Best Penance Poems
Ottava Rima was made to recite
all ten commandments at the next high mass.
In her very private room she did write
them again and again just like in class.
By candlelight she stayed up every night
reading aloud with not a hint of sass.
She read them at mass; the tenth one by chance
began, “There once was a lady from France...”
She smiled
An ambient temperature smile
At best
A torqued acknowledgement.
The paper shrieked
Eraser burn and frustration
Testing the limits
Of its tortured muse.
Again
Words kissed the atmosphere
Glided on meter
Danced in a rhythmic dream.
Again
She smiled
A tear, a whispered
“I love you”
Embracing her gift
I wondered:
“Would you love me If I wasn’t a poet?”
I hated you for your iron,
cracking and slipping through my
own disaster,
weeping,
engraving linoleum into my bones and joints
and praying to stand but never having the heart.
You shoved my face into the wall so many times-
forcing my skin under your fingernails while you smiled-
I began to think it was an embrace,
shaking my head to shake you off
and hoping you didn’t love me
as much as you claimed.
I dreamed of the day I could return the favor.
Then you turned back.
I already had my fists raised and
curled around their handful of air,
stretching the atmosphere taut
while you covered your face.
Unexpected fingers draped
careless over your head,
grieving
and choking me into stillness
-the lone candle wick before your sorrow-
You sobbed from your own crumbling center-
the kind I make when no one's listening.
You felt for my mouth, and desecrated my lips
into pillars of salt -
the ones you mocked time and again
for weakness.
And maybe I deserved it,
because I stood with tears in my eyes
and fire in my veins
and metal in my mouth.
while the world wheeled beneath us.
I stood downcast amidst the stars,
and all the ashes of god and gomorrah,
and mumbled to myself
I
don’t
trust
you.
I can’t ever trust you.
Time, tick, tock, life passing by
Sit the day contemplating why
Kick the slippers off go to bed
Dreams are dark tears are shed
Sorrow's pillow is not kind
Distance far for peace of mind
In the head the words wage war
As at my soul the sins they tore
Blue eyes where ever I turn
They seek, sear and burn
Blue eyes they haunt me so
In deep of night wont let go
I cradled his head with my
bloodstained hands, this boy
not yet seventeen of blue eyes
and unrealized dreams. I gazed
at my enemy, I looked, stared,
all I saw was me. The blood
trickled from soft lips, words
followed, “ forgive me “ then
silence, and the tear rolled my
cheek. Dam this whore called
duty.
Pele's home rumbles within the dome -- I came to atone.
What was I then; what am I now? Dominance lost, so ashamed,
a man I'd been, a King on a throne -- now powerless a woman, a crone.
To the womb I return, to grow and reform, second chance my aim.
Tired and drawn, plucked to the bone -- so far from the comfort of home
a group of seekers gathered to entreat the mother, to the cauldron we came.
Islands of sea, islands of self immersed in loam -- groomed for sacrifice not alone
cleansed -- held upright by sisters we sought the wisdom of the flame.
In a future time, a far off place, deep within the gloam, my spirit roams;
I'll be returned; a man again lessons learned, my titles to reclaim
for through the passage of time and form -- I'd be reborn, soul grown,
cherishing the lessons, cauldron learned, my second chance attained.
* This is a true past life memory.
While the havoc of this cold January night
Grinds like fractured pieces and shards in my bosom --
My own penance still remains with a transgression
Forgotten not-- when my being righteous made you stray--
Yet, your grace to understand my intent humbles me
Taking the warm path of forgiveness, this mercy
Which enables us to reach out through serenity’s behest.
Seven For Chaos And Order Contest
Written for nette onclaud Jan 29, 2017
innocent cents are found in the essence of patience
good riddance of stolen cents is the essence of repentance
the essence of repentance is to sow in the soul penance
Give your pain to me,
I'll take it with great pleasure.
Let it build so all can see
That torment's become my treasure
Once it's gone, you'll be reborn,
While I'll be cast down as a sinner.
I'll be a product of hate and scorn,
And my body will grow thinner.
Shove it all upon my heart,
Agony will crush it quickly.
Abandon me to play my part;
A leper, vile and sickly.
With this revival, you've become a hero,
But now I'm Rome, and you are Nero.
Walking this sod trodden path
Heart in my mouth;cross on my shoulder
To that place where remission thou art
Where I could pour out my heart.
Shoulder cross;heavy boulder
I string up like a soldier
Walking to a court martial
Knowing a verdict to be partial
Ran my race like a lion
Never giving up and brave
Aiming for that plush seat in zion
Was all my heart could ever crave
Everything I gave;nothing I saved
Even after all this oratory
Home is always purgatory.
A slumped of sleep knee deep covenant breath of token,
Dark horse past that of a crown with holds such stories,
Is ice heavy or is it when chipping of the pressure that unlocks the dripping of a well,
If stream is it hollow or cruise to depth of the night.
For a night of a day does trail form by the lake,
How intense is the rapid or current is one different from the other,
Pressure of depth hurl of curl to the wind that keys the ideal of warn of the,
Night how to captive is to know of every morning of wake.
Youth and up most respected characteristic the tarn of the setting,
If stream moving connotation keeper of light is way is north star,
When travel do one knows or captive the venture,
Is one on a journey or a quest why not pick one to hold dear.
Who was the one paragon in design,
With the sunset skylined aura divine,
These tepid wicked hearts soaked deep in brine,
casting out shadows held lost in time,
Malice always open through those blinded eyes,
Hushed whispers speak of vulgar tales and lies,
One gilded chalice filled with blood and wine,
One comet loveless arch the eternal cries,
Chariot ablaze as phantom horses rise,
Mane in flame essences lit within eyes,
Who are you thats so ominous to describe,
Who are you a serpent, a man, or deprived?
(2017)
When the sun rose after a night
And touched the earth to spread the light
Of joy, of dreams.
I borrowed the warmth of a smile
From my lips
And stole a twinkle
From my eyes,
To light a heart I thought was dark
With a secret, one scarcely could mark.
But alas! I shudder at what I did
With those secrets I got rid
Of the core that makes the self
Paralysed me, I couldn't help.
Now you talk of light again,
As the cinders mock
Under the consoling shy
That strong men do not cry
Oceanful of tears choke
My heart.
To cry without tears, Darling!
Is an art.
Don't you see what you'll be?
What is possible
Set you free.
When doubt runs the game
The days are the same
Fix on a worry
Pass off the blame.
Can't you see what king you are?
Stepped from your kingdom
Once too far.
When the crow flies by night
You're lost in your way
You sell off your crown
With the things that you say.
What you'll be is gone
Writing in stone.
What you'll be is gone
When day is done.
The Sacrament of Penance (Confession) is a Sacrament in which the sins committed after Baptism are forgiven
The Sacrament of Penance or Confession remits sins and restore the friendship of God to the soul by means of the absolution of the priest
I know the priest has power of absolving from the sins committed after Baptism, because Jesus Christ granted the power to the priests of His Church when He said: “Received ye the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.”
The priest of the Church exercise the power of forgiving sins by hearing a confession of sins, and granting pardon for them as ministers of God and in His name.
To receive the sacrament worthily, we must do 5 things:
• We must examine our conscience (Write down your sins committed not to forget them)
• We must have sorrow for our sins
• We must make a firm absolution never more to offend God
• We must confess our sins to the priest
• We must accept the penance which the priest given us
The examination of conscience we should pray to God to give us light to know our sins and grace to detest them.
The azure sea displays in seamless expanse
the perfect poise of unique aquatic serenity,
sparkles with the patina of the cerulean sky.
From the platinum fringe of drifting clouds
the silver sunrays entice the ancient mariner
to embark upon a new voyage of penance,
for he has left the seventh sea yet unsailed.
He leaves in quandary on the call of the sea,
the essence of his forlorn life on the shore,
and sets sail once again on the quaint ship,
from an antique quay of his safe anchorage.
The southern wind blows with balmy perfume,
placid soul vibrates with the quiver of the sail,
silently promising to take him to his new home.
February 14, 2021
Contest : Mind Your P's And Q's
Sponsor : Michelle Faulkner