Best Placer Poems
AntiPoem 2
You know only one thing and that is:
Dying is not on the agenda.
Let us march now inside St. Mary’s,
March reverently through these green repentant doors,
These holy portals to grace and absolution,
Into a stain-glassed sanctuary of sinners kneeling in disguise,
These sullied souls coming in through the out door again,
Figuring death is furloughed from the crucifixion business,
Two thousand blurry years later.
Let us still march forward now to the glassed tabernacle,
Resting up there ensconced upon the marble altar,
Beyond human touch;
The host inside now transubstantiating as with earthen time,
From dry crusty oatmeal,
To omnipotent King of the Universe.
The boy holds his new Sunday missal,
As the family drives to ancient St. Joseph’s,
Up the asphalt hill, there on Gold Street,
Amidst the tentative Yuletide presentations,
Of tinsel-lit trees and blinking avenue abodes.
In the distance Lady Lassen wears a white bonnet,
As the Redding Christmas Tree stands exuberant,
Seventy-three feet into the icy air on Market Street,
A rainbow-glowing giant with a thousand staring eyes.
Brenda Lee is singing,
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,
From blaring radios inside Oldsmobiles and Studebakers,
Cruising Placer Street to the Cascade showing Butterfield 8.
The boy is counting the neon cocktails,
While riding in the backseat on blue polyurethane,
His father is intently driving the blue ’58 impala,
Into a gravelly hilltop parking lot.
Blaring outward from the church there I heard voices,
A bubbling sacramental bouillabaisse of silent
Parishioners all genuflecting in pristine Latin confusion.
The girls choir wearing skirts of curious plaid, is
Singing loudly and softly their angelic vocal renderings:
“Gloria in excelsis Deo"
Father Elliot is extending his arms outward now,
Bestowing the final expectant blessing;
He is giving absolution to the captives driving Cadillacs.
You know only one thing and that is:
Dying is not on the agenda.
Categories:
placer, memory,
Form:
Free verse
Every resonance
that seems to bring into life
It makes one's being
a likely confounded mind
yet leavens its fleshliness
03/25/16
Note:
* "Like a bee in a bottle"
is an idiomatic expression of
resonance
*Thus, this poem has something
to do with the law of resonance
4th placer in a contest (April 23, 2016)
Categories:
placer, confusion, metaphor, music, nature,
Form:
Tanka
William Harrison Hardy
1823 - 1906
I believe a fair introduction is in order here.
Not that a handshake from me could ever take place anytime soon.
I was Captain Bill Hardy:
Proud Indian fighter!
And celebrated toll road builder!
I was the one who built the big road
From San Bernardino to Prescott Arizona!
And it was I, Captain Bill Hardy,
Who founded old Hardyville in Arizona
On the sandy banks of the cool Colorado.
Back when Lincoln was still warm
And the blood of Gettysburg was still not dry.
Back when the old west was coming alive
With wagon wheels and railroad ties.
Growing as a child would
With intrepid enterprise and such derring-do
The likes of which few eyes have seen since!
I came out west from New York
As Captain of a California-bound wagon train
And found a fortune in gold in Placer County.
But it was in the Arizona Territory where I later
Made my mark, and lost my fortune.
Oh my friends. I found out.
Found out what plain hard work can accomplish
And I learned of its resultant riches.
I found out.
Found out what plain greed and dishonesty can accomplish
And I learned of its resultant poverty.
Alas, I was but a survivor in life,
And that was my final legacy.
My friends, have you ever stared death straight in the face?
Have you ever seen the eyes of a wanton murderer
Only an inch away from your own eyes?
Nothing is more frightening and more sobering than that!
But I, Captain Bill Hardy, at your service please,
Experienced it first-hand that day in the scalding desert sand.
That Indian devil was right there!
His nose next to my nose!
But I got away!
Ran away from that place and lived to tell about it!
My friends, next time you come to Clark Cemetery in Whittier,
Go to the eastern fence by Dorland Street,
At the corner there, you will find my little plot of land.
It is a far cry from having an entire city named after you!
But it is a fine and restful spot.
Come closer and lean down to me.
I wish to extend my firm handshake to you all!
Categories:
placer, history,
Form:
Epitaph
Apple blossoms derived from the Wild crab
Birds of paradise resemble a brightly colored bird in flight
Cosmos flowers are very popular among gardeners for its beauty
Dogwood is a symbol of Christianity
Eastern redbud known as spice wood tree
Freesia flowers undeniably the “individualists” of the plant world
Ghost flowers depicted a ghostly translucent with reddish-purple spot
Hawthorn flowers heal the broken heart
Iris flowers symbolize as goddess of the rainbow
Jasmine known for its sweet, exotic fragrance for thousands of years
Kangaroo paw noted for their unique bird attracting flowers
Lesser celandine has a hairless perennial in the buttercup family
Mountain laurel known as mountain-laurel or spoon wood
Naked lady known for her scientific name amaryllis or “sparkling”
Orchids also known for its ‘testicles’ – shape roots as Greek meaning
Pussy willow fancied likeness to tiny cats or “pussies”
Quercus prinus a scientific name which means Chestnut oak
Ranunculus also known as St. Anthony’s turnip.
Spring snowflake known for its scientific meaning as ‘spring white violet’
Tiger lily stands for wealth and prosperity
Ursinia is named in honor of German scholar Johannes Ursinus
Viburnum also known as cranberry bush
Winter aconite is a genus of eight species of flowering plants
Xylosteum a scientific name which means European fly honeysuckle
Yellow anemone known for its other name as buttercup anemone
Zinnia symbolizes as lasting affection and goodness
04/28/16
9th placer in a contest
given by Broken Wings
11th placer in a contest
by Eve Roper
Categories:
placer, april, flower, spring,
Form:
Abecedarian
Whimsy
Cunning, quick-witted
Driving, thrusting, liberating
Souls connection, awakening the self
effectuating, heeding, heading
staunch, steadfast
Realism
03/19/16
Diamante poetry contest
Contest judged: 10.21.16
First Place
3rd placer in another contest (May 15, 2016)
Poem of the Day ( March 20, 2016)
Featured on PS Homepage
as Poem of the Week (Marh 27, 2016)
Note: The poem is about reverie
Categories:
placer, conflict, confusion, desire, destiny,
Form:
Diamante
We are in a place where hatred
Seems prevalent and touted
Prejudices against races
And religions are mainly width
Of illustration of distaste
Many people secretly hate
On freedom and democracy
Which lingers on in the state
Of communism and czarism
And any other fascism
Hatred is to blame for the worst
Event in the history: war and doom
Hatred is the worst human stillness
It is injurious when taught to kids
It robs them of their innocence
To hate things is a horrible mess
If I could start to change the world
I’d tear hatred off from one’s mind
And heart, by starting it off from myself
‘Tis vital to see, feel and understand
04/16/16
2nd placer (Any Poem Meaningful To You) 4/20/16
8th placer (A Poem You Are Proud of) 5/8/16
7th placer (Hope) 4/30/16
10th placer (100 in a row contest) 7/7/16
Categories:
placer, change, prejudice, world,
Form:
Rubaiyat
The
boys are
conversing
about a missing
cat that prompted them
to exchange some
thoughts on how
to find
such
John
tells Paul
that maybe
on the next day
it will just come home
he consciously
acted like
a lulled
Paul
“Look,
he’s lost,
so he can’t”
said Paul,“I’ll help
you put Lost Cat notes”
John said,“no, won’t
work since he
can’t read,
see”?
04/21/16
For the "Funny Kids Poem" contest
1st placer in a contest
given by Carol Eastman
Categories:
placer, cat, kids, funny, pets,
Form:
Ninette
In this day and age that most of the things
tend to cause many of us to be haughty and callous.
That we cannot seem to bear with those things
because we simply do not like them.
This includes other people as well.
An innate in most human beings - to like and dislike.
We do not seem to like certain people because of
their dress, looks, sex, color, nationality, language,
conduct, size, skills or talents.
There is nothing much that we can do about,
other than to learn to live with it and them.
That is tolerance all about.
One thing we find hard to bear is criticism or correction.
Bear in mind that they are meant for our own good.
It's up to us to learn early in life to be lenient;
to bear with oppositions and corrections.
As the saying goes “There are no two people exactly alike
and both of them are glad about it”. The same holds true with
“when the going gets tough, the tough get going”, so let's not
fight opposition and use it to our advantage, instead.
Lastly, most of the things we cannot change are outside us.
We can only change what is inside us. That says a lot about
the good rules of life in the "Serenity Prayer".
04/20/16
An entry for
"Lyrics.Cliche.Image" contest
2nd placer
Categories:
placer, change, world,
Form:
Prose Poetry
Negative comments won't hold me down
I won't be wearing it like a royal crown
It won't get rid of the divorce papers my dad received
When I heard about it, I felt myself in the inside grieve...will he ever be relieved?
That message was received at the wrong day and the wrong time
Drowsily, making rhyme after rhyme after rhyme time after time
I don't want the same for us -
This tragedy that has thrown us under the bus
Isn't my beloved mother aware
That God hates divorce?
Is my humble father ever going to be happy just a hair?
We can't move the carriage without the horse
How I hate unloving Satan with a passion?
He makes sin as eye-catching as fashion
Divorce will take us on another level of lament
Momma, I want you to feel regret and I want God to inspire you to repent
I still have hope in mind still
You know what? It's all in God's will
I'll let it be and stop acting like a pill
I need to literally take a sleeping pill to chill out
For sweet sleep isn't given to me tonight no doubt
Oh well, yeah, I fell pretty hard on my bottom
Now, I feel so numb and dumb and getting tasteless like gum
I can't put a finger on how shocked I am
This divorce process will make me a more lost lamb
I keep listening to music
Because it's awfully therapeutic
The hardships we encounter
Is all because of her...I'm sure...
Sorry for being a blame-placer
But I'm a hater of divorce too
My fine and dandy future's a mighty blur
Now that I see my dad blue
Categories:
placer, anger, bible, change, dad,
Form:
Rhyme
En lucha saliste del polvo
Con ìmpetu mostraste valor y poder
En intentos no comiste ni dormiste
Era acero, visión, nada más
Todo un correr, un deprisa
En el alma siempre el pesado reloj
Eras el fuego entre luces y sombras
La agonía de un vuelo sin par
Pero al despertar viste lo distinto:
peligros, amenazas, perfidia, traición
Pasaste al blanco de ojos salvajes
Y has de cuidarte pues trampas hay
En tu andar soñaste algo bueno:
navegar, altruismo, conquistas…
Anhelos entre humo y noches
Empero ya descubriste de la junta el plan
Frías calles y manos en bolsillos
Sientes el aire bañado de lujo y placer
Más son los burócratas del descarrilado partido
amos del sol, de esperanzas y de azules olas
Nuestro mundo es así:
quimera, adiós y un triste oropel
Y desde un puerto hasta el cementerio
el verdugo controla con gran desazón
Categories:
placer, anxiety,
Form:
Prose
The depiction
On every race spill
Isn’t it amazing?
Such divergence
That made us blended
Isn’t it beautiful?
How sweet it is
To paint such picture
Isn’t it wonderful?
04/23/16
6th placer in the contest
Categories:
placer, beautiful, beauty, earth, people,
Form:
Questionku
Rarely seen for real
Such paragon of virtue
A divine envoy
Embodying flesh
A heavenly messenger
Ever guiding star
Yet they forgather
Like a quotidian mortal
Blending joyfully
Date created:
04/08/16
An entry to "Angel (Senryu)" contest
Sponsor: Marvin Celestial
3rd placer
Categories:
placer, angel, inspiration,
Form:
Senryu
On the sands of time
How will his feet print on the sands of time?
The query he is so bothered to ask
Emirates, ere hit and run dashes his rhyme
And creates deep holes of vast pending task.
Will those little lights yet glow when he’s gone?
Or will they die off when he’s in that hole?
This, he meditates in his deepest lone,
Scribbles verse, should unexpected grips whole.
Placer orb was where he conceived this tongue;
Whence his momentary opt to torch the ground
Ere it will be too late to dong a gong-
Then the planet will guest still air of sound.
For the world abrupt visitors, he scribes
This anon writ, ere God sends His un-bribes.
©A.O, 4/3/2014.
Categories:
placer, death, history, identity, memory,
Form:
Sonnet
Hieroglyphs are old writing systems
Hieroglyphs as “sacred writing”
Writing forms in Egyptian language
Writing with pen and ink on papyrus
Papyrus as a paper made from plants
Papyrus used by the ancient Egyptians
Egyptians constitute of Egyptian Arabic
Egyptians sharing a common culture
Culture of ancient Egyptians
Culture of Modern World
World of advanced civilization
World of ancient history
History of arts and culture
History of writing and language
Language of ancient Egyptians
Language of ancient Greeks
Greeks held the first Olympic Games
Greeks are people with cultural roots
Roots of the inhabitants
Roots of the civilized people
People tend to experiment
People of interest in life
Life of innovations
Life of mediocre
Mediocre in some ways
Mediocre things over quality
Quality of three-dimensional images
Quality of stunning pictures
Pictures made by laser light
Pictures of projection
Projection in photography
Projection on holograms
Holograms as photographic projections
Holograms as a three-dimensional images
Images that do not simulate spatial depth
Images of three-dimension
Dimension by means of contour lines
Dimension of a kind of dream and space
Space against the wall
Space between the barriers
Barriers that separate rich and poor
Barriers of race and influence
Influence of socio-cultural environment
Influence of principle and discipline
Discipline should be enforced
Discipline the mind through music
Music as one's refuge
Music is the food of love
Love…
Refuge…
04/29/16
Contest: Hieroglyphs and Holograms
Sponsor: Anthony Slausen
Date finalized: May 29, 2016
For Broken Wings'
Second Chance - 4 contest
5th placer
Categories:
placer, space, writing,
Form:
Blitz
Adam's ale the sugarplum agonizing for it*
07.10.16
*A placer in a contest
Categories:
placer, addiction, candy, water,
Form:
Monoku