Best Patted Poems
The Unicorn
Once upon a time…
an incredible event occurred that was so sublime.
On a warm summer night many years ago,
awakened by the rhythmic tempo
of hoof beats coming from the yard below,
I peered outside my bedroom window.
There on my lawn I was astonished to see,
a silver-white unicorn peering back at me.
Dressed in only a nightie, I dashed out my front door;
and found him frolicking, prancing to and fro.
Sparkling as he was under a silvery moonbeam,
I wondered if this was only a surreal dream.
He was handsome, noble, and dignified,
so confident and assured trotting to my side.
In awe of this mythical creature, I couldn’t speak,
but gently patted him from cheek to glowing cheek.
His well-groomed mane felt like satin and silk,
with a faint scent of harvested hay and fresh milk.
Then I heard from inside my head,
a deep, masculine voice which stately said,
“Your Majesty, it would be my great honor
to take you on a tour of celestial wonder!”
Reverently he bowed, as I, completely taken aback,
hesitantly mounted his muscular unsaddled back.
Time stood still as he swept me away,
right through the heart of the magnificent Milky Way.
We flew past amazing asteroids, planets, moons,
and zillions of stars looking like fiery, bulging balloons.
In flight, we traveled at the very speed of light,
and I was exhilarated with unbridled delight.
Returning me to Earth, he bowed his gallant head;
and as I dismounted graciously said,
“It’s been a pleasure, my dear Queen;
so long, and I’ll see you in your dreams!”
But even though our voyage of discovery was over,
that mystical experience changed my life forever.
Never again have I seen the unicorn on my lawn,
but from time to time, between midnight and dawn,
in my dreams, I hear a voice that’s oddly familiar
call out my name in a velvety whisper.
And somehow I know that it’s my old friend…
who’ll be watching over me ‘til the end.
02-03-2017
Contest: Once Upon a Time
Sponsor: Eve Roper
Placement: 10th
The jury was unanimous
Twelve cried out justice
Guilty
It was just before the changing hour
The hanging planned for quarter past midnight or so
The moon was full, the shining light exposing deaths dance
The grim reaper was ready, one more for his collection
I was ready for this moment
Ready to face my freedom and my death
Long ago, a mirror shattered into twelve pieces
Twelve faces who said I have to go
Twelve past the midnight hour
Sacred ghosts haunting twilight hours
Whiskey filling the soul soon to be departed
The hangman at the ready with a somber face
For his duties he did not so much embrace
This evening he knew the hanging would take all effort
Of spirit and determination
To send this one of to his eternal damnation
He was shivering and I sensed in fear
As I stared at him solemnly in the mirror
We both eye to eye knew this day would come
The hangman and me, conscious of the sum
So the note was neatly written
The whiskey bottle all alone, empty on the floor
I stood bravely or maybe cowardly
Upon the wooden chair
The rope I wrapped around I my neck
As the hangman in the mirror was in despair
I patted him on the back and said no worries my friend
This, you see is the end of it all
All that we ever both wished or dreamed
A week or two later
They found the hangman
A rope around his neck
Staring blanking in the mirror
A note on the bedside table
Told this story as you hear
A man with a broken heart
Hanged because of his own mutilated reflection
I had an alien for two weeks before I realized how unusual she was.
I wish I could be a mouse in the corner, I had said, and I was.
My alien gave me a cracker, patted me on the head, and reminded me
Once again, how important it is to keep her earth-visit quiet from the masses.
I nibbled on the cracker nervously, wondering how long I would be stuck
Wearing this smelly fur suit, dragging this ugly super long tail?
Praying that Shark, my killer cat was out hunting somewhere else.
Poof! I was back in my normal body.
What other talents do you have? I asked my alien friend.
Not in words because aliens from the two-galaxies-over talk in thoughts.
I am a tripartite, she tele-pathed to me.
What’s that?
Her body immediately transmogrified into three separate, untouching-pieces.
Before I could close my shocked wide-open mouth, she had transmuted back into one complete alien.
Can you disappear? I asked her.
That was the last I ever saw of her.
Some days, however, I feel that she is here, invisible, watching me,
On those days, I wonder if I am going to find
Myself munching on a cracker.
I’m sick of hearing from old Bill that I’m a whimpish sort of bloke,
Because I don’t care for rodeo’s and can’t relate to outback folk,
That I prefer to travel in a car, when I go from A to B,
When I should be riding horses like Billy does you see.
I’ve never been upon a horse; in fact I’ve never patted one,
But at times I’ve been a victim from the damage that they’ve done,
When they’ve thundered down a racetrack with double-digit odds,
To leave my pockets empty and the good luck with the Gods.
So it was just a whim and foolishness that struck me at a guess,
That could have left me comatosed and in an awful mess,
When in a flush of inspiration of adrenaline attack,
Without a lesson or experience, I climbed upon a horse’s back.
I threw one foot in the stirrup and threw the other one to straddle
The horse’s back now that I’m on, while sitting in the saddle,
But with the motion of a gallop at a steady rhythmic pace,
I started slipping from the saddle and I quickly lost me place.
In fear I’m grabbing for the mane, but I couldn’t get a grip,
So I threw me hands around its neck, but then began to slip,
And I could see the ground below me was aiming at me head,
So I grabbed its nose to stop it, but it bucked on me instead.
It was futile hanging on now so I made a desperate move to jump,
But instead of reaching safety, me body lurched and I went thump,
For me foot’s caught in the stirrup so I’m bouncing in the fray,
With the horses pounding hooves close to just a foot away.
Now limply hanging upside down from the battering I took,
In me haze of consciousness I saw a crowd had formed to look,
Then me missus ran to save me when she took off like a rocket,
Over there at K-mart where, she ripped the plug out of the socket.
Movie star eyes
Perfect caramel skin
Screech. That would be too perfect.
Change that to something pastier
Alabaster maybe
The monster in the mirror
Smiled with her green eyes
Vivian Leigh maybe?
She watched her face transform
But she added the caramel
And she looked more like
Sophia Loren
Maybe brown eyes? She suggested
The magic mirror was losing patience
Make up your mind it said.
Did it really matter
What you look like
When you lure a man to his death?
The mirror’s grin widened.
She patted her auburn curls in place
And picked up her cape.
She was ready for the hunt.
Written: November 27, 2019
Contest: Favorite Poem from November 2019
Sponsor: Julia Ward
When you think, you’ll become, more than you are.
You’ll become what you think; So take note, of it all.
More important, think WHAT, you WANT to be!
For Dragon it was a Hero… His everything!
He wanted to become a Hero for Everyone!
So he helped old Mr. Codger, cross the street. Well Done!
Tho, it would’ve worked better, if he’d wanted to go.
Still, it was a start… Now surely, you know…
Old Mr. Codger patted his head, with his walking stick!
Wasn’t he sweet! It let Dragon know, he’d done, the right thing!
Now, he was sure! Surely…you agree! Now, don’t you think?
Next Dragon took a walk into the park…
There the Sheriff of Crazyland wanted Dragon to clean,
His pet Pigeons’ Poo from a statue so tall and so lean…
Dragon cleaned it with flames, a fast, and admirable thing!
Unfortunately, parts melted, but that, had happened before.
And Dragon was proud, he’d helped, as he left, with a grin.
Remember! Dragon is a baby, of three… to our chagrin.
He’ll learn the finer art of helping… Perhaps, another day.
Next, Dragon spied a young child riding a horse…
The horse spooked and ran off, as The Mother screamed away!
They ran to the trees, with Dragon a hero, again! What A Day!
He flew to the sky, picking up, the child AND the horse.
He laid them down safely, at the feet of the Mom, of course!
He didn’t look back… As she screamed and she yelled…
That they’d become scared, just when, he’d come around!
He knew, he’d come, at just the right place, and the right time.
Dragon saved the day, definitely! … A Hero… Sublime!
He smiled as he said; a True Hero’s work is never done!
Be you bigger than big or smaller than small…
You are you… but with your mind, that won’t be all!
And that’s the best thing! So remember… It’s true…
With practice and thinking, You’ll become, a better You!
So Never give up and never give in… to the very end.
You’ll get better with practice… as Your thinking grows!
Tho with Dragon we can only hope… it will be so…
At least, we know, it’s true… that Dragon will keep trying!
Yes, we know, that he will! Honest! Just Saying!
A.S.D.F……..he typed,
Retyped,
Again did it, again, again………
Tick….tick, tick….tick……minutes sicken.
Soon his nearby seat she took,
A new student with hairs black,
Just a glance,
Next day, a smile, sprouted silent roots.
She got up and turned;
Her shampoo smelling hairs patted
On his face,
By chance.
That night on red bed his,
Fancy dress contest of fancies.
In love birth pain,
He does roll, twist, turn…………
He is earlier student, day next,
In attires newest.
But she came never,
Vanished in the life clouds.
Slim…..brown…..gentle…..
Still lingers shampoo smell.
His solitude pokes the sensorium,
Recollections….tick….tick, tick….seriatim.
(Set against shy rural background)
FABIYS M V
(True story...!!)
~
T'was the night after New Years, and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings and tree stored away with a sigh,
Finished the eggnog, and the last piece of pie.
Me in my nightie, while Pa fed the cat
We had just let the dog out, and said, "Goodnight, dear, that's a wrap!"
Then we both settled down for a long winter's nap
When the phone by the bedside, cracked the silence with a clatter!
And I awoke in a daze to see what was the matter!
Neighbor Dan on the phone.....he needed some help!
I laughed when he told me, in spite of myself!
A cow's in his pool, so chubby and plump!!
He needed some help to haul out it's big rump!
Rushing over,...to my wondering eyes should appear
There's Old Bessie in water, her eyes full of fear!
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof,
Old Bessie was frightened, she had made a big goof!
Friends ran to the rescue, and went straight to work...
Taking care that poor Bessie wouldn't get hurt.
They put heads together and laid out a plan,
Getting ropes 'round Old Bessie as fast as they can.
Tied the ropes to Dan's truck, then gave him a whistle
And up came Old Bessie like the down of a thistle!
She shook from the cold like a bowlful of jelly,
So they patted and prodded, till she rolled on her belly.
Then off ran the cow, with relief and so merry,
Her cheeks a bit frozen, her nose like a cherry!
We were offered hot chocolate to warm up again,
Four o'clock in the morning, and it was time to turn in!
Our neighbor called out, as we got out of sight,
"Have a good year and thank you!! And to all a good night!"
_________
PLEASE DO NOT READ PART II BEFORE YOU HAVE READ PART I! THANK YOU! :)
She had been a modest woman
Had so desired a family
But that was all in the past now
And Samson was no guarantee
In the morning he would leave her
With his voice playing in her mind
No, she needed to secure life
“Delilah, don’t you be so blind!”
In the morning she stood beside him
Dressed in seductive finery
In the other room they waited
To see if Samson was history
“Samson, your enemies surround you”
He just smiled and patted the bed
“Come, let me take you to heaven”
Then he reached up and touched his head
Would she ever forget that moment
When he gave her a betrayed look
Tears did slip down as they bound him
Her man and all her dreams they took
She heard that he had been blinded
They had gouged out her man’s green eyes
All the money that she had gained
Was tainted red with crimson lies
There was a great celebration
Through her veil she saw Samson there
No longer lion but a lamb
All she could do was gawk and stare
They placed him in between pillars
Of the temple to their “strong” god
They kicked and spat and they hit him
They treated him worse than a dog
She rushed passed them in a minute
“It’s Delilah,” murmured the crowd
For her flowing veil had fallen
How she wished now it were her shroud
She gently touched his haggard face
And he smiled a sad knowing smile
“Your beauty I can’t see, my love
But I’ve waited for you all this while.”
She sobbed, “I tried to buy you back
With much more money than they gave
I’m sorry, dearly beloved
Please, be strong now and do be brave.”
“Leave me now,” was his coarse command
“My kind God will still set me free
I’ll bring this place down on their heads
Delilah, please just let me be.”
“My lover….my eternal love”
On her breasts she now lay his head
“Pull down this building forever
I’ll lie with you in our death bed”
How the story ends is well known
Samson was given strength once more
That strength stolen by a woman
Delilah, whom his did adore!
Eileen Manassian Ghali
They spied me in the sky, dropping bombs of love
on Ferguson, and bitchy women's rooms; and rednecks'
shooting range was next, the blooded boxing glove.
They spotted me in Tel-aviv and also in Tehran, collecting
Jewish kisses for the Iranian Imam.
They toasted me in the family courts, breaking hearts
I quickly soothed, and at their breakfast;Klu Klux Klan,
I spread their toast with jam.
They gifted me with patted back in Auschwitz and
Guantanamo, compassion was my hand; while Isis
and Seal Team 6, provided me a marching band.
They lauded me with accolades, the bankers and the poor,
while serial killers and the FBI, shot my name into the sky,
like Gotham on the screen.
And now I rest my head this night, beneath the troubled moon,
for tomorrow I go partying, with venerable, Ban-Ki-moon
Franky was seven and having a party
He told all his school-mates, except for Spud Carty
And once they had heard that Spud wasn't invited
All of them said they were really excited
And then at the party the kids all had fun
Which might have continued if Spud hadn't come
Spud didn't play games, he was not in the mood
He’d much rather stuff himself full of free food
He grabbed all the biscuits and scoffed the whole lot
And all the Bombay mix although it was hot
He snaffled the sarnies and some went down whole
Then grabbed the spaghetti piled up in a bowl
He gobbled so much that he struggled to chew
Then Franky cried out, that's not only for you
Spud simply laughed spitting food as he said
We all gotta eat... or else we'd be dead
And that was when poor Franky found himself wishing
His dad had stayed home and had not gone off fishing
Spud sucked spaghetti like slithering snakes
And said when I'm done, gonna find me some cakes
But Franky looked sick and he started to squirm
That sgetti looks just like a wriggly worm
And Spud got annoyed when he heard someone giggle
Don't be so stoopid, spaghetti can't wriggle
Spud swallowed more, that spaghetti was yummy
He said with a grin as he patted his tummy
You lot he shouted must really be thick
To get the food first you'd have to be quick
The front door swung open, there stood Franky's dad
He looked a bit angry, in fact he looked mad
I’m meant to be fishing but I'm running late
I got to the lake but forgot all my bait
I've checked out the shed and I've looked all around
Wherever I look there's no bait to be found
Was it indoors his son Franky enquired
So it would be handy when it was required
Right there on the table his father confirms
An old plastic dish, full of wriggly worms
And that was when Spud's belly started to grumble
And everyone heard his guts starting to rumble
Spud almost flew to the lavatory
What happened next was a horror story
And when throwing up seemed much less of a danger
He left with kids calling out, Don't be a stranger!
Dancing flowers plop at fullest bloom
in the rustled yellow burnt fields.
It sways an echo after the winds
and hits the grass aside who sheilds.
The dawn casts its tangerine color
after the flattery feilds of Daisies,
and a child runs the sunrays of early dawn
to pick a daisy for her Aunt Stacey.
With her white tipped finger she pricks
herself with yellow honey substance
and tickels it under her nose for scent.
She runs out the fields to her aunt in instance.
She looked at her and smiled, patted her head.
Aunt Stacey spoke, "Honey go play for awhile and I'll meet you
back in." And the little girl ran out the door.
She put the daisy in a tiny vase where she admired it once more.
.
Tending to my fruit stand,
another lonely day
Hoping for a customer
to happen ‘long the way
When then I saw approaching
a funny colored van
It pulled off on the shoulder,
I wondered of its plan
The back doors slowly opened
and there before my eyes
Stood a gorgeous woman
beneath these sunny skies
Her eyes were soft and sable
with hair a darker hue
She smiled and said hello to me
I said, “How do you do?”
She stood before my table,
I couldn’t help but stare
First she touched an apple,
then she touched a pear
Suddenly she shouted,
for now her hand did reach
Excitedly she questioned
“Please may I have a peach?”
All I could do was stutter,
as I could barely breathe
She took a bite and then exclaimed
“The sweetest I believe”
Then she grabbed a couple,
and walking to her van
Sat upon the rear end sill,
then patted with her hand
I stumbled there to join her,
she handed one to me
“I just adore your peaches”
“Yes ma’am, that I can see”
I sat there with her eating
and maybe I am dumb
But juice was dripping from her lip,
I brushed it with my thumb
This seemed to make her happy,
her beauty such a view
Then I could not believe my ears,
She asked, “Can I kiss you?”
Well, forget what I said earlier
the “dumb” part wasn’t right
I pressed my lips against hers
and held them there real tight
They were sweet and sticky,
delicious like the fruit
Then we separated,
she grinned and said, “You’re cute”
“I really think I love you
and will forever true”
I felt my heart just skip a beat,
“Yes ma’am, I love you too”
“I just adore your peaches,
they’re the best in all the land”
We kissed again, this time good bye,
she climbed into her van
I watched as she departed,
standing on the curb
Thinking of her kisses
and the last thing that I heard
Then felt kind of lousy
this pristine summer day
Not for what had happened,
but what I did not say
I didn’t have the heart to tell
this woman of my dreams
The fruits this day that she enjoyed
were really nectarines
ME TOO
So what’s all the to-do with “me too”
So we join the many instead of the few
It all seems another act of distract
Play popularity’s game of trivial fact
One of those “me toos”
living under a pinned shoe
One of those “me toos”
Still can’t see “the forest through the trees”
The same game continues to be played
Of “hide and seek”
You just choose the game and roll the dice
Anyway you cut it up, you take a slice
One of the “me toos”
Looking to distract
Instead reach out with love
Open your eyes and ears
Have courage to lose
Your life, job, career
Because until that happens…
I don’t care to join in the sea
That sleeps with nightmares
Only when someone’s exposed
Then it’s safe to depose
And let everyone know
How “brave you are”
The courageous are often slammed
Patted on the head
“Oh, he’s just like that dear.
Be a good girl.
You’ll become a star”
How many sell their soul
Let the devil do it over and over
Again
Steamed and pressed
You’re ready for the press
“Smile, like a good girl
You’re a star”
Not far to jump
To take your clothes
Off for the next starring role
And see the next young thing
Crying behind closed doors
As you say
“Smile. Be a good girl…
Yes, me too”
Kim Rodrigues © 2017
It was a tiny thing
Just a little word
Made up of little letters
That you planted in my heart
You didn’t think much of it
You patted it down
And covered it with love
It wasn’t much
Just a little word
Little letters
Laced with encouragement
Dipped in love
Buried
In my heart
Watered by my tears
Warmed by the sunlight of your care
Growing
G r o w i n g
Strong and beautiful
A word tree
Bursting into bloom
Breathtakingly Beautiful Blossoms
Flowers that never shrivel
Or fall
Or get blighted by the frost of criticism
Eternally growing
In the garden of my heart
I weep tears of joy
Exuberant joy
You planted
A little word seed
Not knowing
My heart is fertile
My heart is rich
My tears plentiful
Not knowing
You’d left me
An eternal gift
Of wonder and beauty
“But," you say, “It just was a word!"
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W O R D
Eileen Manassian Ghali