Best Mark Poems
**“Those that respect the law and love sausage should watch neither being made.” –
American Humorist/Author Mark Twain (real name Samuel Clemens)
Prestigious lawmaking bodies are comprised of solons*
Some find it hard to refrain from comparing them to cons
Few legislators know the ramifications of bills
And the way they’re rushed to passage can give the public chills
We don’t know what’s in bills or how they strip away our rights
And if we ask our lawmakers, they provide few insights
Piles of amendments are thrust hastily in political machines
Objections are made; no one successfully intervenes
“What’s that?” we ask later when we realize what has been done
(In Kennesaw, Georgia, all citizens MUST purchase guns)
Try to blend the conservative and liberal viewpoints
You’ll find the machine sputters with fat spewing from its joints
It’s like taking hunks of pork and grinding them into links
The process is messy and the outcome usually stinks
No matter! We are supposed to smile and just eat it up
Then we wash it all down with a sip from the lager cup
Pork barrel projects like Alaska’s “Bridge to Nowhere” confound
As on nebulous values of bills lawmakers expound
So beware if for common sense in these bills you forage
And remember old Mark Twain’s analogy to sausage
*Solons are members of any legislative or lawmaking body.
She prowls the night
with clenched jaw and pride,
nothing able to smite
her remorseless stride.
The ominous reflection of moon
shines forth from devouring eyes
of a nocturnal beauty spun on the loom
of the Creator's bid and sighs.
Grace moves her every limb
and she precedes an enraged scream
caused by ruins of a forest now grim
and held alive by all but one stream.
Her claws prophesy of vengeance
though her heart yearns for reconciliation.
Yet now there would be no leniency
for a soul's annihilation.
Now on journeys through lush valleys and ashes
she will embark
until all that remains after furious thrashes
will be the tigress' mark.
When the sun sets and says its sweet goodbye,
It leaves an immense kiss mark on the sky,
A promise that it’ll return tomorrow,
To take away all our fears and sorrow.
Its kiss mark is dappled with lavender,
Birds hover above to feel its wonder,
The silhouettes of mountains and the trees,
An art of prosperity, joy and peace.
Its kiss mark is in hue of pink and red,
A fiery love of God sent with roses,
Feel its tranquility and its warmness,
Panacea on worries that come ahead.
Crimson sky is the kiss mark of the sun,
A dazzling beauty since the world begun.
May 19, 2013
First Place
Contest: Crimson Sky
Judged: 5/19/2013
Sponsor: Poet Skat
First Place
Contest: Your Best 2013
Judged: 1/7/14
Sponsor: My loving greatest poet, PD
This is the tale of a soul reaching out to others,
but receiving a cold shoulder wherever she goes.
Words and phrases
are misconstrued,
meanings attached
which cloud the issues
which she wishes
to address.
A passel
of jaded poets condescending;
who sear and cauterise
synapses
of intellect, and
in the
bud,
it’s
vim.
I
don’t
give
a
rat’s tail anymore.
Copyright © Suzette Richards | Year Posted 2019
REPOSTED 11 July 2021 with white space added between the lines.
POET'S NOTE: The expression with reference to a rat that I use in my shaped poem, could perhaps be related to a phrase ‘don't give a dead rat’ from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884).
‘The Mouse’s Tale’ (which was my inspiration for this concrete shape) is a shaped poem by Lewis Carroll which appears in his novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Though no formal title for the poem is given in the text, the chapter title refers to ‘A Long Tale’ and the Mouse introduces it by saying, ‘Mine is a long and sad tale!’ As well as the contribution of typography to illustrate the intended pun in this title, artists later made the intention clear as well.
THE QUESTION MARK
Our life-
A question mark it is-
Struggling
Into an exclamation point
To turn
But
After numerous battles against
A series of:
Commas
Semicolons
Colons
Brackets and
Dashes,
Exhausted;
Ends up-
In most cases-
A…period "." to
Be.
© Demetrios Trifiatis
11 JUNE 2013
Dispatched by Mark Antony to fetch his queen
An Egyptian with beauty of world renown
Five-thousand mighty Roman warriors sailed
Committed to driving Egypt’s army down
Cleopatra was basking on a Nile barge
While the fleet remained offshore waiting for night
‘Neath the cloak of darkness warriors arrived
To surprise defenders and battle incite
Fully armored Roman forces held the edge
Razor-sharp swords pierced Egyptians’ tanned skin
Into the gently flowing Nile, Egyptian blood spilled
The desert soldiers’ garb was softer than tin
When heat rose with dawn’s light on the pyramids
Only a few hundred Egyptian soldiers remained
But they fought with the courage of a thousand more
Determined to protect Cleopatra’s reign
Defenders fought with valor; none sought mercy
Just as victory seemed within Rome’s grasp
A bloody trail to the palace had been carved
But Cleopatra lay dead, bitten by an asp
Noble Antony awaited his army
Rejoicing when the first ship came into view
But they’d waged their fiercest fight futilely
Now they mustered to strength to tell Antony too
Warriors’ hearts were filled with compassion
The sign of a truly devoted band
As they offered support for their ruler’s loss
Antony felt the power of each and every man
*But for the fact that Antony and Cleopatra
were lovers, this poem is entirely fictional.
Antony and Cleopatra actually wed and
Antony moved to Egypt.
Entry for the “Roman Legion” contest
I am a foodie, I must confess, I swim a few laps for exercise
Along come the Mollusk, and to my pleasant surprise
I have no restraint and they look so yummy
I just open my jaws wide, and fill up my tummy
Holy Mackerel, they make quite the feast!
Unlike that deepwater whale; Moby Vic, that lumbering beast
A real blow show, they eat any freak’n thing
Whale diet: Squid, Krill, Larvae, what distaste they bring!
Ah, catching up to the guys, what are they circling ‘round?
Heya Tom, Bill, GW, Anil. Rob, l see you’ve gained a pound
“I’m on a sea-food diet, I see food, I eat it!” Hee hee hee
Yep, you may want to stick to your day job, try a sea-shanty!
Look over there boys, the Seahorses, I hear they work for LYFT
Harry, how’s business, break for some sushi? California Roll, a gift
You may wanna giddy up, plenty of shrimp crawling beneath you
I know how much the Seahorse love to munch crustaceans too
"Shrimp—cockroaches of the sea! Not a kosher food"
Okay GW, what do you eat, my friend, set the mood
Gefilte fish recipe; grind the salmon, red snapper, codfish,
Onions, carrots, add eggs, sugar, salt, white pepper, in a dish
Stir in ice water, add matzo meal and chop, boil, voila, gefilte fish!
To the right of us, why it’s Lady L, my, she is swell
Small crabs on her menu, anything in the sand that dwell
Blowfish is a species that feeds on poison, dangerous to eat
They can’t hunt, they call ‘em puffers, just one puff’s a real treat
Anil, do you believe in sea nymphs on a blue oceanic parade?
Yes, I vision the lovely face of Wendy on the frame of a mermaid
Nil, come on now, aren’t you married, mate
OK, Tom, I’m going home, I won’t be late, I won’t be late
To the right of us the Starfish, greet the ladies of the sea
How they brighten the day, on display, as charming as can be
Pangie, Valsa, Andrea, Paula, Len, Kim, Eve and Gina
I know how you love snails, I bring escargot straight from the Marina
And so, my friends, another lovely day. Join us for our usual Activities and Brunch
6/11/22
Third Place
A Merger With Food Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Natasha L Scragg
She knew they
were easy marks midst
her beguiling cunning
had it in spades,
they thought they had
the better hand,
stacked the deck in their wager,
til she bet them all
under the round table
with token trick
aces up her skirt,
they didn't realize
she had already gambled
her jacked-up savings,
this was merely a player's
penalty game of suits,
she'd never get beaten
nor shuffled again,
pocketed kill in dealer's turn of a card,
outmaneuvered the joker's clubs
broke the bank's seven-card studs
trumped the king,
walked away the Queen
decked out in diamonds
I like it when the Sun goes down,
I like it when it's dark,
I have two pointy fangs you see,
And I like to leave my mark.
Entry for
What I Like Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Maureen McGreavy
28/2/19
Marc Antony's funeral oration
Masterpiece of shrewd persuasion
Igniting sundry Romans' fierce desire
To douse 'noble Brutus' life with fire
Our words are our bond
so the saying goes
when this is our reputation
to all both friends and foe
So in all that we say
careful must be our cue
our every word speaks for us
telling what we may do
When someone else says so
their words we take as real
making sure their seriousness
as the effects we will feel
The written and spoken word
both have the power to speak
sometimes piercing one's heart
crumbling one so very weak
Your word has also great power
to encourage and uplift
so seek to do just that
realise truly you have a gift
falcon circling high
one two three ready aim fire
falling from the sky
three two one pigeons scattering commotion
the marked one struck in a feathered explosion
02/25/19
Charliekucoup Poetry Contest
By Charles Messina
I'm standing here upright.
For those I do present.
My eyes are open wide.
My time and world are bent.
My eyes are not outside.
Everything's unreal
The time don't move inside
Where who I am is sent
Nothing looks quite right
For every second spent
sparks internal fright
everything's unreal
everything's unreal
I try but cannot deal
this room's a room no more
everything's unreal
come closer help me deal
help me help me heal.
I'm frightened to the core.
Everything's surreal.
I try but cannot deal
everything's unreal
I try but cannot deal
this room's a room no more
come closer help me deal
help me help me heal.
I'm frightened to the core
everything's unreal.
***
Music: Mark Massey
Poem: Darren White | Year Posted 2016
Devastated at the news I've heard.
Totally shocked this is absurd
The passing of a Welsh legend
Proud to have served my butty friend.
He started his long career
As a proud Welsh infanteer
He then transferred to the Corps
His knowledge he used thats for sure
I first met taff in the Adriatic
In a place we all called FRY
Former Republic of Yugoslavia
For those that don't know why
Taff was known to do silly things
But one that comes to mind
Being pumped up a scam 12
Blind just leading the blind
He earned a commendation whilst in Afghanistan
As multiple commander he looked after every man
A real genuine gentle man who liked a practical joke
His favourite tipple was vodka and coke
The next verse is for you
Reading from above
I hope it hits a chord baloo
Also for those that you love
Gwneud hyn yn Gymraeg i chi er fy mod i'n teimlo'n las eich calon oedd calon y ddraig Gymreig chwedl a pharagon
Doing this in welsh for you
even though i'm feeling blue
your heart was that of the welsh dragon
a legend and a paragon
I apologize now if my grammar is wrong
Like butty would say you f*****g mong
When you served you were a "RELAY"
Not one if gods chosen what can I say
The black dog was on his shoulder
I know It's a crap place to be
I'm gutted brother soldier
You didn't shout out to me
My condolences to the family
The brotherhood does feel your pain
R.I.P Brother Mark Langley
Until we meet again
So save all of us a seat at the bar.
With Tony, Mac, Ange, to name but a few.
You have left behind your family and friends
We all miss you!!!!
Sunlight broke the shades began to fade
the crimson pinks and yellows showed the way
as daylight showed the wayward path to go
Mark the purple turtle headed home
Across the fields of clover did he roam
beside the banks of daffodills in bloom
He crossed the mighty river
ran down the muddy banks
but then from out of nowhere
a hawke came down to prey
Mark was always quick with wit
he knew that he was beaten
The hawke was much to fast
he knew he would be eaten
He had to think but fast
Mr hawke I know I'm beaten
Please grant me my request
please sing this song I've written
before you start your feast
The hawke thought yes he's beaten
I'll grant him his request
he sang the song twas written
with heart felt singing breast
but then the noise he's making
brought other forest beasts
and Mark the purple turtle
escaped in this melee
Next time when you are beaten
Remember Mark my friend
and use your brains for thinking
they are your biggest friend