Best Saunders Poems
I am here but only briefly,
a believer in today, tomorrow
and ever after. I am a blustery wind
shaking the foundation and a gentle
breeze rustling the leaves.
I am an observer of the beautiful,
graceful, awkward and absurd,
feeling like a spy amongst
voices and visions, kinetic energy,
filling the spaces between footsteps
and the void between us.
I am an over thinker, one woman,
always wondering, waiting
for the rain on a sunny day.
I often remind myself:
I am not the center of this world or any other.
Still, I must find my place even when
circumstances change. I do not like change.
Like a sturdy oak, I am rooted and earthy,
but sometimes…I want to spread my wings
and land on a rugged mountaintop.
I am a rock star yearning to ramble
from city to city, finding solace
in a sea of faces. Oh, to just get lost in the
music and crowds would be sublime!
I am passionate on the inside,
reserved on the outside –
complex in all my contradictions -
a broken child with shattered dreams
yet I still find hope in each sunrise and
peace with each sunset.
I am always searching for more time,
just one stolen moment to take a deep breath.
I am forgiving and want to be forgiven.
I am a nurturing mother.
My sons are my reason to get out of bed
when I’d rather hideaway.
My sons are my joy (both scream
for me right now).
I am a juggler, trying to keep
all my balls in the air, and also
absentminded for obvious reasons.
I am a woman who loves to be loved –
complex in all my contradictions.
I am not that different than you.
We all just want to feel connected.
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders for Frank Herrera’s I Am Contest, 11/5/14
Categories:
saunders, introspection,
Form:
Free verse
Beatlemania (The Fab Four As Lovers)
Once a choir boy, John turned to romance,
Fell for Yoko almost at first glance.
In full public view
In bed with her too -
Showed the world how to “give peace a chance.”
Quiet George played much more than guitar.
Lost his wife to another rock star.
Layla left him because
Of how hung up he was
On the music he made with his sitar!
Ringo acted in “Caveman” and met
His wife Barb (once a Bond girl) on set.
Though the film of this drummer
Was dumber than dumber,
Wise in love, he’s not left his Barb yet!
A heart breaker, Paul left Wife "One"
For Linda, and made her a vegan!
On their farm smoking pot,
They made money (a LOT)!
He’s a genius whose life sure seems fun!
written Oct. 13, 2013 for the BeatleMania Contest of
Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Categories:
saunders, celebrity, funny,
Form:
Limerick
Where settlers came in search of gold,
they found instead a golden grove.
Trees burst with fruit, for sun is bold
where settlers came in search of gold.
No precious ore, but wealth untold;
rich landscape is the treasure trove!
Where settlers came in search of gold,
they found instead a golden grove.
Inspired by Robert Butler's "Golden Grove"
Written March 5, 2015, for the Florida Nature Contest of Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Categories:
saunders, nature,
Form:
Triolet
A garden presents a most beautiful sight
When seen from afar in a much broader light,
For there in a setting with all that surrounds,
Its total of beauty and color abounds.
To observe much too closely, study and dwell,
Inspect every flower and leaf very well,
Will quickly cancel the powerful presence
Of unified form with divergent essence.
Then we are bound to observe those objections—
The scattered, meaningless small imperfections
Of petals and blossoms and leaves not so fair;
Lose sight of the wonderful whole that they share.
We can also apply this to those we love,
And sometimes must separate, step back enough,
To view the grand total of gifts which combine
To create an image of balanced design,
And appreciate well those colors which are
A bit subtle up close but strong from afar.
So trite imperfections get lost in the ray
Of the aura of wholeness seen from away.
And so like the grand garden’s totality,
When we stand back to thoroughly look and see,
We will vision with awe a marvelous view…
Total beauty and depth now perceived anew.
Sandra M. Haight
~1st Place~
Contest: Hidden Beauty
Sponsor: Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Judged: 02/04/2015
Quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Every particular in nature, a leaf, a drop,
a crystal, a moment of time is related to the whole,
and partakes of the perfection of the whole.”
Categories:
saunders, beauty, garden, people,
Form:
Couplet
Refrain of dreams, I gift to you.
My hum lulls in rhythms deep;
Night chant lifts to heavenly heights
coupled with starry sky’s plume.
My faithful promise kept from sight
'til fall of moon's sleepy eyes.
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders, 1/15/15
for Nette's Night Creatures Contest,
(Cricket #6)
Categories:
saunders, music, nature, night,
Form:
Verse
Lips dance,
flirt together -
romance.
Sweet breath -
language of love
‘til death.
Hearts flared -
poetic words
declared!
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders, 11/25/14,
for Nette Onclaud's Whispers of a Muse - Poetry Contest
Categories:
saunders, love, romance, words,
Form:
Verse
Dawn's new light
bursts forth from pillowed dreams
in bubbling chatter of birds and bees
breezing by morning glories in praise of first sky.
As paling stars fall silent in sleep beyond a darkened moon,
I admire the miraculous birth of new day perfected by God's hands.
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders, 12/17/14
for Nette Onclaud's Enchantment Through a Prism Contest,
Title #1
Categories:
saunders, beauty, birth,
Form:
Verse
Can there be beauty in my toes,
Where stubbornly a fungus grows?
I never thought it could be true.
I try to hide it with my shoe.
Its purpose, not yet discovered—
I try hard to keep it covered.
From large toe to the next it spread,
And now I look at both with dread.
It wants to grow against the norm,
My toenail with misshapen form,
Knows the wild ways it wants to grow,
And now it has a mate in tow!
I’ve vowed to make a sacred oath
To kill this hated fungal growth,
But I now see the beauty of
My wayward toes denied of love
Are like the people we might hate
And I’ve learned to appreciate
Diversity against the norm,
Well taught to me through my toes’ form;
That each of us must be unique,
And there’s the beauty that I seek!
As my fungal toe and its mate,
Which I condemned as reprobate,
Conceals within their ugly form,
Their freedom’s right against the norm!
© 1-18-15 ~First Place~
For Hidden Beauty Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
*Meant as a metaphor for those who don't appear as normal looking!
Categories:
saunders, beauty, freedom, life, metaphor,
Form:
Couplet
Tag words: advertising, bebop, bird, bottle, Charlie
Parker, Coca-Cola, Cole Porter, Dizzy Gillespie,
door, flag, heart, jazz, light bulb, Louis Armstrong,
Miles Davis, palette, Pepsi Cola, pluralism – found
object, retablo painting, sculpture
Arbitrary or subconscious, Saunders picked six.
Man created on the sixth day from darkness;
we came into the light, of knowing, of naming.
Satan, sin held within, black of skin. Oh,
Africa chopped up bleeding, the third world’s
doors shown black, nailed shut. With the skin
of drums, the heel of hand, he pounds the nails
on the trail of the carpenter.
Kept in place, biblical wives of Lot turned to salt,
white-line the globe. White powder, white power,
sugars the unpalpable, addicting, coca leafs and
caffeine, doping the public, the poor for dimes.
Reinforcing the lure of the bottle; the cola bottle
that fell unbroken to earth from the sky in The
God’s Must Be Crazy. Some have always used their
addictions to create. Like a found objects, we too
fall calling to Mother Mary.
After: The Gift of Presence Raymond Saunders 1993
First Published by Ekphrastic Art:writing and art on art and writing
*Lot the nephew of Abraham, husband of Edith
who was turned to salt.
Categories:
saunders, art,
Form:
Ekphrasis
You saw me from across the room
beside an open door.
Your smile erased all of my gloom
and touched me to the core.
The mistletoe tied in a bow,
your kiss that caused my cheeks to glow!
The mistletoe, the mistletoe,
sweet start of something soon to grow. . .
Then on a most romantic ride
as we sat hand in hand,
you asked me if I'd be your bride
in Winter's Wonderland.
The one-horse sleigh took us away
where snow swirled down, then gleaming lay.
The one-horse sleigh, the one-horse sleigh!
My fondest dream took hold that day.
We snuggle by a crackling fire
here at the winter's end.
No other lover could inspire
me more than my best friend.
The warm fireplace, your angel face
which softly now my fingers trace!
The warm fireplace, the warm fireplace
shows love aglow as we embrace.
*This is actually called a Trijan Refrain, but it's very similar to quatrains.
11/26/13 for Rhonda Johnson-Saunders Kiss Under the Mistletoe Poetry Contest.
Categories:
saunders, romance, winter,
Form:
Quatrain
Summer returns, reigning in glory
tempting my beanstalk to climb
and tiny fairies to faithfully fly,
laughing out loud all the while.
With lush trees twirling in full skirts,
and tulips trumpeting their joyful greetings,
sunrays parade in triumphant procession
of season’s enchanting magic.
I planted seeds of magic beans
in the garden and waited,
restless through spring’s fateful days
of warming soil and nurturing rain,
blushing with excitement in thoughts
of summer’s storybook adventures
vividly coming to life, hoping to wake
to the surprise of a beanstalk climbing miles high.
Then, May turned to June, June to a steamy
July, and I one morning dressed in the smiles
of a carefree little girl who could charm the bees
and listen closely to the melodies of songbirds,
knowing somehow this would be the day
to frolic free in the laughter of a forever sky
and bathe in my rippling mirage above
white, drifting clouds…where heavenly
breezes would cool my body and soul.
Summer magic created my climbing vine
while I slept dreamily through a stormy night,
cupping her hands to catch every drop of rain,
and she grew with the beanstalk from a lazy
day’s warm embrace to a magical kiss amongst
the brightest sun and sparkling stars. My fairytale
came to life until July turned to a feverish day
in August, and I, burning from within, woke to the end
of my storybook dream…
Then, as quickly as she came, summer’s magic was gone
with one strong gust of arctic air.
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
for PD's Magic Beans Contest, 1/5/15
Categories:
saunders, dream, magic, summer,
Form:
Personification
A walk upon dark, icy ground
sends shivers down to bony spine;
spared from the choke of death thus bound,
breath comes whence love and hate entwine.
The count, their lord, doth rise at dusk
to terrorize blanched countryside
His steely eyes slice trembling husk
for drop of life, his brides abide.
The stench of corpse wafts from dead night
like sweet perfume on lover’s nape.
Enchanted by his starless flight,
he beckons with dark-wings of cape.
Then, like the moth to burning flame,
her fervor climbs for fangs drawn near.
a scarlet kiss to seize with shame,
Greed’s appetite expels stored fear.
In harsh rays of the waking dawn,
She curses beast, her longing’s doom.
With conscience breaking charm and brawn,
She lifts wood stake above his tomb.
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders, 1/12/15
for Giorgio's Sketch a Fictitious Character II Contest
*iambic tetrameter
Categories:
saunders, character, fear, gothic,
Form:
Quatrain
tsunami commands
mother earth to tremble --
demons unburied
blue skies of water
pour out devastation --
crashing tears thunder
thunderous booms of
explosions in aftermath --
resilience conquers
By Rhonda Johnson-Saunders, March 9, 2012
for Nature the Destroyer contest (PD)
first place
Categories:
saunders, death, fear, natural disasters,
Form:
Haiku
My pulse is high and the heart beats double punch
Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr
Music, lyrics, melody in beautiful harmony
"Love me do" ..... yes, it feels like love ....
Strawberries crown in my hair with the boys
"Strawberry Fields Forever"
Quite a sweet dream ... "All You Need Is Love" .....
Paul, George, John and Ringo sings "Is not She Sweet"
I lose my breath, this must be "Real Love"
"Penny Lane" ..... Who is "Penny Lane"
"Please Please Me" - feel a little tired - "A Hard Day's Night"
"Help" they are behaving like "Bad Boy"
"Abbey Road" is a nice place .... but, "Let It Be"
I'm going home with a "Yellow Submarine"
"Cry For A Shadow"
28.10.2013 A-L Andresen :)
Copyright © All Rights Reserved
Sponsor Rhonda Johnson Saunders
Contest Name Beatlemania!
Categories:
saunders, memory, music,
Form:
Light Verse
Poetry Soup Hero's
Poets with golden ink and pens
You make us move forward with your inspiration
With kind an honest, encouragement and compliments
Small act of caring all which has the potential to turn a life around
Peter Duggan
Vera Duggan
Michael Tor
Demetrios Trifiatis
Broken Wings
Andrea Dietrich
Carrie Richards
nette onclaud
JAN ALLISON
boddie, eric
John Wulf
Sandra Haight
Casarah Nance
Emile Pinet
John lawless
Abdul Malik
Julia Ward
Kim Patrice Nunez
Olive Eloisa Guillermo
hunjeri, njeri
Anne Lise Andresen
Dr. Upma A. Sharma
Ian Guyler
Mystic Rose
Tim Ryerson
arthur vaso
Paul Callus
Frederic Parker
Keith Trestrail
Richard Lamoureux
SEREN ROBERTS
Joseph May
Robert Stoner Jr
Silent One
Laura Leiser
Faye Gibson
Viv Wigley
Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Lycia Harding
Bev Smith
Tim Smith
Poet Destroyer A
Janice Canerdy
Robert L. Hinshaw
Teddy Kimathi
Kim Merryman
Thabang Ngoma
Connie Marcum Wong
FJ Thomas
Judy Konos
Sneha RV The literature lover
James Inman
Sara Kendrick
Eileen Manassian
Adam Hunter
Bill Lindsay
george seal
Barbara Campbell
Kelly Deschler
Robert Lindley
Carol Eastman
David Fisher
Barbara Gorelick
The Grahamburglar
Shadow Hamilton
david mohn
Pandita Sanchez
Isaiah Zerbst
Balveen Cheema
peter holmes
SKAT A
len carber
Warner Baxter
Darlene Gifford
CayCay Jennings
Deb Wilson
Alexis Y.
Jerry T Curtis
Aiyah de Torres
James Fraser
Anoucheka Gangabissoon
Debbie Guzzi
craig cornish
harry horsman
Ruben O.
Charlotte Jade Puddifoot
Mohamed Adel
Lee Carter
Dan Cwiak
Leonora Galinta
olusegun Arowolo
Edwin Hofert
Roy Jerden
Diane M Quinlan
john beharry
Carolyn Devonshire
Mark J. Halliday
Joyce Johnson
Hannington Mumo
Anulaxmi Nayak
Mary Oliver Rotman
Lei Strauss
michael tor
Mark Trichet
Mark Woods
Ronald Zammit
Laura Breidenthal
Andrew Crisci
Raha, Miraj
Phool, Maharani
Johnson, Megan
Graves, Allan
Ngo, Meline
Ramos, Tiffany
Rosenthal, Allie
Borghei, Niki
Tripp, Criss
Reyes, Thomas
Rajaratnam, Gunadevi
Braxton, Shanda
Barry, Stephen
Prophet, James
Titus, Luwi
Leach, Michele
LeBlanc, Michelle
maximax, nicole
Kwinana, Ndikho
Turse, Patricia
Dazh, Ezell
Luke, Neena
Brown, Verna
Catie Lindsey
Bongani Zungu
Eve T.M.M.
Lin Lane
And so many more!
Team Poetry Soup :)
Not For Contest
Categories:
saunders, encouraging, inspirational, poets, ,
Form:
Free verse