Best Overcoming Poems
in an
angst- saturated
moment i find you there in
my travel bag, injured by the neglect of
a poorly screwed-on sparkling water bottle cap:
my beloved poetry notebook of fifteen years. You are
now one-third soaked and stained at the top. I shudder to
think of throwing you away or burying you in the cemetery of
old college diaries and love letters. You were my faithful collector of
anxiety and pleasure, cleverness and drought, loneliness and victory;
oftentimes tucked away for months at a time as creative energies were
diverted to other outlets. Like a loyal dog whose master travels away, you
never gave up on me. How many times the tears stained your inky pages
long before I even knew that sparkling water was a thing! When friends
moved away, or betrayed me (how i wished THEY would move away), when loved ones died too young, or old ones lived too long (how they wished THEY could die instead), when my son was slaying dragons and my daughter was breaking up with an inattentive boyfriend; when my wife struggled with her sisters, or when I agonized through physical therapy or cancer surgery, you were patiently there for me. Even as my joints and stitches eventually healed, you continue to be my invaluable companion, both for my history you contain to the left, and for the blank, hope-filled pages to the right. Like me, you are aging, stained, lumpy, scarred, but two-thirds useful as i write under the stain.
///NOTE: the shape above roughly mirrors the unstained portion of my notebook, which I will continue to use in its deformed and lumpy new state!
Also, no poems were harmed in the making of this poem. I write in pencil, so the water didn't render any previous pages unreadable, thankfully!///
Attacked by Janus-faced complexity
My mind responds with functionality
To present either sheer timidity
Or self-entitlement tenacity.
Gripped with hypocrisy’s duplicity
I succumb to boastfulness-dignity
In striving for victorious verity
Achieving, though blown by futility.
Then, playing safe midst glad security
My conscience settles for “low” identity
Yet, that is not true in actuality
Since I’m drowning into dishonesty.
Frailty hides behind pride’s integrity
Such is human nature’s reality
Showing arrogant personality
This besets me in my carnality…
Braced by feelings of superiority
I tend to value self’s priority
Along the guise of false humility
Enclosed by ingratitude’s vanity…
Admitting my guilt of being haughty
Heart of mine confesses infirmity
Asking God* for compassion’s propensity
Indeed repentant, seeking His pity…
Recognizing who’s in authority
I stay in the Saviour’s security
Trusting divine Source of tranquility
Who forgives sins by His grace-certainty...
Now, freed from shame’s blaming intensity
My soul thanks the sovereign Almighty
Declaring I’m not anymore guilty
By His peace I did claim with surety.
Doing best with accomplishment’s duty
Propelled by devotion’s sincerity
I cling to Giver of blessings’ bounty
To check always my wrong audacity.
With the Lord’s miraculous specialty
Transforming me toward eternity
I bow to His life-building creativity
Directing me for kindness-purity.
*James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
November 29, 2023
1st place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol 40" Chosen Topic and original Title: Janus Face
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 12/16/2023
let your tears roll free
and the stress drop off shoulders
weight of world lifted
What is your excuse for not writing today?
Come now, is it…“my Muse has gone away?”
Or …the feeble.” I just have no inspiration?”
A feeble excuse for a lack participation.
Here is a tip tp get your creative pen to flow.
Once it begins to move, it is your show!
Like a powerful lawn mower, the pen will go.
Look at you~creating, writing and all aglow.
12/29/2023
Kintsukuroi (KInt-soo-gi) is a Japanese art form…it is ancient…very old…it consists of repairing broken pottery with little bits of gold.
The idea is a simple one…innocent at it’s core
Where something that’s been broken can come back more beautiful than before.
It is a wonderful lesson…how something broken can be more beautiful…and new
It’s a lesson, if I’m not mistaken, that applies to people too.
Overlook a lifetime past
Remember how it did not last
Life changes quickly before your eyes.
This so called reality surrounded by lies.
A sad thought it may seem
I do not want to open my eyes to another dream.
Real reality set in.
Lets look forward and begin
I am in this game of life to win.
I will not give up and lose.
I will stand tall
even though I am battered and bruised.
Overcoming Evil With Good...
"Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good."
This verse from scripture
is often misunderstood.
Many tend to "get back" at someone
who's "wronged them."
Whether it be from a stranger... or even a friend.
You cannot fight evil with evil--
this isn't God's plan!
His concept of love and mercy-- you
need to understand.
Remember the words Jesus said in the beatitudes.
Perhaps this can stop any
"revengeful attitudes."
You were called to be holy--
with Godliness in mind.
To be filled with his mercy...
being gentle and kind.
Rise above whatever evil
may come your way/
Overcome by doing this with
God's goodness... today!
Allow the cross of Christ to be
lifted up in your life.
Allow his spirit to remove all malice,
bitterness and strife.
A compassionate and loving person
in you... others will see!
What you do today--will impact your eternity!
An overcomer of evil is often
difficult to do.
Obey and trust God--
He will see you through!
By Jim Pemberton
Rom. 12:21
Today I woke same predictment,
Feeling alienated and suspected.
It's another day in the life of a hood ventriloquist,
Struggles become smothering, and obstacles seems to be addictive.
I've walked so long to this gut wreching beat,
Bruising my elbows on razored gnawing pleats,
While suffering conversity with self in flicked murderous cleats.
Will it ever end? Will someone ever win?
The starting line is the end,
And the end is where it really begin.
Surviving looks to be impossbile,
It's going to take a real my to overcome life's obstacle.
My heart was a mess
I was in complete distress
but I laid those thoughts to rest
and now I'm trying my best
Holding on to the memories
but never looking for more than a moment at the past
For my eyes stay forward and leave the past at my back
Stay positive, stay hopeful, don't let the world leave you a mess
I used to be afraid of failing but I'm soaring high above distress
Facing my fears head on and conquering the anxious voice inside
I ignore that bitter voice and love is all that will reside
Hate will not consume me, control me, i wont let it doom me or ever again even know me
The thoughts of depression are much more than a lesson
It taught me that happiness is where I am destined
You cannot have the good without the bad, this I know
So I'll let the sadness blanket over me like a frigid winter's snow
But I will not stay there in that deep abyss of sorrow
Because I know with sadness comes happiness and there's always tomorrow
Without sadness, happiness loses its astounding appeal
I want to experience every emotion, I want to know that it's real
To fear is not living, it only takes without giving, and the life i was living, was more than misgiving
The regrets and mistakes that I had made were all just trial and error
I will not let this depression instill me with unnecessary terror
So let's reach for the skies and break free from this awful vice
We only get one life, one chance, so let us dance away into blissful paradise
poking through asphalt
a tiny leaf reaches up
triumphant beauty
O~n occasion, the mind accretes to, "the hurt," when facing
V~icissitudes; blinded by, "the better nature," causing to
E~fface the focus from the Architect while simultaneously
R~aising questions why. Impatience encourages the
C~ollaboration of misery to consult with those of the same mind.
O~nly then to find temporary pleasure due to humanly clocks power.
M~entally drained by dint of attacks upon attacks; seemingly to be
I~nsufferable and impregnable. Though the Architect,
N~ever vanishes and will never vanish from the scene. So,
G~ive and release all apprehension with entire trust.
S~torms will arise from daybreak to nightfall. It must be remembered the
A~rchitect of whom in total control oversees misery so
N~ever question the authority. Become courageous and
D~etermined that, "This Too Shall Pass." Be conscious of
S~trength, wisdom and knowledge evolving afterwards.
T~oday, focus on the size of the Architect and Not
O~n what the mind can't do. Always
R~emain prayerful and faith filled.
M~ust never ignore the Architect of whom created life's puzzle
S~hifting all elements of sand in place from day to day.
(To those who will receive)
Architect-God
Vicissitudes- Ups and Downs
Insufferable-Unbearable
Impregnable-Unconquerable
Dint-Force
Efface-Wipe Away
Pace, INK-U-SCRIPT
Contest Title: Build Your Own Sand
9/16/2013
be not a receptacle to that spirit of sin
live by the word of God and be open to Him
in this day where the lines of morality have become blurred
where people believe and do all and anything that's absurd
caught up in the grasp of drugs and chemical dependency
caught up in the muck and mire of sexual immorality
yet society tries to explain away any and all aberrant behavior
and a psychiatric evaluation has become acceptable and favored
we're now subjected to the blame of others and their bad actions
subjected to the world's desensitized and apathetic reaction
overcoming the temptation to commit sin
to yield not to that demonic presence again and again
if you don't understand and comprehend the word of God
how do you know if you have any sin in your heart?
you need to read the word of God and follow His commands
the instructions on how to live sinless, God's master plans
to wrestle with the evil that may at times reside within
to overcome that sensation to go out and commit sin
you need to be exposed to God's laws and learn right from wrong
you need to do a self reflection and then come away strong
for it's one thing to do what is sinful if you don't have a clue
but it's a different story when you knowingly sin for the blame is now on you
to be disobedient and stray from God's life living instructions
will lead you down that crooked path of spiritual destruction
so think before you act and then lay it before God
pray on that temptation to sin and possess a contrite heart
to challenge that temptation to commit sin
just dwell on the word of God and not the unholiness of men
yet we continue to try and justify some of the things we do and say
we need to be truthful in our hearts and willing to change our ways
no longer to be arrogant and sanctimonious in this life
to be more humble and repentant as a child of the Lord Christ
we pretend to act like it's not us but everyone else
we need to take a hard look in the mirrors at ourselves first
to come to understand that this battle is not ours alone
to realize we need the strength and the power of the heavenly throne
to be rescued from that temptation of sin that's always hanging around
to be lifted up by the word of God and placed on higher ground
to turn to our savior, the Lord Jesus the Christ
to thank Him and praise Him for the gift of eternal life
the legendary Human-Mosaic o b s e r v e s
...
I stand upon the precipice
Feet teeter on the ledge
A step away from peril
My emotions on the edge
Look down into the valley
Search for signs of life
A light within the darkness
To end my lonely plight
But all I see is emptiness
Stark and hollow ground
No sign of peace, serenity
There's noone else around
So I inch my body forward
One twitch will seal my fate
I brace myself then suddenly
A voice tells me to wait
It says that I can make it
That I can soldier through
I'm stronger than I think I am
Got important things to do
So I breathe in very slowly
Back myself away
No longer on the precipice
This pain won't win today
And so I go on fighting
It's gonna be alright
Just keep on pushing, going
Through darkness you'll see light.
OVERCOMING FLAWS
I heard laughter in a distance and wondered why this annoyed me. Then I realized that what they laughed about was what did not define humor. Therefore, who laughed twisted their senses.
This morning, as each, I awoke with a mood swing. Things were going as they should from what had previously occurred. Let me explain. I go through this twilight form. I am zone via income. You may go ridiculous but this is done via the government. Quite an annoyance...
What annoy are mediums that are formed from corruption.
In a storyteller form, I developed the imagination. To implement, I tell a tall tale through the lens of non-fiction. However, true accounts are hidden within the excitement. The tale goes, once upon a time, in the world of expression, lived a woman who was quite annoyed. If you spoke to her, she became annoyed. When you smile at her, you found that she was annoyed. This would annoy you; therefore, I begin to not speak to Maxine or smile at Maxine. Maxine had Graves’ disease, which caused bulging eyes. She was a refined woman but wanted you to see her otherwise. What annoys is that she made it seem as if you caused this negativity in her life.
Aggravation makes an annoying situation.
When your life is not as you want, whom do you blame? What annoys me the most when you blame me and I do not have any means to cause you any pessimism. Provocation of such states you have not done what you should. You are liable to you own self-identity, self-worth, and self-esteem. Do not accuse me.
Inasmuch, this is what annoys me!