Best Not Convinced Poems
Tanka 13
anxiety and
excitement are physio-
logically i-
dentical... so sayeth my
therapist I’m not convinced
01.14.14
Tresa faerie was excited.
Today was the day assignments were coming out.
She had been in training for six weeks.
She wondered where she would be placed.
Alaska? Paris? Tokyo? Hawaii? New Zealand?
Kenya? Texas? Rome? California?
She was quivering with pure excitement.
Would she be an April Faerie?
An April faerie gets to paint the flowers.
She had put it down as her first choice.
Second choice was not bad either. She might be assigned to a prophetess,
Whispering premonitions in her ear, being rewarded with love and affection.
Prophetesses were known to take especially good of their faeries.
Third choice was tree faerie; she loved trees, especially the Cottonwoods,
And the oaks, the elms, the weeping willows, the Rose of Sharons.
Which reminded her of flowers. Yes, being an April faerie was her first choice.
She sat up especially straight, wearing her favorite colors of pixie dust.
Her faerie wings had never been more shiny.
Her friend Garland winked at her.
He waved his envelope at her and laughed.
He was sitting up front; had his assignment first.
The instructions were to wait until everyone had their envelope,
but Garland never heard instructions; or followed them if he heard them.
The way he was grinning, she knew
he probably got his first choice – fire faerie.
His job would be to inspire people to have campfires,
sing, and listen to each other.
Her envelope was placed in her hands.
They were shaking now. She ripped it open.
Desk faerie! One of the worst jobs of all, a muse to a writer! What?
Disappointment flooded her; she was shaking now,
and harder, for she was crying.
The instructor came over, took both her hands
and said, ”It is the most important job,”
For writing the truth reminds people what mistakes have been made,
and shows them how to correct them, live with each other,
love each other, and it changes the world.”
She was not convinced.
A muse!
She was a muse?
She had never wanted to be one.
Muses had bad reputations, like brownies and elves.
She would HATE being a muse.
She hated it already. Until she was assigned,
and then she immediately loved it.
It is all a matter of being assigned to the right person,
you see, and she was…assigned to you.
Every death is a suicide,
nobody dies in an accident.
“Car hit him and he died” -
grievous friend with sorrow complains.
But a sage knows
car never hits a purpose,
Deceased one may have not desired
to be hit and die,
But rest assured he didn’t
want to live either.
All victims of accidents chant :
“ Que sera, sera”.
“Whatever will be, will be “.
They are not convinced
in the power of life.
They fail to grasp
and hold it lovingly
turning themselves into prey.
If one chooses to live
then unequivocally one also chooses to die.
Let us not like children be
winning of injustice and tragic destiny,
But accept the true Nature of Reality
and embrace death responsibly.
The story is told of a Maori King bold
Who dared cheat the Prince of Siam.
I’ll leave it to you to decide if its true.
But if you're not convinced, at least I am!
This king was annoyed so he filled his bored void
By selling the fauna of his wee land.
He soon grew in fame, none dared speak his name,
He was the richest in all of New Zealand!
But this roll could not last; the fates swooped in fast
With an invoice for arrogant King Frodo!
A prince of yon borders sailed in with his order
For a half dozen snakes and some Dodo.
“The snakes are all gone!” Frodo said with a yawn.
"And we ate the last Dodo last week!”
Thus the king blew him off with a wave and a scoff;
“Look elsewhere for that which you seek!”
But the prince had prepaid! And he screamed out in rage,
“What is that in the cage with the hasp?”
King Frodo’s eyes narrowed, “I won that from Pharaoh,
And that, that’s a two-headed asp!”
“And though its not fair, it is simply too rare,
Now be off or I’ll soon have your head!”
But the prince made this threat, “Dear King you’ll regret!”
Then he left leaving Frodo to dread . . . . . . .
At daylight’s first gleam, you could hear Frodo scream
As he raced to the harbor to spy,
And lo, by the pier was a note on a spear . . .
“Keep my gold! . . . But kiss your asp goodbye!”
For the "Asp" Contest
Sponsored by Anthony Slausen
May 7, 2018
10th Place
As usual I have a lot to say, but for your sake I’ll try to be brief.
I know, I bring at least a smile to all your faces when I walk into
the room after all no one has ever accused me of not being able to
make an entrance, but at least I make the effort to enter.
When I speak, I know it is difficult for you to understand me.
I see the faces of confusion in the room and I sense your impatience.
You may be surprised to learn that over the years,
I have acquired a knack for recognizing these things in people.
I don’t mind you poking fun at me when I talk too long.
As you know, I do get a little carried away sometimes,
but at least I have something to say and the courage to say it.
I don’t blame you for getting tired of hearing me.
I get tired of hearing myself sometimes,
but unlike you I don’t have the option of turning away.
Some people look at me and see a handicapped person,
others may see me as being physically challenged.
Frankly, I’m not convinced of either description.
Yes, every day does pose new hurdles for me,
but with an unyielding desire to make a contribution to
and play my small role in the greater society
I think I challenge the day.
My mere presents makes each of you
aware of your own boundless potential
by constantly posing the question:
“Why can’t I....?”
It was a mistake to take home economics out of the curriculum at so many high schools, says Wally, a retired teacher who has an ongoing interest in education. He taught high school for many years and still misses his students.
At a Walmart recently there was an incident Wally can’t forget. It pained him deeply because it made him think about the quality of high school education today. He’s not convinced it is what it should be at many schools.
He was standing near the dairy case when a young man, not long out of high school, held up a package of margarine and asked Wally if it was butter. Wally at first thought he was kidding but then said it wasn’t butter, that it was margarine.
The young man wanted to know the difference between butter and margarine. Wally told him butter comes from cows and margarine has a vegetable base. The young man turned to his two friends and said, “I’m glad we asked.” They smiled, thanked Wally and headed for the register, margarine in hand.
A week later Wally was at a local charity making a donation and was told the charity had quit giving baskets of food at Christmas after learning several clients had tried to pan fry a turkey. Now they give gift certificates instead.
At the charity Wally also learned that many young people today don’t know how to cook vegetables or fry bacon and eggs. And more than a few have no idea about budgeting or nutrition.
Wally thinks this reflects poorly on secondary education today. When he taught high school, home economics was taught and students who didn’t learn the basics from their parents at home could learn them at school in home economics, even though it was not a required course. Now he thinks it should be, at least for the many who seem to need it.
He says young people today know a lot about cell phones and computers but sadly some of them don’t know the difference between butter and margarine or how to cook a turkey.
A semester of home economics, he says, might help change that. He wonders if a lot of Advanced Placement courses are that important if young people can't fix themselves something to eat. Sandwiches and fast food, he agrees, do not a good diet make.
Donal Mahoney
Holidays which fall
during the week just confuse.
Today is which day?
written the day after Canada Day. Fell on Thursday this year, logic informs me today is
Friday however my mind is not convinced; could be Saturday or Sunday even, feels that way
to me:)
Send Help! I’m trapped in an Insane Asylum!
Well most of the time, and although there is only the two of us here
The other inmate, for therapy, has put me on a programme of day release
Where I am permitted to go to work, pay the running costs and deal with the day to day ills
Of running this centre to house me and him, allegedly people with conditions of the mind
However he swears it’s only me who is insane and it is he is the one who is just fine
(Although I’ve heard that’s a symptom of those who are deranged)
But when I am back on site the other inmate despite me doing everything that’s required to complete my day release work therapy
Which keeps the centre for the inexcusably insane live, behaves like a real jerk
In fact his behaviour is strange all round like someone who’s buried his head in the sand
And doesn’t seem to want to come out....(I’m not convinced he’s not the one who’s out of his mind)
This other inmate looks familiar those blue eyes and light brown hair
Although he insists he is not insane and should not be there....
Yet he never leaves the centre for the mad and deranged (apparently that’s my diagnosis anyway)
And there’s something about me being removed from reality?
That I ‘just don’t get it!’ (Although he never explains it – preferring to communicate by just huffing puffing and looking grumpy - a language without words I cannot understand)
Yet isn’t it me who leaves the centre for the mentally insane to go on my day release work therapy every day? I don’t get it I think that’s because (so the other inmate says) it’s me who is insane
So while I am on my day release scheme he stays within the asylum walls alone
Waiting for who knows what? Although his therapy seems to involve something....
I think he calls it ‘Facebook’? Apparently it’s a great place where online he is 18 again and not 36, which fixes everything!
(Please proceed to part 2 - thank you)
I love eating food ... it’s essential to keep me alive
Try to ensure my fruit and veg portions are the recommended five
I’m not convinced if I eat big slices of carrot or banana cake
That this will be counted towards my fruit and veg intake!!
I try to eat quite healthily but I have the occasional sweet
Raiding my ‘sweetie drawer’ for a crafty chocolate treat
My favourite meal is a juicy steak with a pile of thin french fries
I try not to eat it too often or fat will collect on my bum and thighs!
I close my eyes when I see tiny lambs at the farmer’s gate -
as a roast lamb dinner is something I love to see on my dinner plate!
Contest I love Food Sponsored by Lewis Raynes
06~25~16
Drops of moisture from the sky
Cause a sad tear from your eye
Falling like heartache and pain
Leaving the biggest bad stain
In your life that will not quit
Tearing at you bit by bit
Cracking pieces off a heart
Young and stupid, you weren't smart
To let go when things went wrong
Innocently strung along
Pulled in two different directions
Both your heart and mind detecting
Opposite views never knowing
Which way that you should be going
As you struggle with the choice
And competing on which voice
Is giving the best advice
Trying not to be enticed
Your mind is saying he's no good
Getting out, you really should
Before you are in too deep
Hurt by another sleazy creep
But your heart is not convinced
Love is knocking you off balance
Weakness fills you every time
He is looking in your eyes
This debate can never end
Until the choice to defend
Your mind over hearts opinion
Which was very slowly killin'
Your emotions being stable
Now you are stronger and able
To move on smarter and wise
Loosening the gripping ties
That were binding you so tight
Until you finally saw the light
It is the 27th January,
And I sit here all alone
My memories keep me company
Of times not too long gone
Started again just last night
When a show was going on
They call that show the “Heartbeat”
Filmed over on British lawn.
The man whose name is David
He lost his beautiful dog
It died right there so near him
With never a moan or sob
In six more days now coming on
It will be the 2nd Feb,
It’ll be just two months further on
From when I lost my friend
There are just no words to tell you
The lost I feel inside
My wound still hangs there gaping
And festers really wild
One of by biggest worries
Is just how did he die
I know that he was old then
With youth not on his side
The vet said he was quite confused
When I took my dog to him
He said it looked like toxins
Shutting down and setting in
He gave my Zig a checkup
And listened to his heart
He concluded that his tick collar
Could be the blame for starts
But things have happened since then
And I’m really not convinced
I feel that there’s been foul play
From one whose name is Chris.
I know I’ll never know now
What is the purest truth
I really hope I’m wrong here
Why was his end not mute
I miss that dog I tell you
For years just him and I
I had a love I cherished
That shone from those brown eyes
I’ll never have another
That will take my heart like he
He will always be alive here
While I have my memories.
A letter to Adi has three letters
I dont know what are these letters.
But these letters, just letters of I always speak
No crime, just feelings
Just feelings of my forgiving heart
He really dont understand that I'm convinced
With his nothing more and nothing less, dont love me so much that hurts,
Always keep smiling, be happpy
But I'm not convinced how he flee these words
Isnt he is hurt?
Isnt he is happy?
Deepens my soul, deepens that I think much
Cos his words I wanted to enunciate
A big tip working overtime
A catch without falling
A decision without mistake
With him letter to Adi has three letters
That I always remember
A gateway to forever
But no forever
Strikes in, strikes out, bull's eyed at the same time
Wondered, wandered,
Hopeless and hopeful
Waiting and being left
I dont know what brought life's me in here
The nightmare of my delusion, I'm the prisoner
Long the wait, I'm been trap forever
Emotions carried away, I'm nowhere
A pace of something, life's in hunger.
Days I'd count, nights I'm trying to escape
To ruminate my fate
Love finds me there
Love lies me in there..
Breathing in, breathing out
Finally, I let your letters go..
Too much of dreams not coming true
Like I always knew.
ALAKPLE
From the borders of Ketu, here I stand
I command you, my stranger
Go far, far beyond the land of Keta
Cross the lagoon, Nonobe, Awalifi and Ledzor
Beyond, there is an abode
A giant piece stuck among the lot of six villages
It's Alakple, the pacesetter
Taste my offer
All what you think, you heard, you wish
If not convinced, come tomorrow
I have a big place, a comfort on a straw mats: I promise
For all who wish to know me
Alakple, icons of forgotten heroes
Home of Nyigbla, home of Kotoka
I boast not but call thee mine
Nearer to my bossom, I call my children
Where I quest you crave, yakayake and tillapia chowder
One thing, marvels
Just a lot about me not known
That had clouded your mind as fallacies
"A village beyond the lagoon"
But....
Whatever, whenever to thee, I shall return
Mother, my land, Alakple
From ten years absence, please call me back.
Saw “The Sniper.” Marveled at
The way it did reveal
The brutal truth the soldiers faced
And how it seemed so real.
The bombed-out buildings, guns and tanks,
The blood, the gore, the sweat –
Each detail rendered perfectly,
A work of genius – yet…
The only scene that got it wrong
Surprised me to no end,
When actors with a new-born baby
Struggled to pretend
The doll that they were holding
Was a living, breathing soul.
I wonder how they managed
To exert such self-control.
The audience was not convinced;
That “baby” looked so fake.
Clint Eastwood, the director,
Clearly made a huge mistake.
Though all the war scenes were the most
Realistic you can find,
That phony stand-in baby doll
Completely blew my mind.
Do you remember Boris; back in 2020
A virus was about to break, yet people
None the wiser ' at first he said no real
Big stuff, along with Holland we should face it tough.'
he'd been briefed then by whitty..Dear oh
Dear, three weeks on the tone was changed
To science he'd listen.' Pray come again.?
He caught bad covid He got laid low, said
Once better I'm now immune, and his mask did throw..' Oh
Naughty boy the 'experts pounced' his new
Found freedom in public he renounced, the
Pharmacy groups, exhaled a sigh' cash was
Flowing newscasters cried.' Children scared
Playgrounds closed, £8000 per covid death nhs
Were paid, so back to today He's waving bye
But what was truth? and were there lies? well
Rules and parties We've heard of much, but I'm
Not convinced (that it was such) such a scandal
If You'll look through the list of events think of
Cummings and Flemming too train rides at large
And lovers under cover they knew the game
Then dear sisters and brothers.'