Best Sinew Poems
I witness you fading away,
The winds blow frantically
They are against us, as all are
Little fire, rise in my cupped hands
Be it my life I shield from the elements so unfeeling?
Little fire, brighten as I feed you
This moisture receding from my pores must cease
Before I drown this diminishing beauty
I gasp,
Surprised at the howls and retorts of this icy tempest
Nature’s exhalations mean to end what must naturally end
My hands shake
Little fire—my life!
—I must keep you alive!
Grow against all odds
Against the screaming whirlpools of bluster
Against the torrential tears that mean to overcome you
Against the ashes that can only watch the desolation around you,
As you search for more fuel to masticate
My flesh is no treasure to me,
So lick me deep, my flame
Devour these hands that shield you
Rise hastily, as you burn
Ascending up my arms,
Lighting every goosebump, shriveling every hair
Rise till I am all aflame in this wilderness
Boil and evaporate every murderous tear—
The fluids of sorrow that so pulverize purpose
Eat through every sinew, and every tissue,
Every muscle and every bone that has grown
For this moment and this moment only
I give you every piece of me, little fire!
So that my spirit, finally free, shall rise to the heavens
Past the shrieking winds, preceding through the jeers of thunder
I give you my all, blessed fire!
So that these eyes may witness every storm die
And I may laugh at their futility!
Categories:
sinew, courage, death, fire, growth,
Form:
Dramatic Monologue
My head feels like it's being squeezed in a vise. Eardrums must have blown out from the explosion since I hear absolutely nothing, not even my own breath. Slowly rising to my feet I survey the damage. Left arm gone from the elbow down. Flesh hangs from my right forearm exposing bone and sinew. I don't even want to know what my face looks like but my cheeks are burning white hot.
Suddenly, I am keenly aware of the immediate surroundings. The twenty story office building I call my second home is utterly destroyed. Smoke and haze are everywhere. An acrid odor fills my nostrils with each breath. Scanning the vicinity I see body parts strewn about. The urge to vomit overwhelms me. Afterward, I begin to shake and sob uncontrollably. My God, why?
Home is five blocks away. My wife, my daughter are they alive? No idea how many bombs were dropped. Must get home. Each step brings excruciating pain, but the adrenalin pulsing through my veins impels me forward. Finally reaching my neighborhood, it quickly becomes evident that it too was targeted. Rubble and debris surrounds me. In the distance, what was my house, leveled to the ground. The cries, the screams of others sifting through the debris make me question my sanity did my hearing return or are the screams in my head?
Reality sets in coldly as I discover the bodies of my family, partially buried under the rubble. I have no more tears in this moment. Instead, my mind drifts back to former days happy times. Myself, Najwa and baby, lying in our back yard on a comfy blanket, staring up at the stars, watching the fireflies softly flicker in a dreamy, summer night sky. We had peace then. Now there is nothing but bitterness and hatred in my heart. I gaze at the sky, now black as sin. All the stars are there. But the fireflies they're gone. I can't help but wonder, what will become of me?
Flicker flicker fly
Stars above to light the sky
Angels weep goodbye
Categories:
sinew, war,
Form:
Haibun
Bilocation – 2-11-24
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bilocation
Love
Slips through labyrinths of tangled spirits
Complexities and conundrums of misdirection
Released by prophecy,
Like clairvoyant fingers of misty sunshine
in two planes
sharing one minute.
Love reaches beyond boundaries of fluttering flesh -
A bridge point of lyric pointillism
With the rhythmic respirations of one breath
Inhaled,
Exhaled,
In poetic unison.
Love exists
Beyond mortality of bone and sinew,
Not begging for crumbs
At the prophesied banquet
The festival
That rains clear jubilees
On every exuberant heart
Reveling in its ecumenical caress
Wrapping cells, bound in time,
With never aging,
Time released,
Pulsing plasmas.
Love dissolves membranes
In transdermal hands of blessing
Showering polka dots of zest
On the skin of souls
Transfusing showers of tenderness,
Ardor
And affection
Into ever borning present – never past –
Seeds
Planted like ephemeral timeless sunlight
Without minutes
Or astral lines
Love
Leaves permanent footprints
All at once
And
Everywhere.
Categories:
sinew, life, love, time,
Form:
Free verse
Tempest gone, darkened skies have all blown past,
tho' blue grey dawn laughs at my feeble fist.
A knight's heart equanimity lost...
thrown now into these land mines I placed,
and doom of Middle Earth left forsaken.
Can you help me find the song's refrain once known..
those cherished, lilting tunes I held so dear?
or will you turn your head away from this pitiful Argonath?
Such misfortune I would not wish upon the lonely wraith..,
sinew and bone of my father bequeathed, still rests in beating heart,
though lesson'd by the extolling of the crowd.
Cast out the demon's eyes of little or no purpose,
show me the way to a land without exile.
Make all hast to drown sorrows of a forgotten time..
Dúnedain voices raised in unison.., tho' din of light now long gone.
Categories:
sinew, angst, memorial, song, thanks,
Form:
Free verse
Thundering beats my heart along
As hooves upon the tundra wide
I rejoice at life, Its reveal inside
Repeat echo, of tales millennia told
Heart and sinew; my desires unfold.
I channel into lines on paper!
These thoughts and feelings
Some snap into my mind,
Like an alligator'
Their bite upon my manner
Is strong, in expressive throes
I hope not too long? And time?
What holds are upon my span?
But what I allow. As a sentient Man!
Or woman; should I think some more?
Enchanting challenging brave and raw
So not by rote, or times and plan.
Yet by diving deep; into poetry’s song.
©Joe Maverick 20-11-2022
Categories:
sinew, allegory, appreciation, inspiration, introspection,
Form:
Rhyme
More than the grand fireworks display,
above chart-topper music blast;
What is the highlight of this night -
The Media Noche, New Year’s toast.
Above chart-topper music blast,
stay still awhile, to breathe our thanks;
A farewell to the year that was
and welcome one - now upon us.
What is the highlight of this night -
Carousing, whole night rejoicing?
Babe year pushing rudely the old,
at street parties ruled by one clan?
The Media Noche, New Year’s toast -
Grounding to roots, a youngster’s boast.
Each morsel chew, each laugh renews,
one's world-weary bones and sinew.
* media noche (Spanish for midnight) - Traditional New Years' Eve feast for Filipino families
18 November 2015
Shall We Retourne Contest -2nd Place
Sponsor: Debbie Guzzi
Categories:
sinew, family, holiday, new years
Form:
Verse
Child , stand up
Clothes deemed unfashionable
by followers with no individuality
Kinky locks not straight enough
according to those with no self realization
The stiffness in your tongue bearing testament
to your mother tongue, to which they laugh at, why?
You're Mahogany, sanded and buffed
well crafted and glossed to a high sheen
Vulnerable yet resilience is you
Intelligent yet humility is you
Poor yet generosity is you
Yes, you are all that and more
because you have captured and nurtured
a knowledge and pride in self
Your smile glows from within
as it brightens your surrounds
Don't be shackled with self doubt
for your strength feeds multitudes.
Your gentleness comforting many.
As you wear your head gear to dance,
dance till you turn up the dust
each muscle sinew in perfect coordination,
sweat weaving in between the seamless strings
of those beads crafted and carried with pride.
Roar with song!
Share your history through lore
Ululate till the sound carries to the heavens,
breaking the skies open with torrents of nourishing rains falling,
falling.
This ,Africa, is what you are...
Categories:
sinew, africa, birth, blessing, encouraging,
Form:
Free verse
Michelangelo’s David
Extol the grace of mortal man
fashioned by Buonarroti’s hands.
What priceless handsome figure made,
the youthful David, bold and brave.
A statue of a human form,
anatomized, perfectly norm.
Giant, quarried, pure white stone,
shaped in fashioned style of Rome.
Standing, heroic, nude male,
ready to take on huge assail.
Pure wisdom and firm sinew
in glory of a naked view.
Amazing how each crease and fold,
is captured as a movement told.
2/21/19
2019 Poetry Marathon Final Placement / Sponsor: Mark Toney 9th place
written 1/21/17
Categories:
sinew, art,
Form:
Ekphrasis
Sinew torqued and bowed as he pressed the weight
Of drudge claimed goods to be stacked and stowed.
The lady claimed that his omnipresent proclivities
Would neither build strength of character nor stature.
Laugh, she did, as she knew the wolverine has left the den,
To build his muscle with more willing obstructions.
The starving dog follows the master who feeds him:
And she, the mistress, always leaves flesh on the bone
Categories:
sinew, philosophy, romance,
Form:
Free verse
MUSTANGS
The ground shudders, and shakes,
Under pounding hooves.
Echoing against canyon walls.
Fast and furious wild hearts beat,
Keeping equal pace, with the prairies,
Wide divide.
From within hell's fiery furnace,
Tempered muscle drives motions sinew.
Behold evolution's die hard breed,
Built for no other purpose except,
Excessive Speed.
Racing along at razors edge,
Accelerating testing endurance's,
Brute strength.
Mustangs roam god's vast expanse,
Deserts devils burning blazing trails.
Encounters ghostly figures, dwelling amongst,
Forbidden territories reservations.
Dust clouds shadow creatures alluding,
Humanities intensive detection.
Harnessing destiny's forgotten beasts,
Freedom's native horses challenging,
Limitless domain.
Blackened pitch melting seamlessly,
Mixing with hewed grays.
Heaven's canvas erupts.
Storms rage splits lightening’s,
Aftershock,
Herding horse flesh towards,
Maximum Resolution.
Divine specters haunting thunders,
boarder lands, slick footed range warriors.
Traveling hidden roads ancient paths.
Natures raw power hardens brutalities
Magnificence.
Rival Arabians fight to prove dominates.
One lone stallion stands, dark bristling mane,
Brushed by evenings cooling breeze.
The leader takes cliffs highest plateau.
As silences experienced guardian,
He watches cautiously.
Resting at sunsets twilight hour,
Quenching thirsts, unyielding desires.
Next to waters crystal streams they ease.
Gently relieving tension's strains
Beside one another.
Comforts unity beneath reflective,
Moonlight's softness.
Mares and colts whinny in graduates,
Thanks.
Soon it shall come upon them,
Once more.
Dawn's rays cross horizons palette,
Under universal skies.
BY: CHERYL ANNA DUNN
Categories:
sinew, adventure, america, animal, freedom,
Form:
Free verse
He tills within the buzzard's flight
this cruel land he calls his home,
ewe and wether, milk and bucket,
broken spirit, ne'er to roam.
He's stuck for good, the laws of nature
guide him, be they right or wrong,
gone his hopes and his compassion,
save for the curlew's mournful song.
Courted by the country lasses,
love can't penetrate this soul,
pain and grief his only help meets,
daily toil his only goal.
Mother, father, gone to dust now,
confidants who'd calm his fears,
struggling with a heavy heart,
internalizing all his tears.
It's back to digging, discompacting
stones and boulders from the earth,
working 'til there's no more sun
in Wales, the cradle of his birth.
Striving against the elements
he stretches every nerve and bone,
every muscle, every sinew,
'til exhaustion brings him home.
Ne'er a smile adorns his visage,
there simply is no time for this,
haggard, careworn, slave to nature,
racked by weather's wantonness.
Two weeks gone, and there they find him,
chided by the wind and rain,
cadavered and condemned to fester,
never to be sad again.
*******
...dedicated to the Welsh poet R.S. Thomas
and his book, 'Song At The Year's Turning.'
Categories:
sinew, nature,
Form:
Verse
Peaks and (valleys) of an AA
Poem may be read Whole or Peaks only and (valleys) only
As my fingers trace your silhouette mind
(Yesterday showers fell upon a gentle face)
And the strength returns straight from your love’s heart
(Today they enter the world of a different pace,)
Those your shoulders that held me safe I find
(When one you take on a roller coaster ride)
No more to dwell in life’s shadowy part
(On to heaven then deep in despair nowhere to hide.)
Everyday a stepping stone across strife
(As darkness descends upon each avenue)
Each tender touch and words spoken ring out
(Eyes adjust as guiding lamps of one’s sinew,)
Eyes that see the same yet different life
(Before the mind searches vigorously for reasons)
Your love grows in me in you there’s no doubt
(And veils of your face I see like the changing seasons.)
To take the wrong road the right path a choice
(Some days one of down hearted total dejection)
Alone there was only one direction
(Some days an offer of heavens welcoming crutch)
When in dispute one opinion one voice
(Some days with in the abyss I fall into reflection)
You did instigate life’s resurrection
(Some days from out of the darkness your hand I touch.)
In pursuit of those the headiest days
Found an alternative with wondrous ways.
© Harry J Horsman 2015
Categories:
sinew, angst, visionary,
Form:
Rhyme
A blaze of silver breached the surface,
Muscle flexed, sinew taut.
Through the raging waterfall,
Upwards struggled, strived and fought.
Her mighty tail thrusting, driving
Instinct pushing, nearly spent.
A heroic leap, she jumped again !
Over the waterfall, the salmon went.
Entry for poetry contest 248
Any topic, max 8 lines. 13/12/2016
Categories:
sinew, nature,
Form:
Rhyme
Music, Oh mysterious sprite!
Lift me to the seamless realms of delight.
Your ubiquitous presence I feel;
In the hum of crickets, in the silence of the stars,
In the falling cataracts, in the running streams,
You are there in the roaring sea breakers,
And under the swift wings of the wind.
Come as subtle vibes to saturate my being,
Winding your way through every sinew.
Enfold me in your rapturous hold,
Raising my soul to the magic of rhapsody.
Paint intangible pictures in silence,
Creating a sensation beyond the reach of words.
Let my soul savor the taste of ecstasy,
Daubing myriad hues on all ugly stains.
Land me in the sequestered pools of oases,
As the blistering sands leave burns on my soul
Oh Music! Come and fill me.
Soak me from foot to crown,
Like a falling drizzle,
Like a caressing soft wind,
Like a marauding sensation.
Drown me in the subaqueous quietude of the sea,
Levitating me through ether,
And lifting me up onto the borders of heaven!
Categories:
sinew, inspiration, joy, music, uplifting,
Form:
Ode
That's not me in that box
I'll not be shrouded
Or cushioned on silk
Do not dress me in Cotten
Perfect me for heaven
I shall let nothing contain me
As it's just a shell
All muscle and sinew
Fibre and hair
Nothing I need now
As I am
As air
That's not me in that box
Perfectly place
I'm not beautifully made up
Hands praying on chest
That's not me in that box
Nothing shall hold me
As God created me
My soul was set free
My love
That's not I
Looking like china with alabaster skin
Close your eyes, listen
Do you not see
Slight change in the atmosphere
As you stand close to me
Please say you feel the warmth on your chest
As I snuggle into you
I breath in your neck
If your fingers tingle
I'm holding your hand
I promise ill do this as long as I can
The smell of white musk
Creak on our stairs
That's me my love
I'll stay with your here
Mum, dad
It's not your girl
In a casket of oak
I can be part of the wind
Or anything I like
I can be for you
The warmth of the sun
Shimmer of leaves as dusk moves in
I'll be your comfort
As you cry and can't breath
I'll hold you up if you stumble and scream
I'll be for you
Whatever brings ease
I'll be memories of autumn, summer or spring
Tangled Christmas lights and blackberry picking
Warm hot baths
Water bottles in winter
For you I'll be anything
That could make this easier
That is not I
Sealed within oak and cushioned on silk
I am everything
As everything is me
I'll stay with you all
For as long as you need
Categories:
sinew, absence, bereavement, death,
Form:
Free verse