Best Time Honored Poems


An Affair With Nature

Pass onto this thinking place
Pristine with luster and rhythmic textures
Bath in its heart-warming splendor
Here in this monolithic emerald patchwork
This relationship consoles your psyche
A pluck from here, a collection from there
A rack of tools and an now idle straw-hat 
From the loam to dust that stick upon your shoes
A place to conceal with an atmosphere 
Contiguous to the eyes embracing and rich
Time honored in its entirety
Carefully romanced by birds and creatures alike
I found you here in a home of comforts
Now your essence is complete 
Behold the gardens of light and sound 
As perfect as the gift given to man 
A portrait flowering a secrete of love
Its scenery influences your center 
Today and always 
A thinking place
With a reflecting pool
Categories: time honored, nature, places, seasons
Form: Free verse

Premium Member The Old Scribe

his tired eyes yet sparkled with the love of his craft
a love steeped in awe and fear of its impact
the hunched shoulders hovered o'er each stroke of his pen
a quill dipped in an inkwell lined with holy men

frayed ritual fringes swaying this way and that
humming a wordless melody as a zaydie will do
midst reverie about heavenly angels he's winking at
or recalling a tender moment with his grandson of two

but of a sudden, all's darkness
zaydie's head thuds on his workbench
his lamp extinguished for aye ~
the noble craft of a mensch



                 June 27, 2020
        The Old Scribe Poetry Contest
            Sponsor: Craig Cornish
_________________________________________________________
Notes:   The Jewish 'scribe' (sofer) was and is a time-honored profession

            'zaydie' is Yiddish for grandfather
             a 'mensch' is Yiddish for a person of honor, integrity

             No capital letters were used, in order to help convey the
           innate modesty of a scribe of holy books.
Categories: time honored, grandfather, grandson, love, words,
Form: Verse

My Old Barn

I love my old barn because it brings back memories galore...
I started playing there before I knew what memories were for.

The barn was there before I came to be...
And great grandparents preserved it so their descendants could see.

Good times, bad times, it's seen them all...
Winter and summer and the harvest in the fall.

Each nail, each board and the bird nests too...
There is a time honored tradition in an old barn like you.

I love my old barn because it keeps my feet on the ground...
I even get excited when it creeks and moans and makes it's mournful sound.

There is a spiritual connection one finds there...
And a heart full of prayer fills the air.

                            TK<
Categories: time honored, farm, happiness, memory,
Form: Free verse

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry


Darling Grandmother

Darling Afghan grandmother, your weary hands narrates a somber tale
Your bowed head discloses your day by day yearning ail
You have masked your happiness deep under your time-honored veil
Oblivious-- that your offspring’s will follow your footprints-- and abide by this wretched 
trail.
Anosha Zereh
© Roya Zereh  Create an image from this poem.
Categories: time honored, age, analogy, care, family,
Form: Rhyme

Premium Member America, Where Are You

I don't digress, my search is true
Land that I love, where are you?

The freedoms that so richly rang 
From every mountain top
I stretch my ear until I strain
Still I can hear them not.

The pledge we held so very dear
I hardly recognize
Our God who made all possible
We've grossly put aside.

In offense to the forefathers
Some even dare to change
That great time-honored document
The one that bears their names.

How long can we hope to stand
On a foundation grown corrupt
Indeed the blind now lead the blind
We're headed for a bitter cup.

And so I race to find a trace
Of that America
The one I knew and loved so well
When I was growing up

I'll not digress my search is true
Land that I love, where are you?


RETA PRUITT
September 15, 2016
Categories: time honored, america, angst, emotions, patriotic,
Form: Dramatic Verse

Premium Member Of People and Things That Hurt Parishes

You will begin to see yourself as spiritual support for all the
Good work being done 
Through your parish if you can stay away from the following:

Negativity: Negativity usually starts with a few disgruntled
people who complain about virtually everything
Can spread like wildfire
 The best way to deal with negativity is to address it head-on
by asking some key questions

Gossip: Gossip is negativity directed at a person or a group
of people in the parish
 Every parish has gossip-mongers whose own insecurity drives them to put others down as a way of feeling better about themselves
 The best way to deal with them is directly by asking why others really need to know the things they share
Or by asking how others can help the person whose reputation is at stake
Or by just
Ignoring it

Cliques: Sadly, people involved in a clique usually don’t think
of themselves as “cliquish.” They’ve just been running things for so long
that they rely on the same people over and over to help Sometimes they just need a friendly reminder to invite others
Newcomers also often benefit—and help the parish

Refusal to change: Tradition is good
But when parishioners become too rigid or too liberal about how the way things have “always been done” 
A parish can quickly begin to decline
Change is never easy
Try to find a balance that will maintain some time-honored traditions
Including devotional practices
While incorporating new ways of doing things and involving new people in doing them
No parish is perfect
Even the best parishes can improve
Imagine what would happen if every person in the parish did one little thing to make the parish better!
Categories: time honored, christian, devotion, faith, god,
Form: List


Human Campfire Legacy

" Human Campfire Legacy ... "

( Gen. 2: 4 / Gen. 3: 24 / Ex. 13: 21 )
( Ex. 3: 2 / Rev. 22: 5, 6 )


All & Every Family of Man
Must Have Gathered Around Campfires
Telling Stories of Dreams & Dramas of Life
(Tho' Some of Them Have Been Liars) ...

... Gathered Around Great Campfires
At The End of Sunlit Days
Gathered Close, Around Warm Campfires
To Hear What Storytellers Had To Say ...

... of Fantasy Or Forecasts Around The Flames
Feeling Protected By It Bonfire-Blaze
Or Gazing At Each Familiar, Glowing Face
... Gathered Around A Family's Fireplace

Such Was This Ancient Entertainment
Throughout Time & Tongues of Tribes
Telling Histories, Heritage, Legends, Myths & Fables
In Oratories of Bards & Scribes ...

" I Saw Four Men Living Out On The Street
Gathered Around A Big, Smoking Fire-Barrel
Their Hands Outstretched To Its Flames
To Ward Off The World's Ice-Age-Peril ...

One Was Gesturing & Speaking To The Others
And They Began To Uproariously Laugh ...
It Was Then, That I Saw A Glimpse of
How Mankind 'Sticks To' Campfires-Past " ...

... Gathered Around A Flickering Campfire
See, There Is Nothing New Under The Sun
And When Earth's Great Star, Staircases-Down
Man, Still Gathers 'Round Fires' Heated-Fun ...

So If You Find Yourself At A Campsite
Indulging In Its Ritual Tradition
of Looking & Listening To Campfire Tales
Or Gathered 'Round A Television ...

... It's A Long-Time-Honored, Human Custom
To Gather Around Warm Campfires
From Tents To Huts - To Applianced-Homes
Or In Palaces of Great Empires ...

The Civilizations of The Family of Man
Must Have Gathered Around Campfires
Telling-Visions of Dreams & Dramas of Life
In High-Def  ... 3-D, Wire-Pyres ...

In Conflagrations & Rubbed Frictions of Man
Gathered & Chronicled Thru Sparks of Campfires
Some Became Skilled At Fairytales & Folklore
& Yes, Some Were Just Branded - Burnt Liars)
( Rom. 3: 4  /  1 Tim. 4: 1, 7 )

                                                                
 Written & Copyrighted ©:  5/20/2014
            by:  MoonBee  Canady
Categories: time honored, allegory, family, fire, history,
Form: Light Verse

Premium Member How To Get a Dame

The time has come to inform my boy
    and pass along the flame.
The secret of a mystery solved 
    on how to get a dame.
'Your looks are key as they set the tone 
    if you intend to flirt.
Chicks will sigh and their knees grow weak 
    when in your muscle shirt.

Inhibitions gone, they may faint 
    when showing off your guns.
Give them room as they may fall 
    when flexing both your buns.
There are many ways to achieve the goal 
    and meet the fairer sex.
One sure way that never fails... 
    is to talk about you Ex.

Go on and on how you love her still 
    and extol your broken heart.
Of good times past, of great things done, 
    she was a work of art.
Peak her interest and speak of the virtue 
    of the life you led.
But most of all... her interests lie 
    in how she was in bed.

Another way is to take her places 
    you've never been before.
Like galleries, the opera 
    and the dentist you abhor.
You could try cooking if money's tight 
    when strapped by alimony.
What woman living? Would not be pleased 
    with a cold plate of beefaroni.

Still not enough and she's unconvinced 
    that you might be the guy.
When she turns to flee, the stage is set 
    and the time has come to lie.
You tell her now of things you've done 
    as an Alpha Male.
Of flying jets and curing cancer 
    but not your time in jail.

If you're shy, just hide that fact 
    and avoid acting too polite.
Just drink too much as most chicks dig
    a drunk man in a fight.
She will start to swoon as her eyes grow big, 
    it's time you played your hand.
The simple fact remains... you forgot to say
    that you're a singer in a band.

These are time honored ways by men 
    who know... of things a little shady.
But the results have merit and your chances good 
    of picking up a lady.'
My boy takes a pause as he begins to say,
     'I think you should atone.
This may explain why to this day, 
    you're still living all alone.'

                    The End

*For those interested. I will be posting my cartoon 'Bob's your Uncle' on my homepage. A new one will appear every second day.
Categories: time honored, funny, humor, humorous,
Form: Rhyme

Premium Member End of An Era

A time-honored system of old
Pegged cold cash to ounces of gold
But that’s not now true
Strong dollars are through    
The treasure at Fort Knox is mold
Categories: time honored, funny, political
Form: Limerick

Premium Member Time Honored River

Sunsets golden rays burst through peaks displaying the time honored river.




for Rick's contest
6-1-11
Categories: time honored, nature
Form: Monoku

Creatures of Habit

What adorable creatures of habit we are
from our daily sweet routines we never stray far
When a wrench is thrown in our time honored gladness
it brings about a delightful madness

To be odd, to make strange, upset the rituals
to do what is different, to make it habitual
Watch as the masses they squirm and condemn
watch as the comfort is drawn out from them

Watch them stammer with fury when you ask “why not? It's fun”
as they answer, robotic, with a silly “simply not done”
The foolish, the simple, the ones with closed and set minds
have no just reasoning to tell what “correct” should define

What adorable creatures of habit they are
from their daily routines they never stray far
When I throw a wrench in their time honored regularity
I watch the madness spread; the sweet peculiarity
Categories: time honored, crazy, me, mental illness,
Form: Quatrain

The Rose

The Rose
For twenty-one decades harsh
Her bush begat just thorn;
Bereft of fragrant petal sweet
her time-honored adorn.

She came with hope, dignified;
amid pomp and revelry.
Righteous sons, absent long;
leave her bare for all to see.

Unable to further bear the
grim burden borne so long
She weeps in piteous despair
My Beloved, yea I’ve done wrong

Recall, tho’, I was your bride;
The solemn oath You swore.
Our love can suffer no wane
exile me no more.

Your pain is mine o precious one
Her beloved doth proclaim;
Our devotion has ever burnt
A love-kindled flame

To all eyes it did appear
Your beloved turned aside
I clung to you, your broken heart,
all the while, my precious bride.

Your tormentors I shall avenge
Ten plagues of recompense
Over the threshold of our love
I will carry you hence.

Eternal love endures the sting
Of doubt’s bitter embrace.
Stand now with lifted head
at my side; your rightful place.

No more tears of sorrow spilt;
joyous laughter in their stead.
Accompany me to Sinai;
With sacred gift I thee wed
© Jay Herman  Create an image from this poem.
Categories: time honored, religion, love, me,
Form: Quatrain

Premium Member Tunnel of Understanding -- and Love

The time had arrived to dig my tunnel.
My vision was full now, full and complete.
I knew what to strive for, knew where to reach:
I'd dig a tunnel to Understanding, a vision sweet,
A Tunnel where Friends and Lovers could meet.

I'd select my tools with wisdom, with care and delight:
First I'd choose 'Listening with Both Ears,'
and with 'All of my Might'
   To fully comprehend everything uttered,
   To show each and every speaker
   That his words I did hear,
   That his thoughts I held dear.  

Then I'd pick 'Empathy,' to bond with each speaker,
   To walk a mile in his shoes,
   To have been there, done that,
   So he'd really trust me
   To offer support and sage counsel
   Because, yes, I really did have a clue.

And last but not least, I'd pick 'Patience and Toleration,'
Two virtues nearly lost in this generation,
But vital to Friendship, to cementing of Trust,
To sustain Relationships that never go bust.

I'd take these tools to the Launch-site and dig
Out the dirt---the gossip, the backbiting,
The Lies, the Taunts, and all of the Slander,
The jealous resentments---replace them with Candor.
   And once I had managed to finally remove
   All the brambles, all the thistles and thorns,
   I'd plant flowers and greenery, sweet peas and corn.
      I'd line the walls of the tunnel with soft tenderness,
      To ward off predators, to keep out the pests,
      Exchanging sewage for sunshine to warm up the nest.

~Yes, using time-honored tools from Heaven Above,
I'd create my tunnel, my vision, of Peace, Friends and Love.
Categories: time honored, friendship, love, peace,
Form: Rhyme

Dulcis Poetas

the headiness of now
swirl of keystroke and ideal
new pages
new thoughts
flying on ether
buoyed by excited neutrons
flared by the plasma
of a thousand faceless pens
type it
spill it
splash it on out with a careless eye
falling slow on burning diodes
bundled up
like a mind's autumn harvest
fed to a soul's hearth
dripping with embers
spilt out sooted and crisp
acrid, yet sweetly
an incensical fog
ladled out
from that conjuring elsewhere
sharp as raw silage
sweet as the dew
gathered
gather it
grasp it and renew
bottled summer still shining
uncorked and flown true
so shed the word wonder
baring all the mind's eye
as rapt galleries wait breathless
for every poet's emotional try
rhyme it
(or not)
choose time honored formats
(or not)
but truth be it told
rhyme scheme and meter
can be both lover and shackle
but in matters of the prose
dip your heart
deep into that rarefied font
and evaporate
into
honeyed fog banks
of verse...
Categories: time honored, inspiration,
Form: Free verse

Premium Member Rudolph the Brown Nosed Reindeer

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the stable,

Not a reindeer was stirring upsetting Old Santa's timetable!
 
Sitting on their haunches were Donner, Comet, Cupid and Prancer,

And joining them in a snit were Dasher, Vixen, Blitzer and Dancer!

Rudy, that prima donna, relaxed in his stall, well out of sight,

Preening and shining his nose, preparing to lead tonight's flight.

'Twas well-known that Rudy was Santa's pet of all the reindeer,

Since he was seen by the others schmoozing with Santa all thro' the year.

Hence, he was known as Rudolph the Brown Noser by his envious peers,

Instead of Rudolph the Red Noser which was time-honored in past years.

Since early July the sprites had worked overtime out-doing themselves;

Alas, Santa's sleigh sat idle full of goodies loaded by hard-driven elves.

The cantankerous deer allowed there was no settlement yet near,

So said Santa, "Get this show on the road! Rudy will lead the herd this year!"

Santa set up a system to draw straws as leader for all subsequent Yules,

And if this didn't work, he threatened to replace them with a span of mules!

Entry for Joseph May's "The Night Before" Contest
Categories: time honored, christmas, humorous,
Form: Rhyme
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter