Best Pervaded Poems
A Debutante’s Ball to Remember
In the autumn of my life, oft have I recalled that superb summer night,
when I finally experienced my long-awaited heart’s delight.
Family and close friends were all ready for my entry into society,
to celebrate it with a grand debutante’s ball filled with gaiety.
In a dreamlike state, I felt like a princess with a golden crown,
making my grand entrance wearing a champagne chiffon gown.
With matching gloves, and a pair of satin shoes on my tiny feet,
my auburn hair was adorned with butterflies and posies sweet.
The ballroom was magically transformed with gas lights all aglow,
and a glittering chandelier reflected on a highly polished mahogany floor.
As the orchestra played, my body and soul were enraptured and consumed
by its rendition of Ravel’s enthralling “La Valse” which pervaded the room.
Elegant ladies were all dressed to the nines in exquisite pastel gowns
of winter white, baby blue, powder pink, pale peach and beautiful browns.
In tacit competition to out-best each other, social charms were well-honed,
as they daintily fanned themselves and gossiped animatedly in hushed tones.
Refined gentlemen in their finely-tailored tails navigated the room to mingle,
keeping an eye out for eligible heiresses beautiful, graceful, and single.
Wafts of mild masculine colognes came from discretely dabbed faces and hair;
while the fresh feminine floral scent of French perfumes permeated the air.
Armed with a full dance card, I waltzed the night away with ardent admirers,
curtsying and coquettishly smiling, moving on to more exciting suitors.
My enchanting evening climaxed with Strauss’s “Vienna Waltz” filling the hall.
Oh, what a tale I will have to tell as my granddaughter prepares for her first ball!
11-21-2014
Contest: Your Favourite Old Poem (06-08-2015)
Sponsor: Shadow Hamilton
Placement: 1st
Contest: Ballroom Delights (12-16-2014)
Sponsor: Isaiah Zerbst
Placement: 2nd
’Tween hither and thither while wending our way,
skipping, dancing through sand dunes in seascape croquet
and woven in waves watching dolphins at play,
I first tasted her lips in the ocean’s wild spray.
Mystic moonbeams, suffusing clouds’ shimmering sails,
then unleashed us and whisked us down sensuous trails,
soon evoking the trills of untamed nightingales
as our passions pervaded green valleys and dales.
Being specters of splendor in wanton sashay
we mastered our meaning in love’s matinee –
sultry breezes, in passing, slowed down to survey
blazing bodies embracing youth’s blooming bouquet.
With the wind as our wings, chasing rainbows we flew,
two gypsies on junkets through dusk’s residue
sometimes following pollen to everywhere new
beneath the empyrean, painted pale blue.
Rising higher and higher, the sun lured our sleigh,
teasing time was our temptress, night ’n day after day
as we gamboled and gambled, two waifs led astray,
with our shackles afire, our anchors aweigh.
Yes, we’ve drifted, like dreamers where sprites rendezvous
having stars in our eyes with all time as our view,
and feasted on laughter and sipped morning dew
while rambling forever as one made of two.
Very many years ago,
In the land of rich men called NO,
Bobo, a poor man, had nowhere to go,
"Give me a little space to stay", he pleaded, but lo,
"Your place is out of the city," they shooed him and so,
Outside he stayed in sun, rain and snow,
Rainbows glowed, stars shone, sun rays blazed on NO and Bobo.
Reality was - All the people
In the land of NO
Benefited Out of Bobo's Woes;
For when Bobo died, (and 'twas soon)
The heavens cried, (so did stars, sun and moon)
All lights stopped shining, (darkness invaded)
The men started whining, (fear pervaded)
The rich men died, (one by one)
No one did abide, (no, not one)
NO was no more NO without poor Bobo;
The rich did never know that HE had been their Rainbow.
03/30/17
He came to me and gently brought,
the fairest flowers of His thought.
Joy arrived with euphoric mums,
softly as the hummingbird hums.
Purity blown from baby’s breath,
ever innocent until death.
Peace pervaded purest poppy,
tranquil bliss nothing can copy.
Happiness borne from pure lily,
butterfly wings, dainty and frilly.
Gratitude from feathered pink rose;
praises for His blessings arose.
Humility spread bold bluebells,
silken as bunnies’ cotton tails.
Faith that flourished in bright iris,
no other bloom so desirous.
Hope sprung forth from gladiolus,
comforting as lotus’ solace.
Love effused from fan-shaped aster,
greatest from our Lord and Master.
Graciousness shone from all flowers,
teaching of His perfect powers.
Ever gently the moon did rise
Distant unmoved by her cries
Alone 'neath a weeping willow
Many, many long years ago
Dreaming love would come
Waited a long millennium
That's when bolted cupid's arrow
Many, many long years ago
Sunsets to soothe her soul
As ruthless time would take its toll
Her lover's soul a rodeo
Many, many long years ago
Empty loneliness pervaded
As each final moonray faded
To love raise a glass of Bordeaux
Many, many long years ago
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Submitted on December 16, 2019 for contest STRAND SPECIAL 4 sponsored by BRIAN STRAND - HONORABLE MENTION
and July 9, 2019 for contest WRITING CHALLENGE 1, JULY 2019 - REPEATING REFRAIN sponsored by DEAR HEART - RANKED 3RD
I come from the borough of Queens, New York
My classmates call me a Klutz and a dork
Those names pervaded my soul, taking a toll
Being at the bottom of the totem pole.
Then Dad took me to the town of Tortilla Flat
I walked into a store, bought a ten-gallon hat
I started talking like John Wayne, also bought some boots
It’s funny how a costume can make a mind slip its roots
The ranchers nodded with respect; I looked like them
Cowgirls smiled in my direction, one shone like a gem
She said there’s a rodeo at half past three
Come join us there, my friends and me.
I said sure, I’ll mosey down there
I’ll bring some popcorn that we all can share
When the time came, I walked into the ring
But through the wrong door, that was the thing.
Two guys lifted me onto a horse, and opened the gate
I shouted, “I’m not a performer!” but it was too late
The horse bolted out, then tried a somersault
I held on for dear life, couldn’t them girls call a halt?
They told me later, t’was the worst horse in the west
I flew over its mane, but it was a personal best
The crowd went wild, but I threw the hat on the mud
Dropped all the popcorn, wiped off the blood
The cowgirl looked adoring, said “that was so cool”
I looked at her, but my mood was cruel
Said “I’m a nerd from Queens, don’t want to pretend
Keep that dang hat, this all got to end."
Dad took me home, the worse for wear
He got me a baseball hat so nobody would stare.
I put it on backwards, I don’t really care
Buy the wrong hat, and it’s dangerous out there.
Drowning in foolish beliefs;
Pixilated portraits falling off
Corroded walls;
Blank canvases pervaded by
Grainy brush strokes,
Billowing amidst scattered flickers of
Crumbling structures,
Ambling in blighted stillness.
Venturing to find equilibrium in
This cryptic world,
Stranded and abandoned,
Layered upon a
Pillar of empiric darkness,
Glazed in meaningless semantics.
That cologne was the aroma of her love, I was sure,
Spirit within her crystal-like innocence finely pure;
Innateness born in her at very time of conception,
Divine decorum that pervaded her each perception...!
Herbal, spicy, floral perfume of her perfect psyche,
Within flutter fancies flawlessly like flowery niche;
Cherubim and Seraphim flying midst clouds of heaven,
Fairy of finest form, fascinated in clouds seven...!
And her fleshy fussy feminist fiber and flavor,
That, like satiating honey, ceaselessly I savor;
Beauty within and without; and her virtuous morals,
Amalgamation of wisdom and wit and love-laurels...!
Nail and flesh like combination of care and compassion,
Toward love-filled-reciprocity her endless passion;
These precious pearls have become parts of my lasting treasures,
Fragrance of this frankincense maddens me beyond measures...!
13 July 2022
Rhyme Rumi Quote Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Sotto Poet
The copyright is ’58;
I’ve owned it ever since.
Its stories, 28 in all,
My childhood do evince.
I likely read it to myself;
My memory has faded
But all the wonder of those tales
My reading life pervaded.
Unlike the whitewashed versions
Of most fairy tales today,
The stories feature cruelty
And malice on display.
Yet recently I found this book
And dusted off its spine
To share each afternoon with
Much-missed grandchildren of mine.
They listen quite intently;
FaceTime lets them see the art
And we bridge the distance which unjustly
Keeps us miles apart.
Full circle now, my book of tales
Still holds its magic power,
Enchanting those who listen during
Nana’s story hour.
I know there’s nothing I can do
and nothing I can say
to bring you back to me
Not tomorrow, not today
I hope when you see me
you’re happy with what you find
You know it’s not been easy
losing my naturally/already unsound mind
So send me all your bane
I’m conceding to your game
and I’m sure as was your aim
I’m dying from this pain
here inside of me
I can feel my frail heart
once burning with Love
now burning in Hell
And in my mind there’s a burning
and a slow-churning blade
The pressure in there is rising
and I am feeling jaded
I can feel my fears rising
I’m becoming so afraid
This insanity’s pervaded every fiber
of who I am
My hope for my life is faded
as the future seems so bleak
Without you in my life
I feel so incomplete
The only love I had
the only love I knew
The only love I’ve ever seen
is the love I found in you
In the small town of Campbell Missouri,
A young girl with lovely brown locks
Sits, having been told she might never walk again
As all aknowledge this belief in town,
A fear swept around,
And many children were kept down
But in the spirit of this child,
Desire to walk snuck over her fears
Perhaps she wished to surprise-
Perhaps she could not stand
The judgmental eyes-but all the same,
She picked herself up, smiled,
And sauntered around the room
Happiness pervaded the house
As the family friend, delighted,
Sang merrily the song,
“Have You Ever Seen a Dream Walking?”
Today, at California Mission Inn,
The same girl, now a woman
Walks her glorious walk
With confidence and grace
She is 91 years old and strong
As song,
Her eyes lighting up as she recalls
She hums the dreamy tune
As I jot down miracles
STARS
Against horrendous darkness fighting for its place.
The stars shine in outer space.
So small are they.
Yet through the darkness they make their way.
Each one so buoyant in the sky.
Lighting the galaxy like a gigantic firefly.
They seem closer yet so far away.
The magic stars harbor even great wizards can't take it away.
With their blueish illumination.
Our nights are pervaded with love and affection.
Light the way for us in daylight.
Always with us through the night.
As they grant wishes.
They make dreams come true within inches.
All of the bleak midnight sky.
Crowded by the abundance of stars up high.
As they fall with beauty.
We call them shooting stars for eternity
Real-Fi Writers
Lazy morning rain
Oh lazy rain
Oh lazy morning rain
Coming from the pervaded cloud
Encompasses the sky cloud
Why must you spoil this bright morning?
You delay those who are going
To their daily activities
You delay those who are seeking for jobs
Willing to study students are
being dallied. you gave
chance for lazy
One as you to smile, go away
Go away
You splatter upon the roof
As the sound thatchers thatching the roof
Your splash onto the windows give
Chance for cold to penetrate
A wailing cloud it's ok, you are wailing as if you will not
Wail another. You are not needed at this moment
People are shivering because of your present
Why don't you go and come at night?
Go away
Oh lazy rain
Go away
Oh lazy morning rain
It was a new dawn, a new day, a new beginning for me -
When dazzling sunlight hit the wavering pond like gold dust,
dissipating the mist as silver swirls into thin air.
You emerged from the shimmering gilded ripples
like a paragon of beauty with your full bloomed youth.
Your face like a dollop of sunshine itself,
creamy-white skin tinted with pastel-pink blush
and that gleaming sheen accentuated
each curve of your delicate body.
You gracefully floated on water with flair
as your satin emerald drape twirled,
smudging your reflection on watery mirror booth
and then you exuded the sweetest perfume
I have ever smelled which pervaded the breeze
and my whole being felt a soothing sensation.
Hopping and jumping I made my way
to have a closer look at you,
with a single glance I saw my reflection too
and then I saw how you were being flattered
by your playful mates in the wind and water.
Their iridescent wings and fins, those vibrant colors,
I couldn't have match up to their looks or skills.
Soon that lovely feeling of being love-struck
was singed by the hot sparks of anger
and then turned into cold ashes of dejection.
Oh beauteous lotus, you are my first true love
but alas, I am just an ugly toad with no-good longing for you.
Life couldn't contain me and death couldn't release me
but this letter enveloped in my everlasting love
is the only requiem for my soul to be with you forever.
(CroaK-quee-ki-quee-CroaK!)
Date: 11/06/2017
Note: For the contest (Love Letter) by Viv Wigley.
*Placed First*
It should not have surprised me when I woke,
laying in the hospital bed, white sheets,
bandages, heart monitor, IV yoke,
nurses, and three empty visitor seats.
Psychiatrists asked questions, prescribed pills,
forced meetings, demanded group therapy,
attempted to find the root of my ills,
declared depression, and then set me free.
It did not surprise me when I came home,
to find it still broken, empty, and bare.
Laundry still piled in a haphazard dome,
and proof of collapse pervaded the air.
I failed in life and also failed in death.
There must be a reason I still have breath.