Best Toilsome Poems
Sisyphus pushes his rock up hill
While Atlas bears his load.
Damned by the ire of capricious gods,
Forced down a toilsome road.
And so it is with the gods of thrill
Who trap and hold you fast
With opioids and images,
Perniciously unsurpassed!
Beware the promise of wealth or skill
Contained in a bottle brown.
Hold to the rod of simple truth
Lest you be taken down!
June 29, 2017
Categories:
toilsome, drug, mythology,
Form:
Quatrain
I wish to be the gentle breeze
Sweeping tearful eyes
Of the weary midday flower.
Or to be the horrid shadow
Casting fearful darkness
For a passer-by to rest.
A rippling river of white
I wish to be the one
Drenching thirst of arid earth.
Or to be a dancing wave
Of the mighty sea
Playing with a child.
A guild of fleeting clouds
Hiding splendid sun
For a homeless soul,
Or the canopy of green
Thwarting rain for a home,
I wish to be the one.
I wish to be a cresset
Guiding glimpse of hope
In the prosaic paths of pangs
Or to be a firefly
In the dim toilsome journey
Of a soul to his divine home.
Categories:
toilsome, emotions, imagination,
Form:
Free verse
Life is a dangerous struggle
Full of inconsistencies, challenges and pains
Life is not fair even to the fair skinned
The dark skinned are not faring better either
In everyone's backyard a little rain must drop
Whatever be your lot, set your goals and go for it.
In life, even the rich also cry
The poor in pains and agonies cries ceaselessly
The middle class have no problems 'cause they never existed
The orphans on the street go bare footed and hungry
Everyone is plagued by this turbulent journey called life
Whatever be your lot, set your goals and go for it.
Life is an endless and unpleasant adventure
Ending in one phase and continues in another phase
Beggers beg and no one gives to them
Widows cry and no one hears their voice
Everyone is caught up in this crazy web called life
Whatever be your lot, set your goals and go for it
In life, the religious are not the righteous
The righteous looks rough and rugged
Unnoticed because they have no class
For long we have been in this turmoil called life
And it has promised to continue unabated, no end at sight
Whatever happens, set your goals and go for it
The smart acts smartly by running away
They cross the sea, the Mediterranean sea
Unfortunately, you can't run away from life
Run away from it here and you will meet it there
Even though we're here, I know we'll soon be there
Only if we can set our goals and go for it
Life is everywhere, has no friends, has no foes
Life rewards, reproved and reprimands
Everyone is lotted opportunities in life
And it's their responsibility to take them
The faithful pray while the unfaithful prey
Whatever you do, set your goals and go for it
Life has no end, life has no beginning
Life is an omen, the omen never lies
Life keeps everyone busy on their own lane
Though some lanes are fast, some are slow
But ultimately every vehicle gets to its destination
Only if we can just set our goals and go for it
Life cares for no one, Life is hostile
Life is an excruciating and toilsome lot
Imperfect Life preaches perfection
Unfortunately, no one needs perfection
We're all trapped in this vicious cycle called Life
Whatever be your lot, set your goals and go for it
Categories:
toilsome, confidence, courage, dream, encouraging,
Form:
Prose Poetry
Remembering Dad’s animated Cowboy tales
Along lyrics, bearing words, “My pony and me”
I would imagine his youth's toilsome farm travails
while making the best of life midst struggles and glee.
In our place where Cowboy lifestyle means “hard, yet free”
we’re trained to be tough when difficulty assails
overcoming shyness against arrogance spree
staying honest upon what truthfulness entails.
Such is Cowboy perspective that my father hails
leaving us his legacy, trusting God* we should be
celebrating past triumphs though memory fails
sharing down-to-earth experiences, with learning as key.
*Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
January 30, 2021
4th place, "Cowboy Poetry" Contest
Sponsored by Line Gauthier; judged on 2/3/2021.
Categories:
toilsome, appreciation, character, christian, god,
Form:
Cowboy Poetry
Likened to a beast of burden
I groan with back breaking strain
weary laden and fraught with pain
working mightily in vain
under this black powder rain.
‘Tween strife, sweat and stain
I pour out my waning strength
time drags on for hours at length
while black powder keeps a'raining
down on me.
For lo’ my weary, calloused hands
are ever searching for black gold
a toilsome task to mine and claim
dark riches from hardened veins
as I labor under black powder rain.
Buried in a pit of purgatory
I hear the clangs and cries
picks and axes, unrelenting
grit and odors, foul, stagnanting
low bending, beneath this
ominous black powder rain.
As I suffocate in darkness
I hear sorrow's sad refrain
ringing loud and all around me
as I beat earth's unyielding crust
trapped in god forsaken dust
slowly drowning, underneath
this black powder rain.
Written on 11/8/2018
Categories:
toilsome, life, work,
Form:
Free verse
MY NAME MEANS BLESSED
For gift of life indeed precious
Packed with love and care, so gracious
My heart exclaims praise magnitude…
Blessed, I give God my gratitude.
Pardoned against guilt’s misery
Rescued from bitterness fury
My soul exalts grace-abundance…
Blessed, I gain peaceful assurance.
Cheered up to face toilsome hardship
While ushered for earnest worship
My faith beholds miracles' might…
Blessed, I pray to God with delight.
Striving for sublime contentment
Through my heavenly engagement
My spirit trusts the Saviour's Word…
Blessed, I conquer by divine sword.
With triumphant stewardship zeal
Bearing fruits midst prayerful seal
My service seeks God's approval
Blessed*, I share kindness' revival.**
*Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
**Last two stanzas were added after poem was judged.
August 27, 2023
Honorable Mention, "ETYMOLOGY - the meaning of your name" Poetry Writing Contest; Sponsored by Suzette Richards; judged on 9/6/2023.
Categories:
toilsome, appreciation, blessing, christian, faith,
Form:
Lyric
Stillness soothes sweet
Grace grooms grand greet
Prime placid peace
Embrace end ease
Bright blessings bloom
Glimpse greatness groom
Niche nimble night
Sense succinct sights
Calm candour cheers
Treat troubles tear
Lines living lot
Praise puzzles plot
Worth weathers wine
Frame fancy fine
Treat tasty thought
Speed spreading spot
Taste toilsome tact
Aim awesome act
Love lingers long
Slumber seeds strong
Curious charm comes
Spell soothing sums
Vibrant verse voice
Prune pleasant poise
Start sayings sound
Gain gracious grounds
Leon Enriquez
02 January 2015
Singapore
Categories:
toilsome, beauty,
Form:
Alliteration
If you'll have an indomitable endurance,
it will lead your life towards success.
Successful people do not do different things,
they just do things differently,
they love patients, but hate disease
they love poor, hate poverty
they love peace, hate war.
Unity is their strength, which leads their race.
And this is the reason,
They added feather after feather
to the cap of their success.
If you are having an imperial thought
no boundary can enclose you.
Keep on trying,
1st time you may stumble
2nd time you may stumble
But after countless stumble, time will come
you will reach your goal,
you will win your soul.
If you will render your toilsome drudgery,
it will lead your goal towards success,
it will help to win the race.
It has been proved:
By Gandhiji, Lincoln, Teresa etc.
For freedom there is no boundary,
for humanity there is no cage.
It is time for us to follow:
"Let your life, be your message".
-------------------------------------
Note: "Let your life, be your message' is one of the best quotation of Mahatma Gandhi.
Categories:
toilsome, bereavement, confidence, patriotic, peace,
Form:
Free verse
Live loving light
See scented sights
Be blessing bright
Please pretty play
Mime moments may
Speak salient say
Alien aims ask
Treat toilsome task
Blooms brightly bask
Inspire in ink
Boom buffers brink
Live laughter links
Wear wisdom's wit
Bear broken bits
Feel flavours fit
Date defines day
Sort sordid say
Crush crimson clay
Feel flowing flesh
Daze dancing dress
Freeze fiery flash
Use unfurls urge
Smooth sensuous surge
Please primal purge
Keeper keeps kind
Feel flavours find
Meet mystic mind
Leon Enriquez
16 Apr 2014
Singapore
Categories:
toilsome, beauty,
Form:
Alliteration
See simple sense
Touch tranquil tense
Ask apt appeal
Younger yore yields
Sense sanguine sighs
Troubles tame tries
Approve asking
Yes yours yelling
Such splendor soars
Treat taut thrills tame
Aid allows aim
Yarn yester yore
Sober soothing spring
Touch tingles things
Astound ample
Yes yodeling
Stretch sensuous sale
Tribe telling tale
Alms after aye
Yours yummy yay
Sample sweet stew
Touch toilsome trounce
Applause astounds
Youth yelling you
Leon Enriquez
10 May 2014
Singapore
Categories:
toilsome, desire,
Form:
Alliteration
You.
Yes you.
Are hard work.
There's nothing more to it.
The scarcity of my vocabulary limits me from describing the complexity of the situation buuut yes.
You are toilsome.
Tedious the father.
Perseverance the mother.
And you are the unmistakable offspring.
You are the reason I have sleepless nights that seemingly yield no reply.
You have been found guilty of being the causation of my sweat excretion.
You persistently infiltrate what was once a routine prayer without you.
Now my God knows about you. Through me.
Indeed, that's quite the accolade.
How you managed to systematically permeate through to every area of my life
Trepidation being the result of this uncontrollable cascade
And ultimately increasing the probably of my hesitancy.
You're hard work.
But you're also hard work.
You are the blossoming reward of my efforts, enveloping smiles encapsulated by the glorious figure you adorn.
Your demeanor and grace, weigh up as reason enough to continue on effortfully.
My body may be weakened by the strenuous activity
but God remains hard at work within me equipping me for the hard work you present
And you've proven to be worthy of the cause. Timeously.
What started as ambivalence progressed into what can only be described as Irrefutable pleasure.
Molding my being through the work you present remains a addictive pleasure.
Ecstasy. You excite me.
The future is never guaranteed in the present, but as you continue to preparedly present yourself in my present, I will continue to receive your presence as a precious present.
You may be hard work, but you're my hard work
A task I solemnly lay claim to
And together we shall walk, reaping the rewards to come in this toilsome, yet, gratifying journey.
Categories:
toilsome, boyfriend, girlfriend, love, work,
Form:
Free verse
Hoard healthy highs
End etch enough
Add apt apply
Roam rivers rough
Trendy true tries
Hope hurls healing
Etch earns ending
Art aims asking
Reap real risking
Trust truth tasking
Help hurting hires
Embrace empty
Apt art aspires
Relieve rowdy
Toilsome touch tires
Hoist heavy hounds
End each explore
Art airs astound
Risk ripe restore
Trip tipsy town
Harsh hurting heat
Endow entreat
Applause appliqué
Reach rich repeats
Toss tasty treats
Hoist heavy heart
Empty e-mail
Amaze apart
Rouse ransoms rail
Taste tension tart
Hide harsh humour
Ends empower
Art aims armour
Rude rhymes rumour
Trim trash tumour
Leon Enriquez
02 May 2014
Singapore
Categories:
toilsome, allusion,
Form:
Alliteration
Recollections of childhood
when life was simplistic,
brings to memory, days
filled of toilsome work
and long hours.
Yet in its own way, bestows
feelings of warmth, safety
and at given times, even
conceived to be glitzy,
shimmery.
Children, courteous
and respectful
executing daily chores
and in attendance
at church on
every given Sunday.
TV, computers,
I pods or CD's were
unheard of. Merely
an old Motorola radio
in a corner of the sitting
room. Kept perfectly
dustless and neat
for visitors.
Absolutely no children
were permitted,
with an exception
of Saturday eve, as all
gathered closely together,
listening to The Lone Ranger
and Silver....Hy Ho...Away!
Thursday nights
in summertime,
brought truckloads
of youngsters
piled in the bed of an
old green pickup truck, going
to enjoy a movie
on a large white
screen in the center
of a cornfield.
Christmas was, oh, so
special. Picking a
pine tree from a
million others to cut,
hauling “it”back
to a tattered
old gray shingled
farmhouse.
Decorations of popcorn
and cranberry strings, chains of
colored ribbon, paper cutouts
resembling bright, white
snowflakes, and of course,
a magical angel atop
this magnificent tree.
In retrospect,
it was felt we had so
little, but we had so
very, very much.
Children helped
with the chickens, cows,
gardening, whatever
instructed to do.
Riding ponies, the
county fair, marvelous fun.
School days were spent
learning the three R;s...readin,
ritin, rithmatic,” as well as
a history of George Washington
and the Great Depression of
1929,,,,,,,
Grandpa recounting stories
at the supper table of the
stock fall, unemployment,
farmers losing their worth,
wars of senseless deaths.
We were so blessed.
to have been born
after these arduous times.
Looking forward to a
new year, 2012--
Computers, I pods,
Cell Phones, Absolutely
Astonishing inventions,
technology.
Today stock-markets
are fluctuating, businesses
closing and many
people are going homeless
and hungry.
Jobs being at an all-time
low.....such advanced
progress,yet such similarity
of previous history.
“Old timers”
will survive from
what was
taught throughout
their childhood.
What happens now -
will we all survive?
Categories:
toilsome, childhood,
Form:
Free verse
Mother's love, blossoms bright.
First cry of infant, hymns of might.
Enchanting the chimes again again,
echoing the sound within the walls,
declaring our home, the best place to live in.
Heavenly lap, ensures our journey
from day of birth to end of breathe.
I support autumn breeze
who removes old leaves, inviting new.
Smile is signature of life.
Fragrance of love better than sandal,
life shines like winter's morning dew.
Don't try to measure
the distance from birth to death.
Never forget to glow
darkness of hidden faith.
I am ready to sign to take birth after birth
to aim my cruise, collecting love from each heart.
I want to be a mirror
to reflect every smile, even after breaking into pieces.
Love is signature of soul
bridge of heart to heart.
I want to cross the river
with a sacrosanct smile without any boat.
You may not invite me,
but, my door is always open for you.
My sacrifice is broad
approaching love, digesting hate.
My toilsome effort never die,
which encourages me to march ahead.....
I want to be a mango tree,
to produce lots of fruits,
I may fail to produce mangoes,
but I will never withdraw my shade.
Sacrifice is signature of life
to hold every heart in a single thread.
I want to gaze your garden
to sign every bud with soft golden rays.
===================================
Written on 26th April'2016
Categories:
toilsome, birth, death, life, love,
Form:
Free verse
Ah, at last the toilsome day ends
Comprehending the grinding body bends
Draining this salesman
In this departmental stores
Pleasing all as do the whores
I am all aches
The body breaks
This I say in vein of despair
As I yawn and draw more air
I do so every night
Still further dies the light.
But as I see next morning
The sun on the dew
Breaking new hues
From the egg yolk
It provokes me
Toward new leaves on the trees
I hold the tea mug
And look forward to the hug
___________________________
15//11/2015
Categories:
toilsome, allegory, appreciation, assonance, boat,
Form:
Blank verse