Best Lm Poems
shallow wallowing
'til the sunniest spring day. . .
a tidal flooding
Feb 24, 2020 for Maureen McGreavy's She Inspires Series - Lm Poetry Contest
Quote: : "Reality is something you rise above." -Liza Minelli
Categories:
lm, nature, spring,
Form:
Haiku
"Reality is something you rise above."
-Liza Minelli
RISE ABOVE
Judy, darling, teach me to pray -
your arms wrapped around my teeth,
so white, pristine. . .
I’ll take my bows,
my arms maneuvered by strings,
my waist meticulously child-size, bends.
My mother was ten feet tall...
My mother ain’t nothing at all...
except her majestic voice,
her time on a barber-chair stage.
Liza, darling, teach me to pray -
my dreams of playing all day.
Popping pills is our skill -
it kills the time,
helps me rewind.
Oh sweet child of mine,
lay your head on my lap -
face the audience.
now, sing...
Liza marries the chair,
snaps her garter on,
personality charms her velvet hat,
spreads wide her sexy black boots
and belts out a tune
as she floats, far away from reality…
2/24/2020
She Inspires Series - LM Poetry Contest
Sponsor is Maureen McGreavy
Categories:
lm, image,
Form:
Free verse
‘What good´s permitting some prophet of doom? To wipe every smile away …’
The orator grins at his drunken audience through make up and mask
Opens the cabaret’s veil in the theatre of forsaken minds on the run
Champagne flows from magic fountains while Berlin falters from grace
The wild thirties dance to an apocalyptic sound of paralized conscience
Outside the toothbrush moustache commandeers Svastika’s march
Torches set light to mislead passion and houses of semitic prayer
Crystal breaks as brown shirts parade their poisonous conquest
Heil to the savage Führer when ‘reality is something to rise above’
Pirouettes swirl on stilettos while boots squash compassion and lives
Caviar evades judeo-bolshevik scapegoats and trains to the camps
Blond blue-eyed conception born to inhabit Lebensraum on the map
Feeds into industrialist’s dream of war effort and armoured production
The white flag of surrender stuck into skull bones and belligerent stride
No meaningful rise of resistance only raised arms and ‘following orders’
When God capitulated and sang his swan song to the sound of hell fire
And prophets of doom cashed in on gas chambers and golden teeth
It’s easy in hindsight to lift the pen from an immaculate ink-pot of courage
But where would I have been when ashes in Auschwitz were ascending
When evil tore into the last bit of humanity in a vile coup of disgrace
As I look into the mirror of history I reflect on the cowardice in my soul
21st February 2020
‘What good´s permitting some prophet of doom? To wipe every smile away …’
Line from Cabaret the musical base on Christopher Isherwood’s 'Good-bye to
Berlin'
Theme for the poem ‘Reality is something to rise above' Liza Minelli
Categories:
lm, history,
Form:
Free verse
contentment to be
freedom to enjoy my day
my way of pure joy
belly laughs and thrills
water park fun temptations
lasting summer sun
the beauty of family
together screams of delight!
love and together
peace for joy, the meal table
inner happiness
Categories:
lm, happiness
Form:
Haiku
L Milton Hankins loved by all here on Poetry Soup
He kept true to himself and to us with authenticity
Daily poems intimate, inciting, true to the group
Known for his philosophies, strong faith, and veracity
Author of the book above, on narrative traditions
He shared humor and sorrow of Southern Appalachia
An anthology of twenty-five short stories, his expeditions
Inspired by his childhood in the hills of West Virginia
Man of integrity, wrote about anything with clarity
Milt, was an honest man, who spoke his mind
Even when distracted by bullies, a lover of poetry
A warm free spirit honored by us, one of a kind
"My indestructible faith will always keep me free,
Until with God and loved ones I shall forever be"—LM Hankins
Categories:
lm, appreciation, character, death, death
Form:
Elegy
So many times I skip
laughing with friends, arm in arm
then wake and ... they're gone.
Fields where flurries drift
- melt on my brow.
I reach for a sane moment,
steady fingertips - somewhere a smile
that didn't hide tears.
Just one day when
that disheveled path of bricks
was free of toes that trip
and wicked yesterdays
-no clever riddles to solve,
just home ... simply home.
Written Feb. 22, 2020
Inspired by "Reality is something you rise above" - Liza Minelli
For Maureen McGreavy
Categories:
lm, life,
Form:
Free verse
Night brings us close unwrapping naked bodies
Of old conversation left hanging in the window
Of an empty house
This house had no tenant so long time now
You laughing from stern to bow
Your wine glass amazing pirouettes
I set to sea
But could not get pass pushing waves
It needed more than canoe to follow you
So we set sail for different poles of failure
And sometimes we washed up in the same world
New York or Fort Lauderdale, beachcomber and driftwood
Have so much pleasure in each other's hand
That was a lot of years to forget, childhood turned gray
In each barren aggregate of minutes
And love, well what was it but living, breathing clay.
We drift to and from now with the tides of conversation
Laughing and crying some is good
But I will keep the regrets unseen, what am I to do
With things that look back at me, dissecting what I should have been
My life only amounted to this after you left
Shall we dance again?
The Bee Gees still sputter in my veins
Yes there was somewhat of a life
In the silence of our praise, and we covet each other
Because we did not belong together
Although we could not keep apart
Poems are the only children I give birth
So lonely, lonely the everlasting earth
Now I must face this
Your giving up of you to the empty world of me
Dear God, keep the thorn birds away
Life is brittle, brittle as clay
If the vase is broken now, the flowers withered
Will weep forever, for there will be no coming
Again of Spring, Summer, or Autumn
I know the callousness of the weather
Nothing freezes the agony of lost forever
Yet I from a state of exploratory joy
Wash my tears with lemon rain.
Categories:
lm, devotion, friendship, life, love
Form:
Free verse
"Reality is something you rise above."
-Liza Minelli
*****
what cannot be overcome can still be defeated,
for where there is hope, we too can ascend-
transcend above the power of life’s actuality,
conviction in searching for the sureness of reality
confidence of free climbing into what is truly mine,
my certitude shall seek what should have been sought-
i find accuracy in veracity with facts to support
what shall be heard before i reach my last resort
lifted
HIGHER
and
HIGHER
above whom i used to be…
before i was me
surge with growth and understanding what is real
and what is flawed ‘neath the willow weeping,
forever minding what has become my sincerity
with
true conviction in the reality of verity
*****
2.23.20
She Inspires Series - LM Poetry Contest
Categories:
lm, encouraging, life, metaphor,
Form:
Verse
Reality is something you rise above, could it be a flying dove? Can this flying dove see reality, or is it really vanity. The dove asks are you just showing off, life is about showing off so do not scoff. "Reality is something you rise above," good, bad, hate or love.
Date Written: 2/20/2020
Quote "Reality is something you rise above." Liza Minelli
Categories:
lm, bird, hate, love,
Form:
Rhyme
TRUTH
Spiral path of life
having black holes to absorb
strict reality.
Thirsty desires search success.
Yearnings seeking perfection.
Stick to verity
in variety of choice
aiming ambition
reaching goal to glorify.
Dreams turning reality.
02/24/20
'She inspires series LM' Contest by Maureen McGreavy
Categories:
lm, truth,
Form:
Tanka
"Reality is something you rise above." -Liza Minelli
There is a host of systems the world over that mankind has chosen to live under or to be governed by. Some of these systems are cultural,
and others are political or religious. Some systems are so entrenched into the life and psyche of its people that there is very little opportunity to escape
their gripe. Unfortunately, these are "Realities" that the populous in many societies must learn to live with or, in many cases, become a criminal or castaway in society.
In the "Free World", it is easy to take for granted the mindset to which we have become accustomed. We all are subjected to the reality we are born into, but at some point, we learn and come to realize that reality is not our god, and we are not bound to remain in an unpleasant status if we choose to prepare ourselves to face the challenges and "Rise Above" the unpleasant plight into which we find ourselves. Even in hostile societies with far less freedom, men and women have found ways to "Rise Above" those seemingly inescapable realities. The "Rise Above" is often very costly endeavors and pursuits, resulting in imprisonments and too often even death.
There are other realities in family life that are more personal and far less
hostile. For example, My father died, leaving 11 minor children with our mother who was 35 years old. Some of our relatives, desiring to help our mother, offered to raise some of us kids. Without much thought, our mother said "No". Though her sadden reality looked dark, our mother had a personal faith
in God that energized her to believe that she could "Rise Above" her challenging reality and make a good life for her kids. She chose to keep us
together, and I have no doubt that we are the better for it. Father was gone, and mother made the wise right choice because she knew best.
021820PoSpCtest, She Inspires Series, Maureen McGreavy
Categories:
lm, courage, culture, family, religious,
Form:
Prose Poetry
"Reality is something you rise above." Liza Minelli
Friends declare,
“We won’t get very far—
not from this town. That’s just how things are!”
“Don’t you dare
say that!” I scold each time.
“That attitude should be deemed a crime.”
Ban despair
so you’ll be free to see
you can make a new reality.
Date: February 17, 2020
Contest: She Inspires Series--LM Placed 6th (of 10)
Sponsor: Maureen McGreavy
Categories:
lm, growing up, success,
Form:
Verse
Lewis Milton Hankins or LM for short when I call him
Always writes poems amazingly in any form and theme
He’s an excellent poet, author and prolific writer
A man of God, as reflected in his poems--a great believer.
He’s a very good mentor, so kind and generous
On his time to read poems, to encourage and applause
Sometimes he gives surprises, being the first to comment
His words uplift---he’s a loving and wonderful friend.
His poems and works are great sources of inspirations
Breathtaking masterpieces like Villanelles and Pantoums
He pens them with ease, in a highly aesthetic creation
To share his life’s journey, love, hope, ideas, joys, aspirations…
Then, the moment came for him to leave us all
Going back to our Lord, creator of our poetic soul
Sad and heartbreaking but he doesn’t want us cry
For he’s going to a better place to reunite with his wife.
Thank you dear friend LM for the good memories
You’re safe in God’s Hand, you may now rest in peace
We’ll remember and keep you in our hearts forever
Deep gratitude for your poetry; still, we’ll visit you there.
Jan. 5,2023 23.12pm
I love his comments especially on my poems, My Best Blessings and A Jolly Fisherman, who first commented on it. His words were uplifting and they served as my consolation prizes.
In Honor of Milt - An Un-contest
Contest Judged: 1/16/2023 1:13:00 PM
Sponsored by: Andrea Dietrich
Place 1 ( almost all were chosen first coz this is uncontest)
Categories:
lm, tribute,
Form:
Rhyme
The voices sang to her
Spectacular yet hollow
The nurse edged the pills towards her
But she liked this better.
Categories:
lm, joy, song, woman,
Form:
Prose Poetry
All alone again
thinking about you
Memories flood my mind
tell me this ain't true
My world is shattered
as you sit in that cell
Such a lonely place
we know of all to well
Tell me it's a dream
I'll wake to find you here
Gently reaching up
to wipe away my tear
The warmth of your breath
spreads across my skin
Your scent surrounds me
I take a moment to breathe you in
Open my eyes now
or do I dare
Into this darkness
alone I stare
In a world full of wealth
I'd give every dime
Grant me one wish to
speed up the hands of time
No comfort from your touch
I feel the cold air
No strength from you presence
I'm weak without you near
The distance between us
counted by the mile
I'd travel to the moon
just to see your smile
Til the years become days
and hours to minutes that we're apart
Until I can hold you forever in my arms
I'll hold you forever in my heart
Categories:
lm, desire, dream, heartbroken, i
Form:
ABC