Best Made Poems
It had been a long night, an hour drive just to be with my sister. One must stay in touch with family; it’s the right thing to do. I don't even know what movie we saw. Here she was again in all her glory whining, and whimpering, about her conditions. Confined space is the wrong place to be with someone bi-polar. Sometimes, I think the family should mark her eruptions on a calendar, maybe there’s a pattern? She was hungry; her blood sugar was low; hurry, get her home!
“Geez Sis, if my life depended on carrying peanuts, I'd make damn sure I had them with me!” I my replied.
the sleet fell
through the headlight beams:
fog inside
“You bleeping self-centered witch!” Her reply.
And on and on, enumerating all my faults at the top of her lungs. Her face was darting back and forth across the stick shift like a viper. The weather was so bad, and her screaming so loud; I almost drove us up a telephone pole. The back road to her house was serpentine through a pinewood, and over narrow, slick, bridges. Well, about fifteen minutes into my dissection, I burst a gut.
“You need to have some control. Your diet is horrible. I wish you could see yourself eating. Your plate might as well be a trough.” There now I’ve gone and done it, I thought to myself. The little devil in me was all smiles. When we pulled into the driveway; she leapt out.
the car door
slams rattling the glass:
eyes wet as rain glass
It only felt good for a moment. It was true; she did deserve the comment. She’d felt free to butcher me, but, it was wrong to try to hurt her. The momentary release, which felt so good, has given us months of anguish.
Published in Dead Snakes Magazine Winter 2014
A POEM MADE UP OF CLICHES
At Poetry Soup we're admonished
Never to use cliches
They provide us an extensive list
For the error of our ways
But one thing you can rely on
Is people just don't pay heed
Like a dog gnawing a ham bone
Poets write stuff unfitten to read
Over and over again
I traverse the road less traveled
No one understands me
I feel worn to a frazzle
When all is said and done
I'll just wish upon a star
Or perhaps I'll follow the sun
And hope I don't go too far
Since fools rush in
Where angels fear to trod
And people get under my skin
I'll go by the grace of God
When life takes an unexpected twist
And you're plagued by a multitude of sin
Not making money hand over fist
Misery loves company and broken hearts never mend
You have reached the end of your rope
Tired of waiting for your ship to come in
Don't sit around and mope
'Cause you have fences to mend
Curtis Moorman
30 November 2018
There he sat among the ashes, thinking he was, oh, so good,
Just a tiny glowing ember that was once a piece of wood,
And he thought that he was better than the embers there that day,
But, alas, he didn't know that soon his pride would turn him gray.
There were many other embers that were crowding out his space,
They were vying for attention and were trying to keep the pace,
He believed they were a nuisance and he felt they were a pain,
And he knew that they were jealous, and it rubbed against his grain.
"I'm an ember in the ashes and I'm burning hot inside,
I've a reason to be boastful and to feel such awesome pride,
For the others here beside me are just living off my heat,
I'm the one who is important; in myself I am complete."
So he sparkled and he crackled and he told them all to move,
For he thought he didn't need them and he had a thing to prove,
So they rolled into the centre and they left him on the side,
And his glowing heart got bigger and it filled him up with pride.
Very soon he seemed to notice such a change inside of him,
For his glowing heart grew weaker and his light was getting dim,
But the others who had left him were still glowing bright and strong,
What had happened to this ember; could it be that he was wrong?
"I'm an ember in the ashes, but I'm feeling very weak,
I once thought I had a future, but it's looking rather bleak,
And the ones who I rejected are still glowing hot and bright,
Now I think I was mistaken and that they were truly right."
Now the tiny little ember, all alone and getting cold,
Sits among the lowly ashes and is feeling not so bold,
And the pride that once he harboured, that would make him spark and flash,
Has betrayed him in this moment and has turned him into ash.
--submitted to Be Didactic poetry contest - May 07, 2017
"Made In China"
They can have my money
If it saves me money
The toys I played with when I was young,
Says I enjoyed their hands
The Labels read
"MADE IN CHINA"
The cheap material on my back, the shoes I wore.
How easily they faded and tore
However, I enjoyed their hands
The Tags on my rags;
"MADE IN CHINA"
The car I own saves money on gas
A tiny Honda Civic, takes me everywhere
I love my sweet silver car
"Manufactured in China"
The never been used--Made in the USA--cookware I own,
Says, I don't work hard at all:)
Yummy to Chinese all you can eat take Outs
Thank you China for being part of this world
Better Yet!
Thank you China, for making this world a part of yours.
MADE IN CHINA
Shipped easily in a box
~SKAT~
A simple scene a nestling seeks the comfort of the night
to lay enthralled, engrossed, in memories of past days,
the nectar drawn from rivulets that run past blackened lash.
A lidded eye roves left, then right, as if it’s been betrayed
a corner tick, a slight knee twitch, odd choices now made.
The blanket once a comforter now twists so very tight.
A falling dream, a horrid scream, yet no land's in sight.
Bloodless body, writhe, heave, callout, nobody's home
your casing calls, umbilicus, umbilicus, reel me down.
A flying lift of breeze ‘neath hips, a lofting, oh so, high,
brings soul to ground with sighing sound within the dream,
entranced, aroused, the coming light, the end of night, wake.
First Published in Sweet Dreams and Night Terrors 2013
I Am Mortal Man, Made Of Mere Flesh And Bone
Sad and lost soul walked in his old worn shoes,
dark clouds covered his bowed and forlorn head.
Life had beat him hard, made him pay heavy dues,
cast jagged stones into his every night's bed.
He looking back at all his dear family now gone,
his broken soul cried- God release me please.
I am mortal man, made of mere flesh and bone,
my every path hard, nothing comes with gentle ease
Yet the spirit was strong and his heart held dreams,
hope that another day would great blessings bring.
Each night's prayer he found new flowing streams,
such that morn's new light made his joy sing
As each day brought its bricks and falling stones,
Hope, his greatest shield, prevented any broken bones.
Robert J. Lindley, 4-15-2016
Dedicated to all my friends here that give me hope each day.
Hope that life will give future blessings and my family will
be well and safe when I am gone.
When taking a bath in the tub
The first thing you'll notice, if you stay in too long,
Is how your fingertips shrivel.
Then, as you rub and scrub,
You might see bits of skin coming off your legs and arms
And you begin to grow little.
Some children pay no attention
To the warning signs I mention;
They stay in the bathtub all afternoon,
Until they start to dissolve.
They get smaller and smaller and smaller
Until they're far too small to holler;
They get wrinklier and wrinklier and pretty soon
They've shrunk so much there's nothing left
Except a ball of wrinkled skin
Where once a healthy kid had been.
This wrinkled skin is dyed blue
And sold in the store as a prune.
"How Prunes are Made" was in Nomo the Zine, November 1991, and was reprinted in The Ratty's Gazette 8, 1995. It is a poem in the ongoing series "Lucifera's Questionable Daycare Poems and Stories."
Sun brush slow as dawn's light breaks
kiss gently on this heart that wakes
warm up days til night stand guard
when breeze blows brisk and mighty hard
Tap lightly on her peeked cheek this morn
where thoughts of love and life are born
bring forth to her peace and hope
and faith in man from words God spoke
Impart comfort and ease in rays you share
lighten our load on that cross we bare
Rise up high and in blue skies do rest
soothe our souls with loyal hearts abreast
Sun brush slow as dawn's light breaks
Paint with grace 'pon swan still lakes
Last night,
I had a dream -
after so long,
I saw your face..
Those eyes looked straight at me.
I felt emotions not felt for so long -
like I was the moon,
my tears fell like stardust.
Finally,
I began to breathe,
sleeping but walking awake -
before you took me in your arms.
One soft touch,
I was floating,
lost the sense of existence -
time was frozen
as you carried me through marigold horizons
I felt - everything would be all right -
in angst there was contentment -
for a moment I was happy -
as you sang me a song
then
you paused in a sweet gaze
I still recall your lips move closer
before we touched - motionless.
Lost in clouds,
tongues wrote sonnets
for angels to recite -
but they found shame
in unmetered rhymes.
We walked upon ascending stairs,
until we reached majestic gates -
then you let go of my hand.
The sun was cruel at dawn,
I awoke once again alone -
with scarlet marks left on my mouth
and your sweet scent left behind -
but you were gone.
I wondered if you would return
for one final kiss - maybe a slight touch
slowly, time stopped ticking -
upon my last breath
I pondered if you would read my poems -
just like the night we made poetry.
Some days are made to be beautiful
They are made to shine
Not just gaze of gleaming sun
But for love that’s mine
The love of friends who share a smile
A snapshot to recall
The warmth that grows from deep within
As snow begins to fall
For joy in sharing wedded love
A lifelong, loving day
Captured in a careful thought
Safely tucked away
Love, so many kinds of love
Love of life I know
Pausing, just to glimpse the stars
As they twinkle so
Some days are made to be beautiful
Memories to take
When looking back, so many days
I’ve been blessed to wake
Think, children: what will you tell
your grandchildren when they ask
about Earth--once bursting green
and red and yellow with blossoms
everywhere, and bushes serene
in shadows of lime-colored trees,
with bird songs filling the air?
I hope you'll remember turquoise seas
brimming with life, color dancing on
water, boats with white sails, beaches,
seagulls, sandpipers, whales. Men fishing
creeks, children's splashing feet, sitting
beneath Summer's lush leaves,
making toy boats made of paper.
I know you'll recall purple mountains so tall,
snow-crested peaks of lilac at eveningfall;
inhaling perfumed blossoms and wonder
of pines, you could hear aspens whispering,
jays poking fun, noisy creeks in their run,
deer peeking quickly behind gentle oaks,
a magical potpourri for the mind.
Grandchildren will smile as you gaze out
the window, attempting to find memories
of Earth as it was long ago, before losing
our way in pollution's crazed mind. But now
all she can find: industries' emissions, urban pall,
oceans clogged, forests burned, icecaps gone,
plastics, dust, muck, sun going blind...
toy boats made of paper, bird so.......
forgotten now
The spiders were crawling into her eye sockets but she was okay with it
Like she had been okay with the mouse biting her big toe
And the cobra hissing loudly into her right ear
She was okay with everything; not wanting to make waves.
No! I said. I do not believe it
But I had not met her
She had been taught to be compliant
She was polite to a fault.
She expected nothing good to happen,
And she was not disappointed.
What if you pushed her off a cliff I asked
Would she scream or go quietly?
She screamed all the way to the water.
Too bad she drowned before I could tell her how proud I was.
Because Of Grace And Beauty Your Dancing Steps Made
Where bright red in your dance dress, shows truth in your heart
gold and silver lace my dreams of time spent with you.
Tho' fate sent dark storms driving us so far apart,
my memories are as bright as your eyes were blue.
This world, swooned in time with your hot, sensual dance
you sent waves of passion into my willing veins.
My dear, your body, sweet music was your romance
when your dancing stopped, we all felt such lonesome pains.
I knew, you would defeat crushing blues and return
to dance floor and sashay as only you can do.
For your great heart's loving truth will forever yearn
to dress as a queen and put on your dancing shoes!
This too, dances through all my wondrous midnight dreams
those red flashes and turns that your beauty displayed.
Such moments this dark world stops, peace reigns, so it seems
because of grace and beauty your dancing steps made!
9-24-2017
Dedicated to my Dad Jerry W. Niday 3/20/1952 - 6/18/2013
I am who I am because of him
He’s the reason for my son’s name
He gave me my courage & my strength
To stand tall even when standing wasn’t easy
Stand for the ones who can’t
To think and fend for myself
I’m my Daddy made over
Taught me to fight back
To never back down
How to pick myself back up
When I’ve been knocked down
Fight for what I believe
I’m my Daddy made over
He gave me my stubbornness
Gave me my pride
Gave me my temper
Taught me not to take crap
To speak my mind to no matter who
Work for what I want
I’m my Daddy made over
How to keep my emotions in check
How to handle large amounts of pain
When in trouble he always had my back
He knew how my mind worked better than anyone
I got it from him
I’m my Daddy made over
Even though he’s gone
I’ll stand and continue on
I may stumble I may fall
May even get hurt along the way
But I’ll pick myself back up
I’ll dust myself off and stand tall
I’m honored and proud to say
I’m my Daddy made over
Is like the wind
forces that can suddenly cause the air to swirl
The minutes turn to hours and then into days
months and years
No matter what may come
It has no shape, it has no sound
But :
What the eye does not see,
only the heart can feel
Eternal friendship is made of glass
The light shines through ...
and gives glow, color and joy
13.08.2018
Sun :) - A-L Andresen :)
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