Best Lay Poems
A rainbow took my breath away
Whilst on a train one summers day
Her vibrant arc I was in awe
Though folk beside me never saw
With heads bowed low they missed the show
The screens their windows, don’t you know
All Mother Nature’s flawless gems
Score well below the latest trends
Written 28th December 2019
Lay poetry
8 lines ~ 8 syllables ~ AABBCCDD
POTD - 29 December 2019
Contest: LAY IT ON ME 8X8
Sponsor: Charles Messina
1st PLACE
Contest: Strand Select 6
Sponsor: Brian Strand
HONORABLE MENTION
1st PLACE in Best New Poems
16th - 27th January 2020
Published in a previous Poetry Soup Anthology 2020
My evening sky glints motifs gold
In orange vibes turned ruby bold
Glowing remnants of shining snow
Where pewter winds merrily blow
Swirling imprints of amber glaze
Bending hues of setting sun rays
Prairies sway season’s dreaded hold
Wailing in grief, as blossoms fold,
For fallen leaves and wintry woe
That shudders trees in frosted throe
While browning pastures cattle graze
Where foothills gleam in twilight haze
When fervor yawns in dreary mold
And garden sighs of parching cold
Pine trees, ebullient, dance in row
Enchanting hearts in nature’s show
While ogling the stars passions blaze
As romance blooms in moonlit gaze
On horizon mauve dreams unfold
Where blush of morn lovers behold
Greeting November's scarlet glow
That tawny dawn's sunbeams bestow
Glistening face of shortened days
Wooing warmth in autumn's malaise
Written: November 26, 2020
Submitted on October 26, 2022 to:
2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 18 Poetry Contest
Placed 1st: Lay November Poetry Contest
Sponsor: William Kekaula
Eight syllables per line (howmanysyllables.com)
Where gentle winds merrily blow
And twilight flaunts its orange glow
Swirling imprints amber arc spun
Bending beams-mauve of setting sun
Prairies sway in graying shadows
Wailing grief of browning meadows
While garden sighs of parched flowers
And ardor yawns in rain showers
Pine trees breeze lilting verdant hills
Enchanting hearts in wintry thrills
As snowflakes vie passions of night
And romance glimmers in moonlight
Frigid air dwells in dreams of dawn
Yet, blush of morn smiles on and on
Greeting bright day’s golden appeal
While sunrise sparks its frosty zeal
Wooing winter in autumn's song
Glinting days short, as nights prolong
January 25, 2022
Poem of the day January 27, 2022
Placed 1st: A strand 1061 contest
Form LAY: Eight syllables per line
One tear slides down a slanted cheek
A silver line, the only sign
Of anguish which she does not speak
Insistent smiles, bright by design
Thin fortitude, her whitewashed shrine
Gilded answers rain, lily meek
She lies and says that she is fine
When truth is too fearsome to seek
2/1/20
November, as the poets say -
autumn's demise, winter's gateway.
Its shortened days and longer nights
descending, death is in her sights:
leaves fall, as is their yearly fate,
while beasts prepare to hibernate.
November, as my lady lies
so silent, moving not her eyes -
with ashen skin, lips cold as death,
I wait in vain to feel her breath.
Her soul immortal, this I know,
yet in this life I'll grieve her so.
Written 26 November 2020
Fool of Infiniti
A wanton bird pecks at the stars
A Jester peers through crystal bars
This prison of love with rainbow hue
Illusion parts to lets you through
On dragon wings forever free
You quest into your dreams to see
Smoke and mirrors and shadow haze
To guide you through an endless maze
Slow motion tear rolls down her cheek
Its only passion that you seek ?
Engulfed in strange duality.
She wonders her reality
Your eyes still mock her with desire
Your kisses light her inner fire
Your touch can melt her to your will
But you will never take your fill
Black widow spider guards your heart
She spun the web, she keeps it taut
It is your only fatal flaw.
A secret, silent metaphor.
And all about her swirl the dreams
The nightmares all with voiceless screams
And in her hand the strangest key
To fit the door of What Will Be ?
And when her eyes search yours again
You take her to the spider den
You spin the dreams she hopes to see
And lock your hearts in mystery.
So enter in to lick the flame
Eternal prisoner of the game
Illusion is false imagery
She whispers your Infinity
The Queen of Fate
The Queen of Fate by the outer Gate
Her carriage to Nowhere, will await
Her cloak is wrapped against the night
Her eyes are wide with peculiar fright
Gray horses eyes turn back in fear
With thunderclaps upon her ear
Blue jagged lightning points the way
Along the path to yesterday
Cold, sullen driver cracks his whip
His crooked smile curls round his lip
His horses leap the cruel abyss
Dark Queen of Fate sees none amiss
Above the mist a gate appears
Who will wipe the Gate-man's tears ?
Gray horses strike and paw the air
Fate Queen ascends the carriage stair
And all about her swirl the dreams
The nightmares all with voiceless screams
And in her hand a wondrous key
To lock Enigma's Mystery
Pass through the gate O Queen of Fate
Another carriage will await
Drawn by steeds of Promises
Illusion starts and finishes.
My heart returns to you like spring
Awakening with April rain
As pale petals tenderly cling
To promises of daylight's gain
I turn to you like seasons do
Dewy and fresh from winter's rest
Seeding our love in rainbow hues
Green life misting our mingled breath
Your eyes, once shy, now warmly bloom
Vast meadows of poppy sweet red
Our future pledged on the perfume
Of roses from the day we wed
Once auburn, more silver does grow
Yet gleaming with color's recall
A blossom kept beneath the snow
You are my spring, summer and fall
Let eyes meet, let them spark a fire
Let rhythms sing to music of lyre
Let heartbeats of joy write our song
In moods of kisses yearned for long
Let blushing cheeks welcome romance
Enchanting heart's seductive dance
Let winds of love ignite our flame
As night, ecstatic, croons your name
December 29, 2019
Placed 3rd: Lay it on me—8x8 poetry contest
Eight syllables per line (howmanysyllables.com)
Sponsor: Charles Messina
Placed 2nd: Strand select 6 by Brian Strand
is love to be a wilted rose
to fade beneath the winter snows
to pierce itself with its own thorn
its beauty hide in death to mourn
i watch it bloom from tiny seeds
a spark of lust from passion bleeds
unfold itself within a kiss
then fade within the dying bliss
December 30, 2019
We are in our fall before the season comes
Misting eyes and dropping a dandy heart
A sullen silence around the bee hive hums
History has no center left, facts fall apart
I have nothing left for honey but my words
Listening cleanse the eyes to see forever
Soon the sky flocks with all departing birds
Old bonds are unbroken, new loves sever
But to come again in heat and passion and lie
Cradled against the unknown of life's tomorrows
So summer goes, and sweet flowers will die
To bloom again as carpet for graves of sorrows.
Soon gold will fall from trees in a gray misty shroud
And all that was green will be brown and dim
And wild grass will bow where the land was ploughed
And wind will tap on its trumpet life's requiem
Hear the sounds of Winter's retreat
trickling away beneath your feet,
gushing into a swollen creek;
while surging waters swiftly peak.
Feel thawing ice packs crack and break
as they shiver, quiver, and quake.
Watch cascading waves wash ashore
as time and tide play tug-of-war.
Taste the sweetness of April rain,
diluting Winter's withered pain.
Smell the sweet scent surrounding Spring,
subtly clinging to everything.
Though Spring offers no guarantees,
hope gets hitched to a tepid breeze.
And the expectation of Spring
makes life an enjoyable thing.
Having been alone for Yuletide
On New Year’s morn, she stared outside
Neighbors were packing lights away
To place in storage, where they’d stay
For such décor, she’d lost her taste
As celebrating seemed a waste
And she knew well this was her last
Her heart belonged to Christmas past
December 28, 2019
For Charles Messina’s “LAY It on Me” contest
In the hall of clocks and mirrors,
Winds of time bring fragrant whispers,
Of midnights of magic moonlight,
And reflections of past delights!
Of golden days when lost in blooms,
And dancing joy in summer rooms!
A blur of green in woodland scene,
And the purple twilights velveteen.
Time's reversed to infinity,
As ensues with sweet memory.
And heartsongs waft, out of mauve mists,
And all life's seasons coexist!
Hark, I hear bells tinkling in tune.
Spring has arrived , a big hooray.
For bluebells are now in full bloom.
Look yonder, my friends and admire
Enchanting violet flowers
So melodious and fragrant,
A delight for nature lovers.
A favourite with the fairies.
An incredible spectacle,
Known also for their herbal cures.
1 April 2022
Form L - Lay - New Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Constance La France
Theme Chosen: Nature
8 syllables per line (HMS.com)
Placed 1
On paths of frozen ice and snow
With bitter cold air all around
I just seek to know, where to go
To make it work with what I found
To walk quiet, without a sound
Of cracking ice and things I know
Snow piled in burdens by the pound
Waiting for harmonious flow
1/21/20
Entry for Oh-no A Twisted Char-Lay Poetry Contest. Sponsor: Charles Messina