Best Life Sustaining Poems
What flowers do we most cherish?
Ones with such aroma they consume our senses,
as sweet purfumed, honeysuckle clad fences,
or those of brilliant hues springing boldly from the ground,
holding our eyes captive, as do pictures in clouds?
Which clouds do we most welcome?
Dreamy, soft ones of contrasting white,
sauntering seductively across baby blue skies,
or those billowing dark, mocking tidal waves at sea,
pouring life sustaining liquid to desert Joshua trees?
What trees are we most thankful for?
Bearers of fruit, so succulent and sweet;
releasing bundles of manna right at our feet,
or those with strong arms stretched over the dust,
lending cool somber shade; a resting haven for us?
Whish of us is the most beautiful?
Ones with perfect features to gaze upon,
as earthly angels dancing round kings thrones,
or those who cherish friends, and have learned life's lessons;
welcomed opportunities to give, and been thankful for blessings?
Our love is lofty and infinite as the sky
On love’s filmy wings we soar ever high
It has the might of a towering mountain
And the upward thrust of a sprightly fountain
Our love soars like swift birds in flight
With the boon of newer vistas in sight
It is like the sweet lays of a song
All through life, its rhythmic notes do ring
Our love renews itself like the rising sun
Each day in golden flame, it does burn
It is like the life sustaining breath
That shall keep us alive until our death
Our love, we hope to keep it aflame
As a living monument in Time
Even after the sun of our life sets
In heaven we shall sing love’s duets
Placed First
Strand's (1072) poetry Contest
Gone are the fields of winter white
soon to be replaced by hues of greens and yellows,
in the interim, fields of barren brown and dirty gold
turned, to breathe warm air from departed winter chill
Plumes of black and gray from mans machine
kneading the back of Mother Earths desire,
before impregnating her with the many seeds
that will produce offspring to quench mans many needs
oh, how lonesome she looks, so alone
holding yet to some remnants of children past,
left only to cradle her dead, left by man
yearning to suckle new life, as only a Mother can
Above, from the heavens, Father prepares
to germinate those so many seeds,
with life sustaining necessities only he is allowed
sunlight and life giving rain, loosened from the clouds
within days Mother is impregnated
she can feel the multitudes of organic life,
moving within her womb, yearning,growing, needing
the escape, to be warmed and nourished by the Sun
Minutes turn to hours, hours to days
suddenly weeks pass,and yet another life,
giving rain, descends from guilded clouds
arms and fingers, of her children, open, sustained
nearing the end of a warm and wonderful summer
it is time for Fathers other children,
to reap what he has sewn
time for Mother Earth to let her children go
My, how they have grown, tall,lush and full
of the fruit they were meant to bear,
to provide nourishment for the masses of seeds
grown to maturity, in need from the father
Again, the gray black plumes of mans machine
come to life, they move through her fields,
her children, like a predator among prey
until, she is left again, with remnants of children past
Soon she will be blanketed again in winter white
gone will be the warm breath of life,
her children taken from her, she is again barren
only to be betrothed to a promise of new life.
I wrote this on a day trip to Illinois from Iowa across wide open farm land.
God Bless....Taz
Light, defined as electromagnet and;
The radiation of photon particles
Natural visible light with intensity and frequency
The Light wavelength (spectrum / polarization propagation)
Fire / light, is a fiery chemical warming substance
Bioluminescence lights are of sea-creatures glowing
Fireflies are flickering their internal lights at night
Sunlight fuels all green plants with photosynthesis empowering
People pleasure and preen at the beach with sunny sun tanning
Sunlight illuminates Mountain trails for bicycling and trekking
Sunsets have lavender with orange bright beams extending
Solar sunrays light a day of picnic park fun with joyful frolicking
Some of the light spectrum is radio, white light, ultraviolet and x-rays
Infrared is only heat visible and gamma-rays are the most powerful
Small lasers are used in disk drives, printers, and fiber-optics
Fiber-optic networks are a light fast digital information system
TV plasma, liquid crystal displays, LEDs light-emitting diodes gives visuals
These assist our everyday visual optic neural perceptions
Cars have headlights and ships use fog-lights
Light-towers have flood-lights and we use handy flashlights
Tesla and Edison partook in the light bulb’s bright invention
Lewis Latimer and Joseph Nichol invented its carbon filament
This did dispel much of the world’s nighttime darkness
Lightning lights, to reveal charges of negative and positive
Colors of violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, red: are hidden in white light
Some colors are viewed when seeing a rainbow over a dewy meadow
What can be possibly seen at the other end of a rainbow?
This, the notes of God’s faithful abatement covenant
Starlight is continually being reflected and refracted
Earth and the Heavens at night are lit, by starry star lights
Great stars are round and renowned and fiery fireballs
They in a balance of great equilibrium
Stars dispersing their photon particles at light speed
"Light speed, “299,792,458 meters per second"
Light, is a part of the equation “E=MC squared”
“Energy,” not made, nor annihilated, yet always in flux
"Natures life sustaining and revealing lights"
"The Light Particle / Waves"
Yes, once created by the Creator
We said our goodbyes in June,
and the months since blur into mist.
At unexpected moments, awareness
of loss hits; tears spill unbidden.
Family gathering, Christmas Eve
as usual . . . minus one.
We quietly exchanged gifts,
found flowers from her funeral
crafted into hand-made jewelry,
kaleidoscopes, treasured mementoes.
I cooked grapes today, dark muscadines.
I extracted seeds and peelings,
and measured life-sustaining juice
through the metal funnel she used
from the day of her marriage.
It came to me dented and bent,
like her body had been at 93.
I still taste those fresh-from-the-oven
chocolate rolls after school,
garden tomatoes warmed by the sun,
hot biscuits with apple jelly,
squeezed from the peelings after
she baked crisp slices in cinnamon-rich pie.
I'm glad I didn't know then,
about being allergic to Cinnamon.
Precious, life sustaining oxygen flows
no longer; linking chord tethering me
severed, I lie upon hard cold table.
I see cloudy images--a table
holds my angel mother. Sweet red blood flows
from soft nurturing nest once holding me.
Mommy, don’t discard your babe. Look at me!
Life can be saved. An abortion table
Should not separate with death our love flows.
Love flows away. Save me from this table.
Copyright, July 17, 2014
Faye Lanham Gibson
It was once the pride of a prairie farmer not too many years ago.
Now, long abandoned it stands forlorn on a wind-blown plateau.
Its rusting blades slowly turn at the whim of every passing breeze.
It has weathered the storms of summer and the bitter winter's freeze!
It leans a bit askew and a couple of blades are missing from the shaft,
And it squeals a lot as it laboriously turns with each passing draught.
The rusty weather vane dangles lifelessly having served its vital role.
No life-sustaining water doth it draw for this once busy watering hole!
A couple of stately cedar trees grow nearby as if standing guard,
Over the old windmill's enfeebled frame so twisted and so marred.
The water tank that once over-flowed with cool waters from the well,
Now lies in a corroding heap where not a living thing doth dwell!
A once sturdy barn leans in upon itself nearby in a terrible shambles,
Nearly hidden by ancient oaks and creeping blackberry brambles.
What was once a prosperous farm, alas, is now torn asunder.
Who once dwelt in that archaic homestead, I am left to wonder!
The once beckoning oasis sated the thirst of a multitude of creatures.
A well-worn path is seen leading there - 'tis one of its lasting features.
The verdant prairies for many years with working windmills were replete.
Graceful windmills that graced the landscape are, alas, nearly obsolete!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
Friendship – a seamless sky,
far too complex to gauge or delve.
At times like the early rays of morn,
it fills one with joy.
At times like a gentle breeze,
it cuddles and cossets.
At times like dark clouds,
it overcasts the mind.
At times it comes blowing like a gale,
sweeping us off our feet.
At times it sprouts like a seedling,
growing out into a tree, giving shade.
It blossoms like a Night Queen,
diffusing in the air, a heady scent.
At times like the plaintive notes from a flute,
it saddens the soul.
Like a rainbow it may swiftly vanish,
or remain like a beacon,
guiding us when storms rage.
In darkness, it burns like a candle.
In loneliness, a sweet presence.
At times so silent
At times so very eloquent
Finally like an unfinished tale,
A fond memory,
A lingering scent
Like the life sustaining breath
It remains…..!
August.2. 2022
~ Placed First~
Resubmitted for Brian Strand No. 1199 Poetry Contest
Friendship Poetry Contest
Sponsor – Beata Augustin
I think of you,
the crimson flower
shining in the blazing sun
My mouth waters
for your delightful kiss,
the taste of your flower
My life desires
your life-sustaining nectar
running through my body
My soul is enlightened
by your pleasant grace,
the essence of you
My heart churns
for your petals around
raining down, touching me
My world wishes
for you always...
the sweetness of my life.
On a grassy knoll silhouetted against the rising sun,
Astride his pinto pony sits a Native American son.
A majestic bronzed brave, feathers wafting in the breeze,
Arms uplifted in obeisance, the Great Spirit to appease.
He offers thanks to Him for the grandeur of creation,
For the sun and moon from which he gathers inspiration;
For flowing rivers and the life-nurturing rain,
And for the beasts that roam the vast, verdant plain.
He asks the Great Spirit to bless his arrow and bow,
That with true aim he can fell life-sustaining buffalo,
To contribute to the welfare of his tribal clan,
A feast of roasted meat and many hides to tan.
He prays that among his brothers peace will prevail,
And that he be protected as he lopes along the trail.
He pleads for honor in battle be the outcome victory or defeat,
And that he be brave and not falter against foes he shall meet.
A tear rolls down his cheek thinking of his ravaged, sacred land;
Broken treaties and those who deal with deceitful hand.
With sad heart he lowers his arms and slowly turns away,
Determined that from the paths of his fathers he will never stray.
Entry for Line Gauthier's "Tribute To Native Culture" Contest
When I behold the rising of a new day's sun,
Or glorious sunset when the day is done,
Or view the majestic moon rising o'er the dell,
I see the Hand of God at work and know that all is well!
It is He who waters the earth with life-sustaining rain,
To nourish all the fruits and fields of golden grain.
He renders the bountiful harvest across the verdant plain.
'Tis surely the Hand of God attending His vast domain!
Who but He could have formed the mighty mountain peaks,
Pristine lakes, flowing rivers and gently rippling creeks!
It is He who adorns the trees in gold and scarlet every fall.
'Tis surely the Hand of God that wrought this celestial ball!
I see the Hand of God when a mother cuddles her newborn child;
When the babe first peered at mother's face and sweetly smiled!
He has boundless love for all creatures be they great or small.
'Tis surely the mighty Hand of God that governs o'er all!
When I regard the stars or a comet as across the sky it speeds,
How can I not stand in awe of His matchless deeds!
Though there is so much about His universe I'll never understand,
This I know for sure - 'tis the creation of the Master's Hand!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
From microscopic neutrons to the mighty Milky Way
The universe reveals its sundry span.
Magnetic fields preserve a perfect balance night and day
Facilitating life on earth for man.
Our life-sustaining earth parades a stunning rich supply
Of colours, textures, symmetry and art,
And as the master clock ticks off the seasons passing by,
It charts the cycle of each beating heart.
The awesomeness of life should make us pause;
Can random forces really be the cause?
Date:03.07.19
Contest:The universe poetry contest
Sponsor:Nina Parmenter
For years he proudly wore the uniform of his beloved nation,
Fighting in many conflicts seeing mankind's terrible desecration.
In the heat of battle he often looked beyond the horrible strife,
When one day he could pen his dreams about the good things in life.
He tried to erase from his mind the lingering nightmare of battle,
The clash of steel, the billowing smoke and the musket's rattle.
He retired to a peaceful life and forsook the weapons of war,
To muse and write of ordinary things, letting his imagination soar!
He wrote of the magnificence of a beautiful, fragrant rose,
And the peaceful innocence of little children in repose.
The grandeur of the Creator's mountain, stream and plain,
Trees, sunshine, the moon, the stars and life-sustaining rain.
He wrote of children anxiously pondering choices at a candy store,
And of mighty waves from far-away places rushing to the shore.
He told of the virtues of attending Church and Sunday School,
To handle others with loving care, as if each were a precious jewel!
It says in the Good Book there'll always be wars and rumors of war,
But the old soldier had seen the folly of war and made it his chore,
To espouse a truism he had learned, this a very simple rule:
"If folks would follow The Golden Rule, they'd be apt to be less cruel!"
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)
Gathering four elements of life sustaining the earth,
People keep on killing our natural resources,
Start planting trees to balance the flow of ecosystem.
Education
the light of our life
A gift of academic rife
Education
the key to a bright and
rewarding future
A glue that joins our
dreams like a suture
Education
A path to divine success
A smooth drive to our
greatness
Education
gives our thinking a
different appearance
And helps drive away all
our ignorance
Education
It leads us to the path of
prosperity
And gives our tomorrow a
sounding security
Education
the process of teaching and
learning
Which will help us in our
future earning
Education
shaping our true character
is the motto
Leading to a successful life
it is the major factor
Education
The progressive discovery
of our true self
And exploitation of the
potentials of oneself
Education
a better safeguard of liberty
than a standing army
A life boat that see us
through our days of stormy
Education
A torch of academic
brilliance
And package of inner
resilience
Education
the key to unlock the
golden door of freedom
And stage our rise to
stardom
Education
A life sustaining material
Without it we can’t lead a
life which is congenial
Education
not all about bookish
knowledge
But it is also about practical
knowledge
Education
makes a person stand up
on his on toes
And helps a person to fight
with all his foes
Education
A fundamental foundation
For any country state or
nation
Education
A thick line between right
and wrong
A ladder that takes us to
the height where we belong
Education
Mother of all profession
That helps acquires all our
possession
Education
Is our right
For in it our future is bright