Best Stranded Poems
on the threshold of tomorrow
through countless sighs
i wait for you
stranded in the pools of fate
as the seconds fall grounded
like tears of all my yesterdays
in the swells of invisible ink
you shimmer in the shadows of thoughts
beneath the lambent light of this full moon
as it looms in the obscurity of clouds
on the flickers of trailing stars,
i wish for the contour of your lips
to brush against mine
my spirit is a forbidden fruit,
i lie prostrate,
perturbed by pitter, patter
of raindrops bleeding through
the windows of my soul -
only you can kill the silence
if only you were a falling star,
gravity would carry you into my hands,
we would illuminate like wild fires,
but in the deception of dawn
all that would remain is stardust -
me whispering your name
so i remain cursed
by yesterday's today, languishing
in the shadows of your ghost.
A collaboration with Silent One
on the threshold of tomorrow
through countless sighs
i wait for you
stranded in the pools of fate
as the seconds fall grounded
like tears of all my yesterdays
in the swells of invisible ink
you shimmer in the shadows of thoughts
beneath the lambent light of this full moon
as it looms in the obscurity of clouds
on the flickers of trailing stars,
i wish for the contour of your lips
to brush against mine
my spirit is a forbidden fruit,
i lie prostrate,
perturbed by pitter, patter
of raindrops bleeding through
the windows of my soul -
only you can kill the silence
if only you were a falling star,
gravity would carry you into my hands,
we would illuminate like wild fires,
but in the deception of dawn
all that would remain is stardust -
me whispering your name
so i remain cursed
by yesterday's today, languishing
in the shadows of your ghost.
Collaboration with Sandra Adams
Silent One
6 October 2019
My heart remains
At the beach
Where we sat
Looking at lights
Flicker across
The ocean bay
So late it was
But, early for us
In our journey
Bound together
By purpose
And unity
Only you,
Could understand
Such inner depth
As the waves
Kept rolling in
Not knowing,
All that will come
That death would steal
Leaving my heart
Stranded on the beach
Never quite the same
Looking to heaven
Still calling,
Out your name
Heidi Sands
4/13/21
Placed 1st with others in the Anacreontic Verse Poetry Contest.
A raging river tenaciously floods
Tannins and silts combine to dark blood
A hut, just fifty metres, occupying their sight
Two men, cold and wearied, stuck for the night
An adventure all planned, lasting a week
In the middle of nowhere with red deer to seek
Twelve-hours of hiking, commencing that day
Now trapped with some refuge a stone throw away.
Cracking of boulders being pushed by the current
Affirming the folly of crossing this torrent.
Necessities shaping a cold camp till the dawn
Just tattered old plastic, to use as an awn.
Soft moss as a bed but soaking from rain
Ferns as a pillow don’t cushion colds pain.
Dark of the evening only adds to the pall
Deaths favoured colour, as rain continues its fall
Shivering endless; bodies fighting the shock
Drops of clouds tears slowed to the tick of a clock.
Moisture still falling, no hope for them now
Prospects were mirrored by the dark of the hour
Subtly the winds whispered breathe in their ear.
Fight.
Rekindling the flames to survive their harsh plight
Packs full of food, swiftly emptied for fuel
Bodies recharged in spite of the cool.
Rain in the dark hours continued to pour
Sounds from the river commenced to fair roar,
First crack of dawn and they got up and away
Wilderness wins this particular day.
*Based on a true story however my companion and I were stuck in the elements
for 2 days and nights. Another river flooded and blocked our exit.*
Santa and reindeer's were very tired,
they had one more area left to do.
This last place was very big,
it's name was Florida.
They must come in over land,
hitting the water they will make a huge splash.
Rudolph must see the tall lighthouse,
a bright light lighting their way.
It was a hard landing on the sand,
the sled broke.
Sunny Florida with warm temperatures,
a great place for Santa to be stranded.
Encased in darkness
neither here there anywhere,
locked in misery
a reminder each day
the devil keeps his promise.
© Harry J Horsman 2012
The crescent moons of the auburn sky
The acid rain clouds dance, purple, by
The air it stings as I respirate
A strange howling noise as the storms berate
This tempestuous land, a million clicks from home
My genes robust; Seventh Generation Clone
As I stand here longing for the ship's repair
To accelerate, under robot's care
For the time is short as the signal's down
Only two more sols. We MUST leave the ground
A hundred brothers and sisters too
We escaped our home as the lucky few
In our AI ships under proton power
Left in final days of the meteor shower
With just enough time to load species galore
Under Ark Project VII, just like Noah, once more.
With hope we can find an Eden like Earth
Only this time we'll treasure, for all she is worth
From blog,
That Life Extends Its Seeds Beyond Our Mortal Coils,
Wherein Truth And Light Sets A Saving Path
My Dylan Tribute poem,
Second poem
Man Is More Than A Vessel Stranded Out At Sea,
Second Tribute Poem to Dylan Thomas
That life may floweth into sad years of old age
Flailing against savage cuts that bring frothing rage
We in our mortal weakness are but flesh and bone
Oft sailing within storms as world's darkness is blown
Seeking life and wonderment on every page
Even if a lost actor on an empty stage
Railing against Time and Fate, and the great unknown
Only to have dreams trampled and peace overthrown!
Whether in the midst of ones' life and joy thus brought
Or befuddled by the chaos of lies when caught
Heart and soul must act as caretaker of ones' life
Wake to thank the morn, overcome the daily strife
Remember that life is a most precious gift
And life sets mystic patterns that eternally shift
Look at the beaming sun, speak well thanking each day
Search for happiness with sincere praise bow to pray!
In this mortal life walk a true and peaceful path
Try to avoid those steeped in rampaging wrath
Search deep for the magnificent bounty of love
Ever look skyward, plead for blessings from above
Hold to the wisdom- life tis a sweet gift from God
For the truth is upon this dark earth we must trod
Man is more than a vessel stranded out at sea
There is a close link between Heaven, God and thee!
Robert J. Lindley, 12-29-2020
Rhyme, ( In Life, Good And Bad Are The Perils We Must Face )
Second Tribute poem to Dylan Thomas..
Note :
After being stumped for days -this came to me this morn.
Spent the day, rewriting and editing. Finally decided that
this is it. As a poet I have said what I wanted and thus
honored the man, the poet as to the best of my ability
to do so… This came after 3 other poems were written
and then trashed.. God bless..
No signal on phone.
Car broke down where nobody goes.
No water have I.
Desert-parched - Lord - I’m so alone.
Written: June 24, 2023
______________________________________________________________
Sadness erupts; who is suffering sails?
In the depths where hope once dwelled.
A vessel that was gone, love's dying exhale
Lost by the cruel hand of fate, they were felled.
Surf cracks at the damaged husk plea,
Pull me! It conveys a pathetic guarantee.
But the sea, relentless as it is, carries on.
Indifferent to the ship's mournful song.
Lost love, a haunting melody,
Echoing through the depths of the sea.
Life's achromatic; living color pales,
As tears sew a sad tapestry on a stirred sail.
Grief, a relentless tide, washes ashore.
Windswept memories muck line the floor.
Every grain of sand is a painful reminder.
Of a love that once burned, is lost in the fire.
The winds retch your name, sandblasted and biting.
As the soul of the stranded keeps on fighting.
Whispers carried on the bitter breeze,
Echoes of a love that's brought to its knees
But in the depths of anguish, a glimmer of light
As the soul of the stranded takes flight.
Through the storm and the sorrow, it finds its way.
To a place where love's colors never fade.
In the swag of sadness, it weaves a radical thread.
Finding strength in the tears that were shed
The whispers of the stranded soul rise.
Carried by the wind, reaching for the skies.
And as the waves crash and the winds subside,
The stranded soul finds solace in the tide.
Though the pain may linger, the love remains.
In memories that ebb and flow as gentle rains.
My long train journey late at night
I take this route each day,
With heavy eyes I gently doze
The engine chugs away.
Suddenly there is a judder,
the train’s brakes are applied.
Roof lights flicker; they slowly fade -
it’s now a scary ride!
My heart is pounding like a drum
I try to remain calm.
The engine driver’s message says
there’s no cause for alarm.
We’re stuck in the carriage for hours;
my cell phone gives us light.
Engineers work to fix the train
we’re stuck until midnight!
The main thing everyone is safe;
our journey was delayed.
I’d used my phone to call my mum
so her nerves were not frayed!
Stuck Contest
Sponsored by Sara Kendrick
Form Poulter’s Measure
8,6,8,6 checked with how many syllables.
09-23-17
I went up river in a canoe.
I had no paddles. I was all thumbs.
I scuttled her in the foothills;
the valley air chokes me.
I tried to drown but was too
resilient. I foraged for food.
I made water from jumble ice
in my seasoned stygian skillet.
I tried to sleep through it all
but became resistive to the valerian
root. I’m no Rip Van Winkle.
I’ve lived this way for 1,080 days. . .
I live this way still. . .
tears roll down your cheeks like pyramids of deflation
i never know how to fix it, so i choose to listen
what i discover are emotions that are oftentimes stranded in the rain of routine
we need to get the blood of our origin flowing again
knowing this, i reintroduce myself as that shy guy you met and fell in love with years ago
you, in return, let your hair down and put that same flower in your hair....on the left side
you then reintroduce yourself and we begin to playfully flirt and reveal new things about ourselves
it is somewhere in the heart of all the rediscovery that we begin to know each other again
the rain of routine stops when the TV is turned off and our ears are retuned in order to naturally and genuinely listen
our hearts begin to skip beats like jovial pebbles thrown from an inquisitive kid's hand
we renew and revitalize the love so tainted by the acidic stain of dissipation
laughter permeates the room in our minds like skyscrapers of inflation
Greased, thoughtful, sad but..
generating beauty from sadness
Saturating the body in the earths finest ales,
Sound waves as variable as the sea,
Breaking at chance intervals of..
unnerving calm.
Almost like cutting through foam,
where pockets of air appear from nowhere,
allowing sounds to reverberate around the gaps provided.
I am bound for home,
A little after midnight
After an earthly nightly owl,
Over wines, songs and dances
The wee hours till we adjourned.
While driving in a wooded area
When a sudden downpour
With a big thunder climaxed me around
With total darkness and a blackout prevailed
Then, my car slowed to a stop
And stranded in the middle of nowhere
Oh, I have an empty fuel, my goodness!
This very untimely and unfortunate
Opportune misgiving on my part!
Thinking of some of my remedial intuitions
My cell phone is dead!
At last, a car light at my back
Perhaps a law enforcer
Or, maybe somebody came to a rescue
A loud knock at my left window
Pointing my flashlight where the knock came
I saw a… lady in a white gown smiling at me!!
Dalila Agtani 4/26/12
Entered in a contest:
Sponsor Gail Doyle
Contest Name: Stranded