Best Middle(A) Poems
Standing looking across sweeping thoughts and hopes
alone crying into distant faraway hills and valleys
dreaming I saw before me a big white puff of smoke
Drifting low circling from out of chimneys pots high
slowly moving creeps inner vision dancing with me
candy floss happily towards the glen sweet aroma scent
Scenting turf fires the nostrils with wild scent upon air as
a sun melting her warm fingers into one's back soothing
pure in a baby blue clear sky setting, rising high feelings
Upon a cool caressing Autumn breeze Mother Nature
arrives with songbirds singing sweet clearly with echoes
and most beautiful tunes carried ever so gently in the air
Within a quite stillness silently whispers gasp and cry
splitting down the middle a teardrop falls always slowly
in love with this forever dream, and to the end sighs
Standing on the edge of a pretty crystal cool blue pond
while watching the presence of beautiful fairy elves
and their most wonderful laughs and smiles so ever true
Smelling the wonderful aroma of pure mountain air
with that assured feeling the all is fresh, crisp, real
and flowers, plants, and grass talking to one another
Dreaming many perfect dreams of mermaids sitting
grouped in a green water pool at the waterfall’s edge
and sensing their joy, beauty, laughter, and smiles
This is what dreams are made of as we sense and see
most wondrous things and objects of perfect symmetry
as we feel mountain rain and a most delicious soft wind
Mother Nature and her magical world of treasures and
such beauty indeed make all gods of centuries past and
present stand up and applaud graciously our Dreaming One
Gary Bateman and Liam McDaid – A Collaborated Poem,
Copyright © All Rights Reserved (November 20, 2014)
(Terza Rima in Unrhymed Tercet poetic format)
My search is over, found my rainbows end
entrance has gold door with silver knocker
I turn the diamond crusted door handle
met with prism of colour on entering
spectrum of colours certainly exceed
anything seen or imagined from Earth
flowing through middle a multicoloured
marble stairway, on each tread is inscribed
with human emotions, starting with need
start of life reliance of innocents
I start climbing, see trust indicating
our needs for acceptance of all others
followed by happiness as we all bond
share experience, generosity
then I see optimistic life is good
will get even better in our future
jovial no responsibility
reflected fluorescent warm bright colours
Emits rainbows interior beauty
elated by what I am seeing words
Like affection, tenderness, devotion,
delight, ecstatic, serene, contentment
finally I see love a glow so bright
shining on your name the one I adore
pinnacle of this amazing rainbow
as the stairway starts to decline gently
looking down I read respect our need to
accept others we seek understanding
friendship, to my dismay colours fade
become cool as I descend, emotions
begin to change which are quite distressing
bad emotions such as, hopeless, worthless,
powerless, inferior, trapped, confused
I see the exit surrounded by grey
dark blues, a door inscribed with words such as
horrifying and humiliation,
and in large blood red letters was hatred,
now I know it's time for me to decide
I need, want to be my destination
I turn back, my place is the top of this
wonderful beautiful rainbow with my
LOVED ONES.
Standing looking across sweeping thoughts and hopes
alone crying into distant faraway hills and valleys
dreaming I saw before me a big white puff of smoke
Drifting low circling from out of chimneys pots high
slowly moving creeps inner vision dancing with me
candy floss happily towards the glen sweet aroma scent
Scenting turf fires the nostrils with wild scent upon air as
a sun melting her warm fingers into one's back soothing
pure in a baby blue clear sky setting, rising high feelings
Upon a cool caressing Autumn breeze Mother Nature
arrives with songbirds singing sweet clearly with echoes
and most beautiful tunes carried ever so gently in the air
Within a quite stillness silently whispers gasp and cry
splitting down the middle a teardrop falls always slowly
in love with this forever dream, and to the end sighs
Standing on the edge of a pretty crystal cool blue pond
while watching the presence of beautiful fairy elves
and their most wonderful laughs and smiles so ever true
Smelling the wonderful aroma of pure mountain air
with that assured feeling the all is fresh, crisp, real
and flowers, plants, and grass talking to one another
Dreaming many perfect dreams of mermaids sitting
grouped in a green water pool at the waterfall’s edge
and sensing their joy, beauty, laughter, and smiles
This is what dreams are made of as we sense and see
most wondrous things and objects of perfect symmetry
as we feel mountain rain and a most delicious soft wind
Mother Nature and her magical world of treasures and
such beauty indeed make all gods of centuries past and
present stand up and applaud graciously our Dreaming One
Gary Bateman and Liam McDaid – A Collaborated Poem,
Copyright © All Rights Reserved (November 20, 2014)
(Terza Rima in Unrhymed Tercet poetic format)
If I were rIch I’d live just here, and
enjoy the bliss of “no bills to fear “
we’d toast our crumpets by the fire
and watch the rooks play on the
distant church spire: and ajacent…
I’d build a trust house for the poor
and broke, placing signs in the garden
saying…
“PLEASE DON’T SMOKE!
Around the perimeter… a barb wire fence, to keep
out preachers and those who are tense…and in
the middle, a barbecue for Kobi steaks, and a garden
for poets who write about “Missouri Breaks”
If your'e with me there's no need to move, honey-baby
sugar, we're in the groove!
What a house! What a lawn! and Everest out the
window…. seen at dawn!
3/11/15
I left the village and trudged towards the small wood,
Junipers, covered with berries that looked so good.
It was an inviting place many knew about
It was luck I found it, few cared I have no doubt.
In the middle, a pond cherished by lots of fish,
Around willow Norway Spruce which was my true wish.
And on the face of the water, large leaves floated,
With white, yellow and purple lotus promoted.
I sat on a rock, watching some birds as they flew,
Elated as the solitude around me grew.
On the other side, a small bridge led to my place.
I had to admire her neat walk, her lovely face.
She quietly sat down beside me, full of bliss.
I leaned slowly towards her and gave her a kiss.
In that inviting place who could ignore delight
I was ready to give her my all heart outright
In that silence, she lay on my shoulder, her head.
In blissful solitude, never a word we said.
1 March 2023
Place 1
Writing Challenge - I Words - Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Constance La France
As the gentle winds flow
As the arrow left the bow
All is now understood
In my road I stood
While I'm waiting here
They are waiting there
Many things are give or take
Yet with my fate I refuse to play
I can see the end of the road
No happiness just a load
In the middle a coffin lies
May the gentle wind begin to cry
the day was harsh in reminding of
eternal imprisonment
(as the gates closed to my cage) …
to tortured senses &
a burning heart -
how i could end for Lack of Luck.
for once
was done with modest keep (
in a cell-held putridness
were but assets of a pathetic man:
in one corner, a dirty, moldy rag
where I slept.
scattered about, bits of papers, a pen
for passing the time.
in the middle, a rusty water can
for the rainy weathers
&
running along the walls -
a glorified tap when the rains deserted me -
a pipe in corruption)
the damn life if only I yet deserved!
having spent all: the rough twenty years
as should ever be allowed of such a man.
like i wasn’t penitent enough!
the cry equally ignored as the hunger in my eyes.
and in such moments after some others left - barely worthy,
was obvious that i was fated by my very own Lack of Luck,
my great crime without appeal.
today i tried to relax
but pessimism invaded every aspect of my being
&
i died slowly within,
seeking whatever pride was left in that cell - my hell on earth,
as a guard fed me stories from the outside,
vowing to forever keep in here my words.
how i was condemned
for Lack of Luck.
In the middle, a calm steady breeze and we inhale the obvious freshness
In the sky, our sun hides its face and clouds swell and spy on canopies
The first round bulb of a drop of the rain and we bubble with joy
Then the sky rumbles and shakes and sprinkles a little or more
We run from window to window to watch the staging beauty
Soon the wind is stranger and we run to close the windows
Now we only listen and hear so sweet the sound of nature
Then some thunder sneezes once and the lights go off
So we wait in darkness where we wonder and wander
Then a storm like never and we cling on dark things
The rivers boil and burst and torrents rush our way
Boulders and logs crash at the door and slap us
God, we scream and float in the chaos and Call
It is here we hear God in a voice and we calm
Like a sonorous edict over a mount of Olives
Now the mess swims away with the water
In the gentle silence God speaks again
“Hey child” says He. “Anything else?”
My heart beats hard that I awake
By the knock in my chest
I stare at the window
THIS IS NOT MY CUP
No Wind
No storm
No rain
No mess
- But -
Not God
Not God
Not God
I unfold myself from my bed
Sink these knees to the floor
Dear God of Heaven and Earth
This thing I dreamed all night
Bespeaks your light and might
Let Peace be Still, Peace be Still
Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen
-----------------------------------
When it is quiet, and you are alone,
Which does your mind prefer… to
Search for “truths” that have been found?
Or, to question… and to
Find your own answers and truths?
Do you build your labyrinth with the hope that maybe you’ll be lost, pleased to be the monster in the middle, a secret waiting to be slain. You cast away the thread, and disappear.
Is exile simply where you wish to be found?
I wander the halls of a maze within,
Passing through each imagined room, my eyes and voice soften as, inward, I am drawn.
Remember: I asked for this, the Unmasking. I beckoned for
The antithetical, surreal…
Now, be still, and cease your striving.
Have you thought so long of disparities, that now you no longer see in kind?
Have you fought so long, so fervently, that even your freedom is now a bind?
I envy those who know their place; they find––or make––it where they are.
Staring at the face,the pool where Narcissus
Pined and made a star burst to tears
There I stand, where Echo`s sad but delicious
Plea for affection fell on deaf ears.
Treading through oblivious tracks
Lost in blue`s poisoned pinions
Burdens on my shoulders like sacks,
Rinds of red-rust peppered onions.
And where the blades of grass hardly breathes
In the middle a thriving tulip survive
Silver coppice, warts and wretched wreathes;
Blows its bright red bell about and alive.
See! startled Zephyrus returning
Round its robust wheel, melting snow --
The sweet wine of paradise -- dripping
Upon the dry ground to dispel woe.
Numb, as if I had drunk some mandrake,
Deaf to the distant call of friends to fun
I daydream in my heartache
And stumble into a sultry summer sun.
In a muddle
In a puddle
In a world made of dismay
On a rock in the middle a dragon fly prayed
He was battered
He was tattered
He was in a terrible way
From the things in his heart he tried not to say
All the confusions
All the delusions
All the the emotions he couldn't convey
In his muddle of a puddle in this world of today.
Lucy went window shopping
Downtown at the antique shop
They had a sale on lockets
So she went inside to browse
It did not take her long to choose
To spot a round silver locket
She notice it had a black trim
Then in the middle a cameo
Lucy chose this locket
To her it was special
It was different from
the others
It is what attracted her
To this lovely locket
She is pleased to own it
A one of a kind locket
From the antique shop
At the Des Moines River’s Road End
There was a sharp tricky right bend
Prickly pines there were ready to defend
Graveled middle, a modern MODOT trend
Weeds that flittering faeries often tend
Mushroom homes, upon whom elves defend
Mother nature sat on haunches to mend
Torn sage weeds, beavers had chewed to extend.
Up or down
forward or back
Polarity ends
in a panic attack
Start, stop
the stillness portends
The middle a wasteland
lost years of pretend
Before or after
in front or behind
Timing entraps
with the devil’s design
Salvation, damnation
souls to contend
To live or to die
—to start or to end
(Villanova Pennsylvania: August, 2018)
Imagine a pie chart
Through the middle a line
One half is your view
The other is mine
Now imagine a pie chart
All the views of mankind
Some see a small slither
Same approach everytime
appearing knowing and smart
They Self justify or deny
Never wrong and excusable
They're living a lie
Terrified insecurity
Lives deep down inside
If their flaws are seen
humiliation they'll die
These people never change
You have to leave them behind
If you don't you'll suffer more
Hurting you for their pride