
Had enough, he rolloked the state premier; said life was
Tough enough, he e-ffed at him and made a din, said
Lockdown was a joke, I think he wished 'old dingo' on
His mandates bill would choke?then he brought his mother
Into things which got the judge quite riled.. So he gave
Kobry a lecture; as one might with a child he'd have to
Write an apology.. Say sorry and other lies, I wouldn't
Worry Kobey, that's just typical courthouse style, dingo's
At it every day, He's just like a machine, much more
Than once in a in a while' till he got that quarrantine
He' d Hold on tight; treat em mean and keep em keen.'
Just like in bdsm, they wear a mask; you set the tasks
And if they're good? they can come up for air a'gin '
So looking on things Kobey, I don't rate you a threat.'
Yet I really the do take issue, with the way that you were treat
You fronted up that liar; you opened up the truth
You,'re found to be an asset, though they were so uncouth..
Another aspect to you, is your discerning streak
You know the score, and damage caused in only two short
Weeks.?? Then as far as freedom goes, I see you're a true lover!
Also it's great news to me; that 'old dingo even, has a mother.?
On my way home from work everyday,
I always see the one from whom everyone keeps at bay
She is a young woman,
Not more than thirty and ten
She would sit on the sidewalk
And, to more than a many folks, would have a talk
She would flirt,
Not caring if her clothes were made of dirt!
She was feared and she was, most of the times, ignored
Everyone would walk her by and say, oh what a bore
Everyone saw in her youth, and laziness
For she could very well earn for a living and be a princess
Yet, no one ever guessed the truth about her
She was the one to have given to the Lord as an offer
She once asked the Lord to create Earth
Here, living seems to be like a passage to death!
Poverty, abuse, sins, demons, all abound
All create a world one would not be willing to crown
The Lord saw through her wisdom
He agreed to make of Earth, a divine kingdom!
For that, she would have to show him the true side of humanity
By sitting and watching everyone around
She showed Him, the essence of this world's bestiality
And soon the Lord agreed to erase, from her face, her sullen frown!
A diamond she was, such a one lost in the rough
A gem she was indeed, made to save the Earth
Glory be to the fallen soul
Glory be to the one who gave out a divine call!
A diamond is born when the rock is unearthed
A child is born when a mother gives birth
Unclear and jagged, it is what already is.
Handle delicately and finely crafted with ease.
Begins to take shape, not transformed on its own
But at the hands of someone who is its owner.
When it’s done, it shines for the world to see
Once, just a reason, now it is already real to glee.
It took the one that believed firmly in it, to capitate
To polish it and show it what is was all along in fate
As I believe in you, I know you’ve what is tough
One day, will shine brighter, a diamond in the rough.
+++++++
June 18, 2014
Form: Rhyme
Dr. Ram Mehta
Contest: A Diamond in the rough by Gail Angel Doyle
Diamond in the rough
Skyline, makes me hot like a fevered owl,
As light languishes in my murky puddle
Like a furious flea made of phosphorous
And indecision. My indecision.
Like sad gray lenses over my pupils; my heart's pulse,
From which sacred energy rains down on us
Like the quarreling feathers from above.
And all through, too...
The birds, we birds, flutter and fret our way...
Keep busy, make busy, we'll all have a laugh one day.
One day, we'll all know the joke at the exact same time
And our spastic wings will fold as we stand adjacent to our greater spirit.
Our diamonds out of the rough,
Us, climbing out of sand.
The diamond in the rough
My Sweet little bathroom singer,
Every song on tip of his finger,
Sang to melody each lyric, howsoever tough,
Shine of A diamond in the rough !
Overlooked studies, paper and pen,
Singing his passion, sang every now and then,
To the parents' much annoyance,
But Never did he lose his buoyance !
Today he stands on grand stage,
Life has turned to the golden page,
Enthrals jam packed audience,
No one can escape the effulgence !
Time can scrub the toughest of tough,
Glitters the most, my diamond once in the rough !
Written on 23/6/14
Contest- A Diamond in the rough
Sponsor- Gail Angel Doyle
axes chip and spark
daylight drips slow through small holes
diamonds pulled like teeth
The sun was hot but it was cold
He was old but I was not
I could walk but he could not
Although he was frinedly I was not
He spoke to me but I did not
I thought he was beneath me but he taught me alot
Although he was old he had wisdom
The kind that came from a kingdom
Grace, and peace of a lord if only I had listened
he spoke to me with a commanding voice
he told me I have a choice
which path will I chose
The path of peace and enteral light with dimonds to light
Or the path to damnation and enteral darkeness full of wrath in
the path
by myself, i feel as if i am one with the world
you make a face because it confuses you
you tell me to always surround myself with people
i tell you that reciprocity is lacking in that department
you come closer, take my hands, and express assurance from your end of the realm
it means so much to me that i forget the pride side of myself and just cry
then i express my thanks by my own reciprocity
you begin to cry yourself and tell me that i did not even have to look in the mirror
i reply by saying that what i see in the mirror is just the image of myself
it is what i do in every episode of reality that decides which road will be offered to me
you nod in agreement and smile that smile that stole your husband's heart
i just laugh and ask if you want some butter almond ice cream
you decline and say you have to be getting back to care for your son who is struggling with a bad cold
i nod in understanding and retrieve your coat from the closet
as we say our goodbyes, we give each other a hug and you force me to come to another dinner party y'all are having
with you, i have no choice and i know it....deep down inside, i am aware of the fact....that sometimes i need that