Best Runneth Poems
A Cup Runneth Over
My cup in dry abyss boils over
Condensing dewdrops in vapors of blessing
Into foaming condensed extracts
Like effervescence of divine dust
That bubbles up to the rim.
Rescued like a fallen star
From arid droughts
You send my thirsting emptiness
Like a winter deer to search for streams
And find deep pools of dawning glory.
Purified elixir drips mercy
Into my crumbling calyx,
Molding a new chalice,
Brimming with benediction,
As tides of absolution rise into oblation.
A frozen vessel washed with snows set free
Bathes my nascent cup in all ruth
In swirling celebration’s release
As levees of grace break free
Spilling into this my new fashioned grail.
7-20-22
Contest: Pick a Title Vol 31
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
Title Chosen: A Cup Runneth Over
A Cup Runneth Over
His cup runneth over, yet he craves more
As flights of hubris on wings of greed soar,
Rich is the life of caviar and champagne,
Where ruthlessness wins his races in fast-lane
And nightmares roil semblance of sane;
His cup runneth over, yet he fills again.
Some sans much, assert they have enough,
Strengthened by love when times are rough;
Not so for the man, whose soul preens in vain,
When arrogance of ego commands his terrain
As flights of hubris on wings of greed soar;
His cup runneth over, yet he craves more.
Dreams he dreamt once, vacant still remain,
Benevolence of love never could he attain,
For illusory is glitter spurious gems feign
And love is just a mirage phony hearts reign
Whose rhythm never attains lyrical refrain;
His cup runneth over, yet he fills again.
Void of nothingness is driving him insane
While haughtiness tallies his ill-gotten gain,
Detesting ruthlessly woes of others’ pain,
Mocking their misery in contemptuous disdain
As flights of hubris on wings of greed soar;
His cup runneth over, yet he craves more.
July 24, 2022
Placed 1st: Pick-A-Title, Vol 31 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
Theme: A Cup Runneth Over
Prayer is something we can do
When all the pain is raw like a wound
Cutting the heart with its harsh
Blade, twisting, curled, burning away
Every piece of hope, each precious
Chance for new light, further grace
Prayer is the one thing we can give
To those who are hurting, those who
Believe this life has given them
More than they can take, more heartache
Than their soul can accept, their spirit
Is like a abrasion, sore and tender
Prayer is the inkling of a promise
That there is the hope for a tomorrow
A new day, a new dream, a new faith
The opportunity to reach inside the heart
And discover the aspiration, the inspiration
To give back to the world – restoration
Prayer is the laughter amid the grief
It is the silence when noise brings upheaval
It is the beauty when everything is ugly
It is the wonder when nothing feels perfect
It is the joy when all the world is mourning
It is the grace when God shows His face
Prayer is the break in the doubt
The opening in the darkest clouds
The music in a psalm of praise
The breath that gives life to kindness
The dance that promises to inspire
The reluctance of doubt to dim the fires…
… of a love that is His light, His fervor
The miracle of His mercy
Pray, pray, pray – and praise
His guiding light will make a way!
Pick-A-Title, Vol 31 Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Edward Ibeh
2.) A Cup Runneth Over
July 9, 2022
When I hear the chirping of bizarre birds in the morning,
And see the sun gently rising; golden rays adorning;
And feel the graciousness of the almighty upon me,
Who, by his abundant mercy, gave me a day to see;
My heart overflows with joy like water from Angel-falls,
From unknown, brightest heaven, for a fullness of life, calls...!
Neither in riches did I crawl; nor in poverty, blaze;
Health and wealth, like rhythm in a melody, filled my days;
Love of kinsfolk, like honey from flowers, I did cherish,
Sorrows and sufferings, though like moths appeared, did perish;
Respect and reputation, like shadows, walked with me,
Fears and panics, like flies before fire, fearfully flee...!
I have my values; I live them; I find my goal attained;
My body, mind and soul are nourished; I never feel chained;
God-given potentials keep me young; I esteem my strengths,
Each moment has its surprises; joys have no breadths and lengths;
Mindfulness has been minding me; I am Zen in my deeds;
Gratitude has become my concord; God sees to my needs...!
5 July 2022
The Lord is my shepherd, no want shall I know;
I lie in green pastures, by still waters go;
My soul is restored and the right paths He shows--
My cup runneth over with joy.
Though I may walk through death’s shadowy night,
His rod and His staff comfort me in my fright;
My table is set in my enemies’ sight--
My cup runneth over with joy.
My head is anointed with oil, and I’ll see
His goodness and mercy each day follow me;
In God’s house forever I’ll dwell and be free--
My cup runneth over with joy.
These words written to “My Cup Runneth Over.”
My cup runneth over at age seventy-eight
Will it ever slow down to give me a break
Thought ahead when I was a younger man
Love in my seventies was not in the plan
However in my mind I'm as active as ever
Always can be found searching for pleasure
Pleasures we dream from a very young age
Like a male of the species locked in a cage
Wanting so badly to explore the landscape
All too soon our manly prowess escapes
We resign to the fact our bodies can't perform
As when our youthful stamina was norm
Minds are still active as they were back then
But the body's changed, takes longer to ascend
It's all part of life, this unparalleled journey
But we manage to survive all the topsy-turvy
© Jack Ellison 2013
When I was only nine, I came to your aid. My teacher needed help, to find you a good home. A parakeet was for me, I had never had one. A cup of coffee was my breakfast, it got me on my way to school.
You were flying around,
then landed on the table to sit with me.
Before it knew it, you had jumped on the cup rim.
You started to drink, a cup runneth over.
Coffee spilling over, right into my saucer.
From then on, we enjoyed our morning cup of coffee.
Date Written:7/4/2022
Note: True Story.
A cup runneth over surely prevails
Above dining table midst angst of dearth
Oh, bountiful supply that never fails
Since God pours always blessings with grace-worth.
Evidence of miracles’ prevalence
A cup runneth over surely prevails
Smiting unbelief of great turbulence
For the Lord grants gracious provision-pails.
Against scarcity that grievously ails
Afflicting giving and sharing gladness
A cup runneth over surely prevails
While the Almighty proves His faithfulness.
Trusting the Creator, wondrous life Source
My heart thanks Him, and His compassion hails
As He fills me to say along hard course…
“A cup runneth over* surely prevails.”
*Psalm 23:6 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
July 23, 2022
4th place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol 31" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 7/30/2022.
"Here Runneth the Path of Fairy Feet"
by Rachel Heffington
Where childhood fancy and twilight meet
Here runneth the path of fairy-feet;
On shadowed road and misty bend
Here coldsome facts of "real life" end,
And the simplest thing on earth would be
To find a dryad 'neath her tree.
She'd comb her locks like shimm'ring ferns
In that hour where the daylight turns.
And you'd never stop to blink your eyes
and say, (Because you're oh, so wise)
"Dryads aren't real--they're quite a myth"
If once you'd been in comp'ny with
A creature like her--lissom fair
With willowy limbs and leafy hair.
Where childhood fancy and twilight meet
Here runneth the path of fairy-feet.
In dusking woods at evenlong
You'll chance to hear an Elven song.
Like beads of dew on honeyed string
The notes, elusive, dip and sing.
And lamps we now call fire-flies
Can one more dazzle in our eyes.
Then we shall learn, as children do,
the things we thought we surely knew.
Fair beings that we'd long forgot
May weave with us a dreamy knot
Content, within this half-light time
To feed us with their storied rhyme.
Where childhood fancy and twilight meet
Here runneth the path of fairy feet
And those who spent the day in bed
Now tip-toe with their soft wings spread
And dance within the brilliant sheen
of moonlight and the summer's green.
The grown-up cares of life must fade
When pondered in that purple glade
Once more we change to half a child
Perfumed with scent of roses wild
And honeysuckle like a crown
That we'd been used to crushing down
Until twilight and fancy met
To tread with us this minuet.
*Image of My Cup Runneth Over by Church atta Creek.
A Cup Runneth Over
we're sorry no pets
poststorm dog barks wag nonstop
an arched cat hisses
cool shades show a view
advanced a treat much delight
sun-kissed blossoming
a smile comes my way
my countenance is induced
courtesies likewise
get the camera
oh just about almost there
outstretched stance crying
you bought only games
I hate it there's no Xbox
it's still in the car
it's a wink of time
that will endure evermore
it's a lifetime rise
two friends meet one more
threesome playing together
greatness in numbers
baseball team haircut
eleven members now bald
boy with cancer hugged
ere the knell chimes in
fun times at reminiscing
hugs and love abide
public tree planting
when the old plant trees whose shade
they'll not sit under
how true can love be
our enemies still fight on
for whom the bell tolls
pick a tight corner
not a wide open field then
get them one by one
what is confidence
'tis fear that dwells deep within you
wear the whole armor
sip his Words therefrom
drown in them force need to breathe
substitutes wisdom
child beseech not I
for He lives within your heart
your faiths will bless you
don't busy yourself
filling other cups but yours
God will fill your cup
I am quite content
I've more than enough for a
cup runneth over
2022 July 27
Pick-A-Title, Vol 31
~~Edward Ibeh
My cup runneth over
I’m dancing each day with delight
Calm, carefree in clover
Celebrate a cool summer night
The beauty of each day
Silently sings my soul be still
The wisdom and the way
Freely fashions my cup to fill
Shadows do not scare me
Goodness and mercy will follow
The valley now will be
Where evil is weak and hollow
Monumental mountains,
Sacred seas - I am just a rover
Free forgiveness fountains
Ensure my cup runneth over
Ego cups have now been filled
To the point of overflowing
Confidence and power now heightened
Fuel to keep ego’s growing!
As the Cup Runneth Over
thirst
dire, immediate
pleading, despairing, compelling
newborns, world, pneuma, rivers
living, assuaging, redeeming
quenched, blessed
wellspring
(c) sally young eslinger 11/8/2023
Within our hearts and minds
Treasure to behold
Love Endures
Truth of Pure Kind
Giving.. Unconditional
Here upon this Earth
Between two hearts
Tender-hearted
Treasures Worth
True * Love
Giving... Unconditional
Search and Find
Truth and Love of Pure kind
Cup Runneth Over
Glorious Treasure Fullfill
God Gives All
Pertaining to God's Divine Will
Come to Jesus
Cup of Blessings shall Runneth Over
Moments grows Near
Enchantment of Hearts
Forever so Dear
Treasure of Bliss
Now through-out Eternity...
Come Find Love & Truth
Pure Kind.. Through Jesus Christ
Giver of Eternal Life...
Divine Love and True Happiness
Unconditionally
No Mater wherever you go
No mater whatever you find
God has His Divine Hands on You
All the Time..
With Divine Love Unconditionally
Lims are a-blazin', trying hard to keep up
A-poppin' so fast, ain't nothing will disrupt
This limerick king
Is floundering
Need help to avoid my overflowing cup