Best Shadowed Poems
Lantern of the Shadowed Glade
In shadowed glades where spirits dwell,
Beneath the boughs of an ancient spell.
A pumpkin awaits, its fate foretold,
By tomes of old and tales untold.
Carved with care by children’s hands,
A toothy grin upon its face expands.
Yet, within those haunting, hollowed eyes,
Lies a deeper truth in dark disguise.
On Halloween, beneath pewter beams,
Wailing winds weave ominous screams,
The Jack-o’-lantern’s gaze ignites,
On ghoulish forms lurking in the night.
He sees the village, veiled in fear,
In costumes worn, yet souls austere,
For lurking ’neath the festive guise,
A darkness deep, where evil lies.
Children laugh with voices bright,
While shadows waltz in ghostly light,
Sinister secrets, whispers heard,
Carried on the wings of a devil bird.
But deeper still, the pumpkin knows,
The ancient lore, the forest’s throes,
For spirits rise on this cursed night,
To dance beneath the pale moonlight.
In solemn vigil, silent, and grim,
The gourd watches, a veil so thin,
‘Twixt shadowed realms of dark and light,
A sentinel of the Styx, in eternal night.
When dawn breaks o’er the ghastly glade,
The pumpkin’s light begins to fade,
In its heart, an ember of infernal lore,
A demonic lantern, cursed forevermore.
Categories:
shadowed, dark, fantasy, halloween, holiday,
Form:
Rhyme
I
knew
your woods
through every
quiver of bonfires...
although our music pealed a wind
flamed evensongs quickly languished,
cleaving my breaths into dry twigs; and hushing a faceless moon
with your shadow-dance flight.
Contest 235 of Brian Strand
Categories:
shadowed, leaving,
Form:
Fibonacci
Thru a shadowed path, down a shadowed lane
Two lovers walk, the moonlight to gain.
The beauty of the walk is as beauteous as their love,
Shared thru a kindness, a reverence, and the touch of a hand.
A meadow comes into sight to eventually espy
Mists swirl in mystery as they begin to walk by.
But a fragrant rose pulls them, their attention drawn
Thru the gates of an old house they gently begin forth
Who in love lived here long ago, now unseen?
What trials, what future, had they seen?
Their love built a life, and of course this home
Would that their lives could be so generously strewn.
Two lovers that lived so very long ago
And thru the years were repeatedly, celebrated so.
Now, two more have come as the man goes on bended knee
He picks the rose and delivers it up with a ring
He has bought this old house, a glorious old thing
To inspire her to wife, to repeat once more, an old beautiful dream
May the tale of this house and the old love it has seen
Inspire a new couple to a great life once again.
Categories:
shadowed, devotion, family, history, house,
Form:
Free verse
My heart lay barely beating, drowning in a marinade
of salted tears that fell from my reddened eyes.
Blood dripped down my chin from biting my swollen lips
as if they were wounded like a heart pierced by words
that were hurled as if they were whetted daggers.
Whose fingertips drew the target upon my lashed back?
The attack ripped my flesh, inflicting pain without pause.
My cries were echoing in refrain, pleading for the cause.
No response was given as I cringed and groaned
in this shadowed place, this empty void.
In fetal position on the floor, I flinched each time
I heard knuckles wrapping upon my weathered door.
Sluggish was my mind, as if waking from a nap,
wishing I could snap out of Alice's realm where I can't tell
if I'm under a spell or walking in a hellish nightmare
of reality where I wax and wane like sunlight and moonbeams.
Many things that surround me are not always as they seem.
Categories:
shadowed, confusion, fear,
Form:
Free verse
As sable floats the shadowed night
I stand in true love's disrepair
beneath a host of haloed light
this lamp shines in the autumn air.
I stand in true love's disrepair,
of nuptials do my dreams now flow.
This lamp shines in the autumn air
corona of an opal glow.
Of nuptials do my dreams now flow,
my thoughts of crimson honeymoons.
Corona of an opal glow
now whispers vows and passioned runes.
My thoughts of crimson honeymoons,
beneath a host of haloed light,
now whisper vows and passioned runes
as sable floats the shadowed night.
Categories:
shadowed, love, night, romantic,
Form:
Pantoum
Where Rests, That Lost Moon And Its Shadowed Light
Where flies lies, bright gold and fancy will do
Grim Reaper's scythe also cuts grain for sweet bread,
Darkness claims such tripe is novel and true!
Ah but! What shall be found only when dead?
Where rests, that lost moon and its shadowed light
Stars dim in chaotic and morbid tunes,
When deep-blind, darkness may appear so bright
Waters drank gaily from tallest sand dunes!
Where stones falling are held to be sweet signs
Innocence goes hungry, wears dirty rags,
Evil dwells content in high mountain pines
Soft clouds crash into high rocky crags!
Where flies lies, bright gold and fancy will do
Darkness claims such tripe is novel and true!
Robert J. Lindley, 6-07-2017
Sonnet.
http://www.lindleypoetry.com/
Categories:
shadowed, art, creation, deep, poetry,
Form:
Sonnet
A shadowed cloud drops upon this day
Here, it comes to haunt our hearts
But do not falter at it's persistence
And wipe away your tears
For on this gloomy day we shall smile
Smile for what was there instead,
instead of crying for what is gone.
To each his own, but hold a friend
For in the day of the shadowed cloud,
You will have someone to lean on
And never be alone-for surely,
Surely the cloud will return
But thus your faithful friend is near
Categories:
shadowed, death, loss, sad, day,
Form:
Free verse
Walking on the moonlit path of the strand,
My footsteps found their way upon the sand
While contemplating the note you left for me
I heard the sea calling, "Come to me.
Come to me."
Tempting notion, the moon frowned from high
Waves washed over my feet, should I live or die?
Moon hid somber eyes behind a thick black cloud.
It donned a shadowed cloak, a mourning shroud.
What is left when the zest has been grated?
Sour remnants of memories, those now hated.
Bitter pith which no one would want to taste.
Decayed and adulterated love, gone to waste.
Forthcoming was my fate; a decision to befall.
Waves crashed in summoning call, "Come to me.
Come to me."
Categories:
shadowed, lost love,
Form:
Rhyme
Shame must have burned her countenance,
along with fear that gripped her heart;
she’s a woman in the gospel brought into the open,
by those Pharisees and Sadducees in their attempt –
to entrap Jesus on the horns of a dilemma.
Known as legalistic in their respect for the Law of Moses,
they professed as guardians of moral principles;
they claimed as protectors of the Jewish traditions,
however, in truth, they had a wicked motive to ruin Jesus
to discredit him for all the things he’s doing for his own people.
His growing popularity especially to the Jewish men and women,
becomes a raison d’etre to ruin his good reputation;
oh, such a malady that continues to exist through generations,
the seed of original sin – its consequence to human behavior
reflected its aftermath, the evil tendency that is encrusted deep within.
Jesus’ statement, “let him who is without sin cast the first stone,”
made the religious leaders withdraw from the scene and,
starting from the elders they walked away and talked no more;
a sign of shame, an honest reaction to what is shadowed by guilt.
The entire incident focused on Jesus’ endless forgiveness,
his compassion for the woman being bogged down with disgrace;
like a moral stigma, a scarlet letter etched in the hearts of people,
with Jesus she had her past but she also has a future to look forward to.
Just as the prophet Ezekiel says, “I will give you a new heart –
and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh . . .” its power and meaning can assure,
God’s love is everlasting; our salvation is his prime concern.
Categories:
shadowed, faith, history, hope, life,
Form:
Narrative
Another desolate day
the sun has dipped his face
No longer will I have to pretend
My mind is astray
lost in a shadowed place
darkness has become my friend
Unable to convey
what I should erase
this heartache I cannot mend
How can I allay
the pains I embrace
when fear forces me to descend
Categories:
shadowed, dark,
Form:
Rhyme
I was crushed and miserable from love unfulfilled
Like a mourning dove whose blood had been spilled
I cried in deep lament as shadowed night grew cold
Sorrow burgeoned my heart with miseries untold
Overwhelmed with fear, l fell to somberly weeping
Wisps of silver moonlight crossed the sky, sweeping
It was a pale light in darkness; my hopes were felled
On the edge of oblivion with sullen thoughts, I dwelled
My eyes tormented, I searched for benevolence anew
How I longed to take flight, trading grey skies for blue
In need of faith and courage instead of dismal dread
I yearned for paradise where happiness is daily bread
I longed to soar among shining stars at great height
No longer bemused and alone on such a mawkish night
I wished for wings so I could soar with poetic volition
Without fetters keeping me tied to melancholy perdition
May 15, 2023
Couplet Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Sotto Poet
Categories:
shadowed, lost love, sorrow,
Form:
Couplet
The sun went down on yesterday.
When evil had it's horrid way.
A new day dawn's around the world.
As a bloody flag has been unfurled.
Somehow our joy is not the same.
A little dimmer burns the flame.
We carry on and do our part.
But we're reminded with a shadowed heart.
Jesus said there would be trouble.
That no one lives inside a bubble.
But how many lesson's must be taught?
To learn that action is not a thought.
As we go on and live our lives.
And simple pleasure still survives
As we are left to now restart.
The past is cast in our shadowed heart.
Prayers, peace and hope for Paris and this world. Amen
Categories:
shadowed, french, november,
Form:
Rhyme
The world still sleeps, except for me.
O'er the horizon of the sea
I welcome sunrise as it sweeps.
Except for me, the world still sleeps.
Daybreak dribbles its honeyed glaze.
Dawn is painting in shades of maize
'cross the sky in amber scribbles.
Its honeyed glaze, daybreak dribbles.
Marmalade mornings, I treasure,
offering a day of pleasure
until clouds become storm warnings.
I treasure marmalade mornings.
Lightning flashed in dark shadowed skies.
Nature declined to compromise.
Fair weather plans would all be dashed.
In dark shadowed skies, lightning flashed.
Rain splattered on my windowpane.
Sunlight vanished, to my disdain.
Echoed sounds that pitter pattered
on my windowpane, rain splattered.
September 9, 2022
Swap Quatrain Contest
Sponsored by Emile Pinet
Categories:
shadowed, morning, sky,
Form:
Quatrain
Wildflower 'neath a
giant weeping willow,
comforted by the shade
her fragrance wafting darkly
whispered into the wind ~
she'd been 'betrayed by the sun',
frail tendrils blistered
of indiscretion below
burning discrimination,
fallen neath the cracks
suffocating a delicate essence,
she could no longer bear the
deep-rooted superficiality
of seeds buried within dirty
little implanted secrets
Categories:
shadowed, allegory, allusion, flower, imagery,
Form:
Light Verse
a procession
shadowed ravens watch
depressive day turns
the winds bring Frost
Skelton branches clutch
Ghosts dance after the fall
The procession crawls
To the point of vanishing
Oblong boxes of onyx inlaid
Crimson glowing deep within
Secret Furies fly in frightening
Nightmares flank the regal divinities
WRAITHs of mourners drift
White wispy lost memory
Cast in time back to the precipice
The dark procession reflecting
In Raven's soulless eyes
Spin under a clouded sky
The color of the dead
Mourn the passing of gods
Humanity dips into the Misty void
Full of creation loss
Deep secrets live buried
Within oblong boxes
Of Ebony and Crimson
As amber burn
Ravens clutch skeletal branches
Their black eyes witness
The serpents procession
Under these lead-gray skies
The cumulus just holding his breath
waiting to break has nightmares
as their vanities pass by...
Categories:
shadowed, adventure, africa, allegory, analogy,
Form:
Free verse