Best Sixteen Poems
From sixteen to sixty you have loved me
I have loved you
Destined to share this life together
A blessed fulfilled life… tried and true!
Together we have grown into adulthood
A loyal team side by side
Conquered all life handed us
Each other’s support and guide
We have agreed and disagreed
Gained life knowledge along the way
Through all of these life’s moments
Side by side we constantly stayed
Humour and laughter a daily occurrence
Playfulness, fun and silly times
Constantly making each other laugh
Our minds and spirits aligned
I could never imagine life with another
Or my life ever without you
Even just the thought of you not in my life
Generates anguish through and through
Thankyou for loving me so well
Always ensuring I am happy and safe
Side by side with you in this lifetime
Will forever be my place…
Hey little kiddies, have you heard this story
Bout the Teddy Bear who could count up to fifty
Only problem was, the numbers weren't in order
But his Bear friends all thought he was nifty
He'd start out, “one... fifty-two... sixteen... two”
Mama Bear said he was doing just fine
Didn't want to hurt her little guy's feelings
She knew he'd figure it out in good time
“He'll learn them before he grows up,” she thought
When it's important to get numbers straight
Like when he's buying honey for his sweetie
And the store sign says five ninety-eight
At first he would count out nine eighty-five
Now that was too much for the honey
Then he remembered what Mama Bear taught him
And gave the man the right amount of money
You can find him going around counting all day
He goes, “one... fifty-two... sixteen... two”
And laughs when Mama Bear gets all flustered
Then says, “one... two... three... fooled you!”
I fell in love with the Sixteen Zero Three when I was eight.
I was fifty-eight before someone located the owners who had moved on
Thirty-nine years had passed since anyone had inquired.
I had coveted the idea of owning this monster for half a century!
“That old Jackson place?” “Are you crazy?” “Who would live there?”
“It’ll be a money pit.” “You’ll lose all of your savings.”
What did they think I had been saving money for anyway?
“It has ghosts.” This from a man who had never been inside.
Frankly, it made the idea more appealing.
The front door creaked with a loud eeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh
The prissy realtor in her red half heels looked too clean to be there.
I wanted to push past her but socialized, I waited.
The place was dark, even with the lights on. All of the lights on.
The realtor did not tell me about the rumors or the killing there.
She hoped that I did not know, but I did. I had been in touch
With my ghost hunting side for a long time. Three ghosts said “hi”.
I kept it to myself and signed the paper.
Sixteen Zero Three Huntington Court was mine at last and so were they!
“Not that one!” a fourth spirit said. The others were shushing him.
“I am not kidding, she is going to change everything!” He whined.
I turned and winked at him. Nearly causing him to fall off the staircase.
“It’s like you are already home,” one of the female ghosts said.
“Oh, honey,” I whispered to her telepathically, “If you only knew.”
I had lived in this house during the Civil War, and we had lost it.
I remembered that lifetime as well as my name.
“She’s TROUBLE!” the Rebel soldier hissed. I winked at him again.
We both knew I was bringing a whole new aspect to my new house.
We are young
Love to sing the red maple’s sorrow
Love to ask why people are so busy
Love teasing merchants as they crazily whooped
Sometimes we see sparrow’s head overturned
We will laugh all day long
Life is dancing with the cloud and moon
Poetry is the vintage
Drunk together with sunset
The days passed, nonsense with reveries
The old prophet read my palm prints
He saw a great success in my future
But, what if it lost its tune, just like a song
No more applause and I will be totally alone
On Turning Sixteen
At sixteen seconds you cried
And so did I
At sixteen minutes
I held you and you held me
by the heart
At sixteen hours
We were heading home
and our family now
numbered four
At sixteen days
Our family was conflicted
Our little man now had a
problem; daddy had another
child in his life …
At sixteen weeks things
Were getting crazy
Long nights, loud nights
Son and daughter now
Starting to find companionship
Comforting.
At sixteen months
little sister stare,
her hero brother.
Steps becoming strong and sure
Beautiful golden-brown hair
The skin, the smile on waking,
Umber eyes
At sixteen years
Driver’s license
Self-assurance, doubt
Edge of womanhood
Brother and sister BFF
Fleeting childhood
Undying love
Happy Birthday
To Ceci from Dad on her 16th birthday (7/01). Much Love.
Sixteen candles on a cake,
A special wish still to make.
It seems like only yesterday,
You were but a child at play.
Now you stand almost grown,
The years ahead for you to own.
The sky's the limit for you, my dear,
So dream your dreams and don't you fear.
For now just bask in youthful glow,
Take a breath, make a wish, and blow.
3/9/21
Written for my granddaughter Hannah's 16th birthday.
How is it going?
I hope life is still as flowing
because it isn't right now.
At fourteen, you only get faults and fouls.
Will you look back at me today
and laugh in a despising way?
What will you do, who will you meet?
Are you still willing to help the beggars on the street?
Is your heart full of passion or has it turn cold?
Do you praise yourself or do you still scold?
Do you still see the world in blackish white or reddish blue?
Do you still want to bid your sadness adieu?
Are you alone right now, do you remember me?
If you don't, then please look at the willow tree.
You know which one, it's behind our lawn.
I carved my name on it before December's dawn.
If you look at the initials you might recall
the memories you had of me and him late that fall.
Maybe you aren't as innocent as you were any more
but that's okay because life wouldn't be such a bore.
Tell me about yourself, tell me what's going on.
I want to know if you still visit that lake of swans,
that wooden tree house and that fort made of vines.
I want to know everything, isn't anything fine?
In two years, you'll tell it all
but hey, no one's stopping me from breaking the walls.
I want to know my future, I want to know you
so I will be aware of what I'll shortly go through.
Hopefully I'll get a reply soon,
probably on my birthday, some time in June.
You'll write to me and solve the mystery
that once was hope, but built your history.
~17-12-2012
this sweet sixteen self should not dare sail away from the safe habour
no matter how sweet-talking boys are or archaic parents sound
it has dumped dollies for ‘fun’ boys and has privileges and rights
but one day it has to unlearn the habit of turning on lights for
romantic rather than economic reasons when other sixteens’
ballooning bellies heave in sight because of boys` menacing
lethal guns or when their bodies lose their natural radiance
because debauchery has ruthlessly ravaged them and turned
their age absolutely upside-down
with moderation and vision and honesty l have to enjoy life
because time flies faster than a silhouetted butterfly
18 December 2012
The year fifteen has gone away
It’s memories scattered still
The year sixteen has come to stay
I must remember each new day
And each life and new thrill
The year fifteen has gone away
A life is worth all they say
friendship blends love and skill
The year sixteen has come to stay
I’ll work some and then I’ll play
life of love; mine to fill
The year fifteen has gone away
I want to live for each new day
spread my love and goodwill
The year sixteen has come to stay
I cheer a brand new year today
hopeful heart you will fulfill
The year fifteen has gone away
The year sixteen has come to stay
The Attic
Sewing machine, long idle, gathered dust
in this old attic of dear grandma's home.
So dark, a lighted candle is a must;
here in this place, I feel so all alone.
I come across sweet Grandma's wedding gown
inside a wooden trunk, with photos too.
They look so young...I feel a tear roll down
to see the happiness that they once knew.
The war years seemed like only yesterday
to Gramps, who left this earth three years ago.
And here I find his medals on display...
the combat gear he wore is stacked below.
And now they are together...Grandma passed
five days ago...was buried near their park.
Now I, my precious memories, hold fast...
the candle sputtered, spent, and all was dark.
Sandra M. Haight
~4th Place~
Contest: One Nine and Sixteen
Sponsor: Viv Wigley
Judged: 09/02/2018
Rules: Write a sixteen line poem, using the three lines below.
Line 1 'Sewing machine, long idle, gathered dust'
Line 9 'The war years seemed like only yesterday'
Line 16 'The candle sputtered, spent, and all was dark'
The sewing machine, long idle, gathered dust
Under the circling motes, bright in the sunlight.
This house ravaged by war left to its self,
The family, unhappily, were all killed in the last raid.
This happy home where love abounded
Mother and children faced the trying time alone.
Man of the house had been away fighting,
A photograph still swung drunkenly on the wall.
The war years seemed like only yesterday
The town has so many pieces to pick up.
Many houses, empty just like this one
Needed to house the growing homeless.
These are for people lost all in the war,
So carrying a lit candle each room was inspected.
Boxes were ticked on the form carried...job complete,
The candle sputtered, spent, and all was dark.
Penned 13/4/2018
Contest...one, nine and sixteen...Viv Wigley
"Mmmmmmm" Lilac nectar
Flying high - designer winged
Madame butterfly
With no idea none at all of what to do,
were sixteen hundred soldiers counted newly dead.
Ask sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue,
How many more to muster, murder; though untrue
the reasons given? Gone where angels fear to tread,
with no idea none at all of what to do.
Unconcerned for what is lost or even who…
just "Collateral Damage"... that is what they said
at sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue.
From hollow oath the young men follow through
as "Cannon Fodder"… aren't they "lives" instead,
with no idea none at all of what to do,
What loss of value, freedom. Dressed Red, White, and Blue
now shades of ghostly grey except where they have bled,
Tell sixteen hundred Pennsylvania avenue.
We waited as if deaf and blind to what we knew,
Now sixteen hundred to untimely death have sped
with no idea none at all of what to do.
Tell sixteen hundred Pennsylvania avenue.
What a Sweet Sixteen;
I sit alone.
I stand alone.
I walk alone.
I eat alone.
I sing alone.
I read alone.
I write alone.
I AM alone.
Happy Birthday to me...