Best Overnight Poems
1/30/17
Shrike, planes, kites and satellites
In flight
Above pike, mice, parasites
And all other types of life
Atop the highest heights
Down in the deepest depths out of sight
Thinking twice
Just might
Suffice
For doing it right
During a life
Rife
With strife
Rituals and rites
Some of which include a sacrifice
I don't care about the hype
Or what trends and is liked
People going on strike
Unable to unite
Despite the slight
Differences and similarites
Explosives like dynamite
And materials such as dolomite
Quite the plight
Despite the slight
Differences in how we all get a bite
And slice
Everyone has their own version of paradise
A spike in the price
During the daylight
And overnight
Fruit becoming rotten and moldy after being ripe
And plants struck with blight
Got to wipe off the ice
So that there is a line of sight
Some tykes start with a trike
Then ride a bike
To be precise
I'm being polite
And nice
While I roll the dice
By: Dalton Ogletree
spoor tracks
imprint
the virgin snow-
footsteps of yesteryear
echo in my mind
Copyright © Brian Strand | Year Posted 2007
OVERNIGHT
beautiful
past tense
no language
living our
limited lives
misreading
words and feelings
personally
refined
so let’s bed down
in a drawer
overnight laughing
hysterically
at the start
of this new year
exiled in candle-lights
warm teardrop flames
© Kim van Breda—31 December 2015
Across
a dew drenched field
beneath the fallen leaves-
delicate campestris become
breakfast.
the overnight stock person varies with the place of imprisonment---
each retail or grocery store is its own bumbling chaotic center of
amusement
for anyone who understands the nature of
minimum wage + an extra dollar for screwing up your sleep
patterns
in order to work from 9pm to 5am or further---
more than likely,
this individual works another job in the day anyway,
as in case you didn’t notice,
things ain’t so perty in the job market---
they probably stuff themselves full of energy drinks on the way downtown on the
train or
buzzing in their prospective automobile,
if they are fortunate enough to have one---
regardless,
what happens at night after the supervisor has had their moment
giving one the lowdown on
what will go on during the shift,
the “demons” come out---
people bring their substance of choice to ingest while
keeping themselves occupied
people who have come to the conclusion that they aren’t being treated well
take it upon themselves to take from the company what is
rightfully theirs,
to sell on the street later or
to simply treat themselves.
the overnighter can see a lot of turnaround,
as people just don’t have the required stamina to sacrifice their
daytime lives to the need for sleep,
so that they may slave away at night---
whether they are folding clothes in a retail store or
unloading trucks and stocking grocery shelves,
there is no avoiding the obvious truth that
one can’t do this forever &
like red says to andy in
the shawshank redemption,
“every man has a breaking point”---
for that matter, this is the 21st century after all,
every woman has theirs &
no doubt,
the wrath is no less severe.
while we are still hoping that our toil will somehow lead to a
better life
we churn away in the middle of the night,
bottling up our fears that
this
is
how
it
will
end---
ready to snap at any instant,
and yet,
forcing ourselves to accept the most ridiculous of
instructions
in penetrating desperation,
we march on into nothingness
grateful that we are able to be working
amidst the growing
unemployed.
Annabelle Gads
She is a fantastic fibber
Annabelle Gads
A fun-filled, fighter,a flirt and a felon.
Can she spend the night, Friday, please?
He locked the large wooden office door,
Walked alone to a home left hours before.
Then when he reached his humble abode,
The familiar surroundings of which forebode.
Inserted his key, changed the locked mode,
And walked across the creaking floor.
A candle he burned in the darkened room,
Dimly lit now, and still full of gloom.
On the stove put a meal atop to heat.
And every morsel alone he did eat.
Then to the chamber he would retreat,
To retire for the night of doom.
After donning his nightly attire for bed,
Upon satin pillows he laid down his head.
Tossing and turning, asleep at last,
A ghoulish dream he has of his past.
Thoughts that before had seemed so crass
Streams through his mind from the dead.
Haunted visions he had, one by one.
A cast of mistreated and over run
Connecting a past of many heartless deeds
To a present and future of uncaring greed.
Throughout the night the dream would proceed.
Until the lunar crest gave way to the sun.
As the sun through his window began to shine
With his haunting dream still fresh in his mind.
He arose and stepped to his window to view
Something different, he thought. Could this be true?
The streets were the same and the people too.
As if nothing had changed but time.
His view of the world was different that day.
It was he that had changed from his wicked way.
The preceding night put his head in a spin.
The world he now saw was as it had been.
But he had been changed from within;
With a new attitude, and kind things to say.
The world, not knowing of his demise.
Were skeptical at first, then realized
That something, or someone affected him.
More generous and friendly he was to them,
Not as the old man who was so grim.
He now saw the world through new eyes.
A plan between two children
Needing parental approval
Outrageously wild ideas for the evening
Vigorous plotting and planning
Enthusiastic silly making
Resounding laughter
No one is allowed to sleep
Idyllic age of about twelve
Giggling long after bedtime
Happy to stay up long after parents retire
Thrilling to see each other at breakfast
I am a little bit of a trickster
It has to be said
A wee bit mischievous
Somewhat bonkers in the head
Friends came to stay the night
So l played a cheeky joke
Showed them to their room
Explained all for when they woke
I mentioned if they needed the loo
In the middle of the night
No need to stumble in the dark
We do this and its works a delight
I bent down and pulled out from under their bed
An vintage enamel handled pee-pot….full of wee
Initial awkward horror followed by hysterical laughter
As it was a pee pot full of apple juice you see!
Our children see others lie with impunity
Simply blow out the light, darkness perverts civility
***
1/4/2020
F F I series 55 p m couplet
Brian Strand, sponsor
Poetry form: Poulter's Measure Couplet - Couplets of 12 syllables alternating with 14 syllables, often used for serious statements.
My tears build, ready to spill
My strength tested, wavering inner will
My home has changed overnight
Now, there’s still not birds or squirrels in sight
The flurry of wildlife I see each day, is gone
The government doesn’t care, each one a con
Heartless, evil, selfish they are
As people suffer chemical toxins that spread far
A disaster ignored that will last for years!
They could care less about anyone’s fears
Every time I look outside, it is empty for now
The eerie silence that is here, I can’t explain somehow
Heidi Sands
2/19/23
snowfall in the dell
spring blossom dies
Rainbow lights at night
Glittering the whole resort
Where people celebrate joy
While diving in depths of pools
Just for a short moment in life
People are as loud as stereo
Enjoying the camaraderie
A pause amidst of hard work
There is no silence tonight
Partying couple of hours
Raise red cups of wine
While the moon shines too bright
LeiStrauss2017
Iris
and crocus,
early risers-
drifts of colour carpet
the lawn
First
frost
of fall,
winter calls
an early warning-
Autumn patterns red-green on white.