Best Set Off Poems
There once was a fox, as wise as can be,
He lived in the hollow of an old oak tree.
Not so very far from an ol’ Farmer’s Farm;
A farmer he knew would do him great harm.
Also, on that farm lived a lively young goose,
And he caused the fox’s dry mouth to juice.
Without a care, the goose gandered about,
Causing the fox great apprehension, no doubt.
One day they met at the edge of the farm:
The goose knew, for sure, the fox meant him harm.
Mr. Fox, I know you can eat me, he said,
But, I know a better way you can be fed.
The farmer has many an egg you can eat,
and they are more juicy than feathery meat.
I’ll tell you just how to gain your supply;
as quick as a wink, or the blink of an eye.
The farmer is rich and he doesn’t have need
for all of his wealth, and all of his greed.
We poor of the earth, he cares not about:
We should take eggs from the lecherous lout.
Sure, he feeds us, and quite well in fact,
But he profits from the sweat of our back.
We animals are brothers, and should take heed
About each others wants and each others need.
You can sneak around by the ol’ mill gate,
while I distract the hound, down by the lake.
His threat to you I shall circumvent,
and you can then eat to your hearts content.
The sly ol’ fox, he surmised this odd tale:
Hen’s eggs were delicious, he knew quite well.
Oh, this we will do, he quickly agreed:
Eggs, he knew, were quite delicious indeed.
So, the goose set off, the hound to distract,
And also the fox, to the mill gate out back.
But, the goose had another plan in his mind;
A problem solution of a far different kind.
He enlisted the hound in his subversive trick,
To solve the fox dilemma finally and quick.
He sent the hound round to the ol’ mill gate,
Leaving himself to just piddle and wait.
Then suddenly upon him with claw and tooth
Pounced the fox, ‘fore he could honk or hoot.
In this moral lesson we all can deduce,
Why no-one says: “he’s as sly as a goose”.
The SLY fox knew: “If the goose would betray
the farmer that feeds him, he will betray me too.”
Lionel
Categories:
set off, parody,
Form:
Quatrain
"A woodland path in the dappled sun, hushed and quiet "
~A Rambling Poet~
A canopy of trees
filters the sun for me,
and I am grateful...
For I do not feel like
having the rays glare
in my eyes today,
in a brooding mood I am.
The earth is damp,
drunken with dew,
seemingly commiserating
with me
I lay myself down,
jagged rocks beneath me
--cutting, rough--
and I welcome it
For it grounds me,
a reminder
that not everything
is sunlight and blooms
I sink in my darkness
and close my eyes
to dwell in it and drown,
just sighing
For an eternity,
I am mired with
muck and moss in my mind,
thoughts eroding
to nothingness
...until I open my eyes
to Wonderment
The trees above me
stand tall and proud
in their radial glory,
the sun just
breaking through,
shimmering, dappling
my cold being
Leaves gilt with light
blink back in awe
and I am floored,
blanketed by warmth
of hushed spirits
surrounding me
These trees
tell their tales
of growth and survival,
of yearning for
that light,
of their struggle
to catch a glimpse
of heaven...
of capturing
its light,
using it,
feeding off from it,
in order to
give back to others
some of them stumble
yet most of them
succeed
I am humbled.
I am awed.
Yes, the canopy
gave me shade,
temporary darkness
from the light,
I look up again
and realize
that the tiniest
pinholes of hope exist,
reaching deep within...
little sparks
that set off
a chain reaction
of life
--June 11-12 (2011)
Categories:
set off, allegory, introspection, sun, tree,
Form:
Free verse
Dedicated to a fine poet on soup, Lin Lane
-------------------------------------------------
I shook hands with my brother and bade him farewell
Then set off on my journey away from this hell
Mexico I’d head for and buy a small farm
Meanwhile back in town the guards raised the alarm.
A posse they assembled to help track me down
But saw some Apaches and hightailed it back to town
It was far from over, the Pinkertons were brought in
Determined they were, to carry out the hanging.
After three days riding my horse became lame
It slowed down my escape that made me fair game
Sold my horse at Santa Fe and boarded a train
Vowed I’d never come back to America again.
Two whole years went by and I was living free
Thought they’ve given up now, they’ll never find me
Bought a farm, met a girl, a beautiful senorita
Had two children both girls, Anna and Conchita.
One day I went to town to buy some supplies
The Pinkertons were there, I couldn’t believe my eyes
They arrested me at gunpoint and they took me to jail
I strongly protested my innocence but to no avail.
Spent a week in the jail while they sorted deportation
Paperwork completed, headed for the railroad station
After a long journey we arrived back in Colorado
They had the noose ready, they were raring to go.
All over the state the news was all about me
The Pinkertons just loved their new found glory
The night before the hanging I heard guns blazing
What happened after that was truly amazing.
About a hundred desperado's invaded the town
Burst into the jail and told me to lie down
The sound was deafening as they shot at the lock
The Pinkertons stood speechless, they were in shock.
I went out into the street and a voice said to me
“We only found out because of the publicity”
Then out of the shadows came a face I knew well
My twin brother once more had rescued me from hell.
He said “join our gang and we’ll ride far away”
I said “crimes not for me and one day you’ll pay”
Rode back to Mexico to round up my family
Then headed to Brazil where I now live and I’m free.
Lin suggested a part deux so I was inspired to write a sequel, thanks Lin.
Categories:
set off, america, children, family, horse,
Form:
Rhyme
"To thine own self be true."*
No matter what else you do....
this truth will get you by
Look others in the eye
With sureness take a stand
Your life at your command
Be true to what you say
No pretense in your way
Be proud of who you are
Let knowledge bear you far
Reach up to glowing sky
And if you laugh or cry
Stand up if you should fall
Be true to inner call
If others prove untrue
and leave you feeling blue
With self you'll be at rest
You've done your very best
"To thine own self be true"
To others just be YOU!
Eileen Manassian
*In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Polonius said this to Laertes, his son, before he set off to France.
Categories:
set off, character,
Form:
Rhyme
~
“I'd never known her to cry”
Her smile that warms
every heart that it touches
Springtime and daisies,
blue morning skies
“but this time is different for sure”
As rivers stop flowing
neath cloud altered whispers
set off in regrets
of sorrow filled cries
“she's shaking with tears in her eyes”
Knees meeting soil
her face now she’s hiding
shudders in echoes
of pain she does know
“as she picks up what’s left of the night”
In moon beam intentions
now star lit and lonely
I hold her in comfort
so my love does show
Categories:
set off, friendship, love, sorrow,
Form:
Rhyme
Take your halcyon moment, have your blissful jaunt
Explore the northern hills and rivers, their helix flaunts
From zigzag paths of the south, from verdant plains of the north
Passing by the west coasts, ascend to their conjuring heart fort
Set off now and tread down to a cobblestone avenue
With joyful wagon ride, gaze the Heritage City’s stunning view
Spanish buildings in hedge, hewed by the greatest history
Of a beautiful country called, The Pearl of the Orient Sea
Museums in slumber, sing the spirit of heartwarming hospitality
Preserving the priceless antiques, ancestors’ unique creativity
Well-crafted on Spanish Colonization, cherish in golden memory
The country’s Great Forefathers, their true heroism and bravery
At the heart of a city gloriously stands the city’s cathedral
In front stretched a dancing fountain embraced by a lover’s park
With conservative Maria Clara style, stroll with Jose, your pal
And taste the most delicious delicacies from morning ‘til dark
A hammock that rocks you to the enchantment of the past
With indelible imprints of rich cultural heritage in relentless lush
Visit this reigning beauty, your rewarding experiences enfold
Vigan City hailed as one of Top Seven Wonder Cities of the World
Copyright 2014 Leonora Galinta
All Rights Reserved
-Sharing with you an old poem of mine.
I spent some of my childhood years here. My parents sent me in this place to study. It’s one of the most wonderful places and one of my most favourite hometowns:))
Categories:
set off, beauty, dedication, nostalgia, travel,
Form:
Rhyme
Here we are in 1650, which is ten minutes to five
swing the wheel to the West, which is left,
put your sun cream away, man the mizzen and the stays
as we set off for some murder and some theft.
You'll find us as your hosts on the sunny Barbary Coast
and from there we venture forth to ply our trade
we've been out leaving them for dead from the Atlantic to the Med
before we skittle off back home our fortunes made
With a yo-ho-ho and a barrel of grog
and an arrr and some other cliches
table leg for a thigh and a patch on me eye
as a Pirate I will end my days
As I previously stated we all get inebriated
from our copious imbibing of the grog
our excuse is there's no Cola in the bars of Hispaniola
which is why we need the hair of the dog
With a yo-ho-ho and a barrel of grog
and an arrr and some other cliches
table leg for a thigh and a patch on me eye
as a Pirate I will end my days
Got a woman in Bermuda and another in Tortuga
and they give me lots of lovin' for some coins
and although they're very foxy they're just both a pair of doxies
which I'm sure explains the rash around me groin
With a yo-ho-ho and a barrel of grog
and an arrr and some other cliches
table leg for a thigh and a patch on me eye
as a Pirate I will end my days
Now we're really no buffoons when it comes down to doubloons
and our treasure chests are burstin' at the seams
then old Blackbeard started spouting about doing our accounting
so I said (before I shot him) 'in your dreams'
(ye chorus)
As we skirmish the Atlantic I was starting to get frantic
since the one thing on my voyage I've always feared
is the men who've not been coming for a while across some women
have all started wearing lipstick, which is weird
(arr, the chorus again)
Well it's reached that point me hearties where we anchor down and party
so me shipmates here on board I'd like to thank
though the mix of food and beer has now given me diarrhea
which is why I've made our cook just walk the plank
(for thee last time, chorus, arrrr)
September 17th 2015, 'A pirate's life for me' contest, sponsor Kelly Deschler
(Author's note- there are several spellings of diarrhea, but it doesn't matter, they all have 'arr' in 'em, me hearties)
Categories:
set off, humor,
Form:
Light Verse
A cousin named Chaos have I (he’s not actually my cousin. He’s like my aunt’s stepson, but I guess I can still call him a cousin, right?)
There’s nothing that he will not try (like the day he let all the chickens loose from the coop and they were running like chickens with their heads cut off. Isn’t that an expression or something? Chaos is crazy like those chickens were)
Since he follows no rule (He laughs at me because I try to write perfectly metered limericks and he thinks everyone should just write free and BE free in all they do.)
He got kicked out of school (it was so funny. He set off the fire alarm and all the kids were running every which way, much like those chickens he let loose in his barnyard. Now he is saying he wants to become an anarchist.)
So to anarchy school he’ll apply!
Gosh, he’s right. This limerick sucks. It’s much more fun having no restrictions, just letting my thoughts go anywhere I want them to take me, kind of like stream of consciousness writing or something. Too bad I can’t be all surreal-like, then I might make it into the newfangled modern poetry magazines. Most people don’t even consider limericks to be real poems. DANG it, I feel another one coming on.
Cousin Chaos, I now do hear tell
That you’ve found a new school, so learn well
Your anarchy ways.
In limerick phase
I’ll be stuck while you give people hell.
Crap. Even trying to write like Chaos, I just can’t do it. I just keep conforming to rules of poetry forms like limerick. I just know my cousin will be laughing his chicken head off when he reads this. Yeah, the old chicken motif again. Always relating things together. So much for Chaos! I’m outta here.
Written chaotically last week sometime for contest of same name
Categories:
set off, writing,
Form:
Limerick
As the dusk approaches, with a fusk grunt on his face,
He realizes he has to do what's right;
To save his people from the treacherous minotaur maze,
To risk his life for people in vain.
As the sail shall not be great, he decides to travel with fate.
But truly he thinks it will be wise.
As they set off with the black flags, he promises old deer king they will change
If he survives;
With a glimmering glow from the waters below he sets sail for the island.
Miles and Miles sea after sea the destination comes nearly to a stop
With gusting winds and blushing seas, they’ve made it, at last.
While being stripped of his weapons and armor,
He notices a watching, Deer old princess of the kingdom
While her eyes glimmer at him, he looks away with unsought
Enter the Maze says one of the guards,
They all embark into the cave.
The Princess had given Theseus a sword, as he will use wisely
Standing back in the darkness the children look around,
Nothing but pitch darkness around,
Instead of staying there they decide to explore
But beware of the night before.
With a sword in his hand and rope in the other
He notices a shadow in the darkness,
The children stay back while Theseus steps forward
Confronts the beast with another step forward
With heavy breathing and death on the side
It's time for the fight he thought with a sigh.
With a Shock to the head, Theseus falls back
Gets on his feet and Shocks him back, the minotaur has been wounded
With more hits after and after the minotaur falls with a cry
Tangled in pain Theseus tanks and cut the enemy
Waiting for it to fall
To cell to the floor.
As they embark the ship again,
He comes with the princess to an island,
While he leaves her there they continue off to join the journey
To off to the king with a surprise,
Unlikely they forgot to change the sails from black
To white, so the king decides to do something unright.
The king sees the black sail and knows the worst,
With a jump, he had did
To off the cliff, he had went
So many outs he had made, while Theseus came back
And heard the news
Of the fallen king
With a joust, he had did
With a celebration understood
The newly king has been awakened
But something wasn't right,
All that night he thought of his father
Sitting and pondering with gonder.
©ChandlerFisher_2017
Categories:
set off, cheer up, fantasy, happiness,
Form:
Rhyme
Beneath the glowing satellite,
a path for lovers grew.
So I set off and followed it
in hopes to find love too.
I wandered down meandrous roads
that twisted and crisscrossed,
but could not find love anywhere,
that wayward feeling, lost.
The light that once in music rose
faded and suddenly
bedimmed the tracks and hid the way,
at least it did for me.
What of the orb that's sung about
mysterious and praised,
if it can hardly shed or keep
that light for lovers raised?
Perhaps the moon drifts here and there
as broken hearts will do,
finding it hard to stay afloat
because it's lonely too.
I wonder if that mystic sphere
will light the path and when
or if in fact there really is
a way to love again.
Categories:
set off, love, mysterylight, light, love,
Form:
Quatrain
Bill and Blanche set off, to the 'Yorkshire Show' they did go
T'was a yearly trip, and they would always show.
Each time Bill says to Blanche ‘On that elicopter I’d like to ride.’
Blanche always replied’ but it's twenty quid Bill’ and then she and Bill sighed.
'Twenty quid is twenty quid Bill, you always told me that'
‘Tha’s right me old love,’ and he’d give his wallet a pat.
The next year Bill looked, at the elicopter, and he tried once more
‘I’m seventy-five Blanche, there not much time left for me to soar.’
‘Bill, it’s twenty quid, and twenty quid is twenty quid.
So we’ll not go on the elicopter ride, of that idea you must get rid.’
Bill looked at the elicopter and agreed twenty quid was twenty quid
Of that one idea though, he could never really get rid.
Bill was desperate to ride on that elicopter whirring thing
The pilot overheard the couple, and then he made Bill’s heart sing.
I’ll take you on board, but not one word must you say
If you keep TOTALLY quiet, not one pound or penny will you pay.
Bill and Blanche climbed on board ,for the ride of their life
Not one word did Bill utter, nor his terrified wife.
The pilot looped the loop, he dived and twisted and turned
Not one word did the pilot hear, yet even his stomach churned.
He landed and spoke to Bill and he said ‘I am impressed’
I twisted and I turned and I really tried my best.
Bill said to the pilot ‘Well I nearly gave in lad, and I nearly spoke’
‘Twas when the wife fell out, but you know us Yorkshire folk.’
I watched her spiral down; I nearly shouted, but thought that’s absurd
‘And tha knows twenty quid is twenty quid lad, and you said NOT one word.’
©~GG~17/11/2012
Taken from a joke sent to me by Jack Horne and continuing the theme Harry uses of Yorkshire Humour.
Quid Slang name for pound sterling
Yorkshire folk drop their 'h's
Categories:
set off, funny, me, me, time,
Form:
Couplet
Solitary Moments Contest
Sponsor: Mystic Rose
Sweep me away, my love, into the blue shores of the east,
Seize my sorrow as you reach for my delicate heart,
I have listened alone to the tunes that carry my release,
you have allowed my soul searching wonder to light its spark.
Sweep me away, my love, let us sail to our own island,
Let me concentrate on taking your height to pleasure,
I don't need any gold and wouldn't accept any diamonds,
but the core of your chest shall be my greatest treasure.
Sweep me away, my love, as we share delicate moments,
A gentle kiss on my forehead will set off my desire,
Creating sweet sounds of love with a euphony of instruments,
For only you, my sweet man, know how to light my fire.
Sweep me away, my love, up our mountain in the sky,
Feel my body yearn for you as we climb up to the peak,
My body tingling with anticipation on a natural high,
Shhhhh...let's be quiet tonight, there's no need to speak.
Sweep me away, my love, towards our life of forever,
For you are my radiance of light, my greatest endeavor.
~I was listening to the song "Absence of Fear" by Jewel while writing this poem~
~Date Written: February 3, 2016~
2nd Place Winner
Categories:
set off, husband, love, passion,
Form:
Rhyme
It’s funny how things that used to be funny,
Aren’t allowed to be funny no more,
What was once a joke that heralded laughter,
Now seems to set off a small war.
Jokes about blondes, Irish and mum’s,
Jokes about folks that you knew,
Got replaced with: PMS jokes aren’t funny….. Period! or
I hate peer pressure, you should too.
To be fair these new puns, with double entendre,
Are funny when said in a crowd,
It’s funny how this Funny replaced the old Funny,
Funny how we are laughing out loud.
Written on 4th August 2017 but not for any contest. This is the only contest this write has been put into. Thought this might suit the contest for Maria Williams "I started a joke"
Categories:
set off, funny, humor, silly,
Form:
Quatrain
In southern Colorado,
that old Rocky Mountain state,
beneath God's azure heavens
is a place called Turquoise Lake.
I'd been driving all around,
it was time to take some lunch.
The lake looked right for fishing,
at least that was my hunch.
After chow I got my gear
and headed for the shore.
I tied on a jitterbug,
who could ask for anything more.
Weedy cover on the left
set off a loud alarm,
but I was casting to the right
just to limber up my arm.
From behind an old man came,
he'd been watching for a while,
"Surface lures won't work out here,"
he mumbled with a smile.
"You know this is a trout lake,
they won't hit on surface lures,
so get yourself a fly rod
and you'll catch some fish for sure."
Now just as luck would have it
you know where the next cast goes,
it's just off of the weed bed,
how that water did explode.
A Rainbow Trout grabbed my lure
and started on a run.
I was fishing ultra-light,
it was really lots of fun.
The oldster stood in wonder,
said he never would have thought
that on a rig like I had
a Rainbow could be caught.
Reluctantly the trout gave up,
he came in without delay.
I gave him slack and he was gone
to fight another day.
Categories:
set off, fishing,
Form:
Rhyme
COLOURIFICATION
Sponsor: Silent One
Her sapphires seduced him beneath shadowed sheets.
He craves her slender body beneath the crimson setting of the sun
in the far west and before their emerald dream peeks through
he whispers gently in her ear... “Let's make love sweetheart,
take me to your cultivated garden full of marigolds and carnations.”
Holding hands tight, he led her to the place where their first kiss
set off a desirous occurrence, leading two bodies into becoming one.
Sweet miracles of violets and blossoms of lilies seemed to
carry the essence of true infatuation. Captivated by her deep fawn eyes
and her delicate ivory skin, he senses her aspiration of making every
touch valuable and impulsive. For she was his translucent amber jewel
and he was her magical titanium rock stabilizing the lust between
two hungry souls. Before the stars took to shining, and after the
mountains revealed the sunset, they found true destiny within each other.
Blessed be the marriage between a gentle soul and a single tender touch.
Colors Used:
1. Amber 2. Titanium 3. Ivory 4. Violet 5. Emerald 6. Marigold 7. Carnation
8. Crimson 9. Fawn 10. Sapphires
Date Written: March 11, 2016
Categories:
set off, love, lust, marriage,
Form:
Romanticism