Best Offspring Poems
warm spring day dipping toes in the cool creek I spot a geode; a large specimen, of crystals that I will clean and admire as it rests between my favorite amethyst chunk and the twin crystal, on my mirrored tile,
next to the potted plants.
natures’ offspring
glitters in creek water
sunlight reflects
3-12-2022
A BRIAN STRAND FORMAL Poetry Contest
Brian Strand
My grandfather
You have killed all panthers
And I can’t see any panda
Is it because of thunder?
Sometimes I wonder
But in fact it’s because of hunters
You built your home indeed
But you knowledge is like a homicide
Your absence of teeth makes you not to talk
But tell me why you stalk
Now your deeds without fears
Have lead to my tears
You found a nice vegetation
But you caused deforestation
You did too much destruction
But not construction
Your deeds without fears
Have lead to my tears
You knew that you bear
But you didn’t care
Oh! That’s not fair
You must be aware
Your deeds without fears
Have lead to my tears
Now people are still cutting down trees
And they don’t want to cease
I can even cry when I gaze
Where am I going to graze
Ah! I’m on ablaze
A really big blaze
I can’t see your love
Because you have made me to starve
You’ve finished all environmental stuff
Yet nothing I have
Your deeds without fears have lead to my tears
You are now telling me to plant
But I can’t
Of course I can beautify
But I can’t purify
Your deeds without fear
Have lead to my tears
I always think about the next stayers
Who will be there
Are they going to see even a hare
Of course they can fare
Provided they dare
And it’s always in my prayer
Now the living ones
Let’s stand again
So that we can gain
Let’s replace what we obtain
If we cut one tree
We should plant more than three
Let’s farm planet earth
We should make it wealth
To make our lives health
Let’s make it green
For the shade of grandpa and granny
Because it’s really sunny.
No matter what fact-
some movie told you that,
they preened and printed,
stole what fitted,
and then sold,
and said it thinned it in...
No matter how much fat,
no matter what they attack!
Some movie told you that,
the filter will stack-
the rivers will run into rags,
and then some movie told you that!
Own it girl!
Eat spasms and commit to the randoms because this is where they stand um!
Hold onto porridge like it's cold and in tandem!
I know I know what I just said,
but your society isn't red,
it's opportune to be a bed,
no boredom does not beget!
It spends-
every last trend,
every wonder in the bend,
and the eager,
staunchly sour to be in rent.
We protect the innocence of the humble
Whether city streets or the densest jungle
We dive into the harsh realities of society's poverty
And show its inhabitants the possibilities of luxuries
We breath new life into those thought to be casualties
And abruptly structure their mentalities,
as such to survive any catastrophe
We bring to the darkness the sun
We
WE
We
We
I alone cant get it done
But a bundling of individuals using vocabulary as weaponry
Are breeding intellectuals that foresee better scenery
We.
Is it the amount of money you make?
Or maybe the job you do as a parent
Is the amount of care you generate?
Towards neighborly lives transparent
Is it the amount of good you do?
While searching for life’s definition
Is it the dreams you helped come true?
Seeking no gratitude or recognition
Is it a blessed talent you exploit?
Creating art which leads to wealth
Is it to outsmart, to fill a void?
Deceiving con while stripping health
from the core existence of mankind
Where plowing earth serves as main source
of life and death and crafted minds
Banished from Eden, stay the course
but choose the path less traveled by
Direct and lift your wind-filled sail
Dock in the port of paradise
Set eyes upon the Holy Grail
Direct your compass, follow light
Reach your desired destination
Tread gently on sweet dreams at night
And end your quest in jubilation
Brothers and sisters of the world
One question asked, so answer true
Join hands, unite each boy and girl
Pronounce to all what defines you
WINTER’S OFFSPRING
The offspring of winter are fraternal twins,
Sister and brother, innocence and sins.
Snow is pretty, decorative, weightless,
Pure, soft, pristine flakes countless;
Each a part of the heavenly host,
Each an angel or a fun-filled ghost.
Virgins from heaven adrift in white boats,
Plant nurses laying their blanketing coats.
Ice - the evil twin - tough, sharp, hurtful,
Striking with frozen treachery invisible,
Exploiting if possible a tread unready.
Blackbelt testing your balance unsteady,
You are reduced to sprawling on the cold pavement
Wondering how in puzzlement.
One hundred hellos
can't heal one goodbye
close your eyes
don't try
please rest
and accept time.
closed eyes will say
"these clocks never lie."
happy taken away
is the same as
goodbye.
don't say that here!
say "Hi!" 5 times.
try to not cry,
at night
when the sun dies
and in the morning
watch the sunrise
with the apple of your eye.
Chicory chew chew, tobakky chaw
I love my pappy. I love my ma.
Spit in a tin can, straight from my jaw
Chicory chew chew, tobakky chaw.
love your offspring,
for soon, off they will spring like frogs gainst morning dew
Amid the glare and glitter at this jolliest of seasons there lurks a deep rich human impulse born to halo moons.
Glowing cheek of cherry blossom offspring,
lovingly they tug at universal father figure Santa’s blood red garb,
sugar coated pledge that leave our budding spirit spellbound, in a trance.
Ice floe dreamscape wonderland a Mecca for this incandescent childhood phase,
where fantasy meets heart of gold creation.
Christmas pudding marinate, citrus peel aroma, coal fire nuggets ring dance round familiar carol bursts
One day I will birth a child
It will grow, run loose and wild.
Burnt y my own accord
But only to an extent
The girl I fell for has died
A new one was not born, but sprouted from the ashes
Her child will suffer consequences
Greater than she deserves
Without a father for protectionshe'll likely beat
From the stress of teenage pregnancy
So true-to-life my words are
But only because I've been there before
My mistakes are numerous, but this isn't one
She is everything to me and more
But the restraining order has kept me at bay
I will not sit back and let her have her
At night I slunk into mother's window
Grabbed by the face and poured vodka down her throat
Forced pills in her mouth to swallow
Then cut her wrists deeper than mine
It's suicide right?
Now she's gone and I can have the one who matters
The breast of this dada heaves
with remorseful painful ache
as if...the insides of my body
into a bajillion pieces break
though anniversary of birth,
I intended to write, but... did rake
akin to hot coals, an overwhelming agony
wrought urgent compulsion to slake
expunging sudden onset, shook me awake,
how this papa brought years of heartache,
upon an innocent newborn,
oh no...definitely "not fake,"
and her elder protective sibling Eden
(understandable not to forgive), - who lake
(like) an "uber quasi mother"
did welcome thee with a fair shake
(twenty Earth orbitz ago February 4th, 2019)
metamorphosed into such an adoring, giving,
and loving lass unbeknownst, when she did make
her debut (passing the
Apgar test with flying colors) for goodness sake
cuz, I betcha you studied while in utero,
thus said standard assessment involving intake
and outflow of breath
as seconds old infant piece of cake,
and unexpected eruption of despair,
thus found me sinking into melancholy air
and compounded as "mother",
and I became aware
how cognitive skills
(additionally low body weight) clear
lee delayed triggering screaming
bouts from thee dear
special Punim, and
oft times this papa flare
with frustration and volley with
reciprocated enraged voice
imbecile and juvenile antics of mine clear
lee heard outside 1148 Greentree Lane
neighbors possibly a grizzly bear
broke loose from the zoo,
or other beast escaped their lair,
thus prompting me to post a sign beware
of the ferocious father, and dare
to enter at your own risk,
and do not forget to mutter a prayer
lest ye be swallowed in one fell swoop,
and nobody would hear
from that person again
cannibalized by Matthew
Scott mailer daemon,
whose surly mood embittered by rare
stints of employment, otherwise we lived
dirt poor surviving on diet of worms, I swear
to be totally "FAKE",
but hyperbole to lyft shaky spear
writs.
i am a copy
of a copy
of a copy
screaming, originality!
a functional fallacy
that we are created as
individuals
when really we are
predetermined
by DNA
Don’t tell me what to do!
Nothing defines who I am!
Aside from you existing in half of me
still, I fail to understand
the complexities that
weave us together
if I am just a copy
how can I be better?
i want to be a rainbow fish
with something shiny
and unique to give
follow the advice of the wise
octopus and live so
freely like the other fish
yet, I worry I will always be
a shark
lurking in dark waters
the terror of the sea
giving birth to copies
of copies
of copies
of me
the residue left behind
Ribs in a tide
Nudging at my spine
Answering for questions
these ghosts have left behind
a message from a former me
thrice i've now denied
the existence of the copy
her body left behind