Best Tone Down Poems
Brush in hand,I lay my plan,
Start from the sea,then paint the land,
From the sea I take the blue,
Paint it crystal,you can see right through,
Take the blue and paint the breeze,
Rain-bow for flowers,orange for trees,
Erase the brown from the earth,
Wave my brush,clean cloths,white dirt,
Painted all disasters, brightest red,
Better satellite imagery trying to minimize the dead,
Tone down Mr Sun,a lighter shade of yellow,
Soothing his anger,now he's a jolly fellow,
Pink glows,north,east,south or west,
Lovers staring at the moon,feel the gentleness,
My paint,my brush,my colours sway,
Painting this world,each and every day...
Categories:
tone down, adventure, fantasy, funny,
Form:
Rhyme
Tone down the intensity
Is like telling the sun
Not to reach its zenith
Of blazing, scorching heat
Or telling the waterfall
Just as it is ready to gush
Down in a tumult of
Freshness to hold back
At the edge
Or telling the volcano
Seconds away from erupting
Hot molten lava
To reingest the heat
And lie dormant
Or telling the tsunami
That is rushing headlong
To the shoreline
To recede back into
Nothingness and let go
Of its momentum of power
Or the shooting star
To not leave a sparkling trail
As the friction with air
Causes it to burn in brilliance
But to remain motionless
A pale light
On a dotted black sky
Tone down the intensity
For a person who embodies it
Is like telling nature to stand still
With bated breath
When all it wants to do
Is burst into a song of celebration.
Tone down the intensity?
Not a chance…
Tone UP the capacity
To live life!
Eileen Manassian Ghali
Categories:
tone down, metaphor, passion,
Form:
Free verse
Africa my beloved continent
Beautiful and attractive, many
Came as visitors yet their aim was to
Dig gold and platinum
Everyday they dug to reach her belly and they
Flee back to feed their own blood and sold us her the remains
Gold jewelry, we buy from them. Question is
Have we done enough to protect our mineral resources
Instead of preserving them
Jealousy and greed overcrowded our judgments
Knocked each other for blood money, in exchange for what?
Lavish lifestyle our colonial had to offer, we
Moved from Ubuntu our African core value
New dawn sets but we failed to see the light because
Oppression impaired our vision
Pain we suffered taught us nothing for we did not
Quit selling our minerals in exchange for ammunitions
Re-unite Africa and fulfil the dream of African reminiscence
Shun greed, slavery mentality. In solidarity let me and you fight to
Tone down corruption and
Undo damages implanted by our colonial
Viva African renaissance viva
Winning this battle calls for unity and mental strength
Xenophobia and racism will not be chronic diseases any longer, i'm
Yearning to see a better Africa for all human race, with
Zest I shall wait in anticipation for Africa's 're birth.
Categories:
tone down, africa, flying, political,
Form:
ABC
Preserving Childhood memories
Those years are like dusty boxes of old books
Each book classify as a quantum leap for me.
My first steps that led to many things,
I kept thinking of my small bottle of goat’s milk
Flavored with Grenada nutmeg to tone down the taste:
Perhaps after my father saw the look of disgust on my small face,
After my first tastes, in comparison to the cow’s milk
Lactose intolerance was the key word in those days.
Little did anyone knew of it…then..
Which was worse the cod liver oil, on Sunday Morning?
Or the nauseating feeling, of the repeats of the oil in one’s mouth
1950s hardly a child escaped mumps, measles, whooping cough or chicken pox.
Childhood disease was most feared, especially amongst the poorest.
So the old folks did whatever, it took to protect us ..
I was always searching, for my next chapter, as soon as I was out of
The danger zone to record, one line at a time
to the simplest things such as choosing the
Best pebbles, the loudest night crickets, to the most
Beautiful butterfly for my collections:
I think I had mention this before once I caught a snarky bird
And try to cage, the poor thing, until my grandmother beg of me
To let it go free, freedom for him was a squeak of happiness,
I could be wrong, but I think the bird return a favor to our household…
There he was picking away at the bananas on the kitchen counter,
Perhaps he saw the danger, that windy morning
A nearby kitchen towel was left to close to the burning stove,
Freedom for him was a squeak of happiness for us on that day
I must indeed say:
Preserving my childhood memories,
not only came from on top of that Hill
But from what that bird taught me,
About a kitchen window that opened with a slight squeak"
freedom
?
Categories:
tone down, abuse, allegory, appreciation, character,
Form:
Narrative
A Grinch’s Lament/with apologies
I remember the Christmas I first met the Grinch
his whining, his snarling, his poke, and his pinch
I never knew why - but I liked him right off
his yellowish teeth - his green tussled coif
the way that he moved – a snake in full coil
awaiting the chance to strike - to despoil
whatever the Who’s might be trying to do
the way he loved making the Who’s – go BOO HOO
I laughed when he emptied all the Who’s houses
took the cheese from the little Who mouses
ate all the cookies and took the roast beast
truly the Grinch didn’t care in the least
I felt a slight twinge about Cindy Lou Who….BUT
HE WAS A GRINCH….WHAT ELSE COULD HE DO
I cheered when the sleigh reached the top of Mount Crumpit
urged him to PLEASE….GO AHEAD…..DUMP IT!! DUMP IT!!!
I couldn’t believe he succumbed to the glee
of the carols they sang – without any tree
or his heart would expand – his evil would shrink
he’d clean himself up – tone down his Grinch stink
I cringed when he rode into town on the sleigh
he was the Grinch – it shouldn’t turn out this way
So I tossed the Grinch and his book on their head
sat eating stale crackers – alone – in my bed
John G. Lawless
8/8/2015
Categories:
tone down, christmas, humor,
Form:
Verse
Ladies and Gents,
I come bearing full my compense,
For all of my misgivings causing reader repents,
Upon further review,
the message I was trying to construe,
at times crossed over boundaries that originate in the pew,
Fortwith presently I swear,
forswearing manner seen debonair,
I shalt tone down the rhetoric whilst maintaining it's flair,
To those in the know,
whispers abound my style has begun to plateau,
this has filled me with anguish and tempestuous woe,
from my hedonistic head to my calloused big toe,
My blessed constitution moves forward yet forcefully with no fear,
For my resolutions, with some substitutions, I shalt devoutly adhere,
As we embark on this journey to the 2013 frontier,
I endeavor to wish All of you Good Tidings and a Happy New Year!
Categories:
tone down, anniversary, friendship, holiday, inspirational,
Form:
Free verse
She walked around thinking
all she would ever be was someone's yesterday
She couldn't understand why that wasn't enough
So she walked around thinking she was too much
In stead of good enough
She tried to dim her light
She tried to tone down on her personality
Only to end up in a dark space
Wondering where her life was heading
She didn't get it; that all her smiles
Were bottled up in someone else's jar
Until one day; the dark space became so tight
She couldn't pretend to be happy anymore
She needed to get her happiness back
It was not meant to be kept in a jar
She had to free herself from
Her prison of thoughts
She needed to get out
She ultimately put herself in that space
And only she could shake that feelings off
On that day she took back her life
When she finally smiled it was from her heart
@203008012017
Categories:
tone down, inspiration, life, smile,
Form:
Free verse
Your life is the full world, the stars, sun, and moon.
On your own, you can fight the tough times real soon.
Unsteady moves can't let you up the ladder; never tone down.
Rarely will we meet; we set the lousy goal to impugn.
Tacked and seated, man has doubts around his destiny.
In the universe, all is set by its needs, not by inerrancy.
Memories of agony and misery are not murky.
Emotions disguise behind words, extort repay.
Important to be happy, do what you love, and you will succeed.
Share your calmness, work for success, and greater reward.
Love the holiest stars; you will get a reverse welt.
In the trials of life, sync up to the ethical dealt.
Muttering stops; the sun has faded to that extent.
If your core tilts to life, brave vitality, faith will last.
Time is short; live the life of no one or precept.
Enduring one's own goal, expect to aim too tight.
During your life, believe yet not fall into the urge to defect.
3rd place winner
Categories:
tone down, allusion, analogy, assonance, character,
Form:
Acrostic
What would you have me do??
Choose one of my children over the other?
Each was nurtured in my heart
imbued with my passion
Disciplined by my desire
for their success
Dressed, in abundant finery
fitting for their “coming out”
What would you have me do??
Remove the scar of character
Cover the blemishes of youth
shield them from the sun
Deny them the chance to mingle
lest they fail to “fit in”
Tone down their beauty
in the face of dullness
Why would you have me do this?
For I love them all so
I protect them
for they are my offspring
My poetic progeny
genetically graced
With my wit and wisdom
tears and heartache
success and failure
dreams and nightmares.
I cannot choose
which part of me is best.
John G. Lawless
1/21/15/2015
Categories:
tone down, children, metaphor, poetry, writing,
Form:
Free verse
Mr. and Mrs. Medusa
Put their huge hats on their heads
To constrain their hair that always
Looks like they just got out of bed
They drove off to the hair salon
Even though they remembered
That when her mom asked long ago
For a trim, she got dismembered
Hey mister, said the stylist
If you are here to be groomed
With all that hair in the air
You’d be better off getting pruned
Me, a hideous haircut?
No madam, not on your life
I’ve been growing these locks out
Just as stunningly as my wife’s
These aren’t your ho-hum dreadlocks
Or some kind of mystic braiding
They’re hereditary snake heads
But they’re always cascading
So we need a special perm
Says the Mr. and the Mrs.
To try and cut down on the squirm
Plus tone down the galling hisses
Hopefully with custom hair care
We’ll have less troubles when shopping
So people don’t turn into rock
Followed by pitiful dropping
We are just people persons
Stuck with this rattlebrained hair
So barber please do your thing
But first you better take care
To put on a welder’s helmet
Or at least a sturdy blindfold
We know you can untangle it
Since you’re the best we are told
You ask me to revamp your hair
Which in fact are laughably snakes
Yeah right, said the doubting stylist
You sound like a couple of flakes
Then a kid pulls at their hat
To expose a wiggling lock
But he looks at the snake’s head
And turns solid as a rock
That’s when a nosey customer
Takes pictures with her phone
Though she couldn’t get a selfie
Having turned into a stone
Now let that be a warning
So that you don’t fossilize
Don’t ever try to gamble
By beholding our snake eyes!
Categories:
tone down, fun, hair, mythology,
Form:
Rhyme
IF YOU PULL A LONG FACE : XIII
If you pull a lean long face
Each day in fear of the next Saturday
Time to tone down High C voice in Elysée Palace
Yellow Jackets are closing in on the Champs Elysées
Then if you insist on pulling that lone long face
Just think on what could happen on Bastille Day
Guest of Honour Outre Atlantique might pull your face
If sacré Fourteenth of July fell on a Yellow Saturday
Now if you cannot prevent pulling that lone long face
On the pretext your corporate tax cuts benefit the lay
You should've first laid out your plans to the populace
And obtained their consent by referendum if you may
No use pulling a lone long lean face
When Yellow Jackets choke the roads and railway
Time to move house to the Versailles Palace
And there reign as Monarch of all you survey
But if you must keep pulling that lone long face
Best to follow in footsteps of itchy-foot Corsican's Grande Armée
Take to the Chunnel set up House in Buckingham Palace
Before Brexit gets pulled off by plucky Santa Theresa May
© T. Wignesan - Paris, January 8, 2019
Categories:
tone down, political, power, rights, satire,
Form:
Dramatic Monologue
Word count
Quite clear
Black white
Eight eight
Two hands
key play
Grand scale.
Staff, Clefs
Pitch, trills,
Sharp, flat
Tone up
Tone down
Hum, sing,
song bird.
Key board
Black, white,
No gray,
No shades
New heights,
Loud, soft,
Light, dark.
Love, life,
Birth, death,
Start, end,
Play on .
Categories:
tone down, life, music, words,
Form:
Blank verse
Day 3
The storm still having the upper hand is at large
Narrator
Inquisitive teacher noted this peculiar youngster is very hyper, yet again autism could play a major role factor in his abnormal behavior .
Rain drops on the window go in rhythm with the clock ticking and the School’s old floor board start a creaking .
Narrator
She acts deliberately and grabs her whistle for emergencies.She blows as loud as she could
Inquisitive teacher
” You stop right there youngster, I just wanna help you”
The sky lights up with a flash of lightening. It felt as if the earth shook.
Narrator
The kids start screaming. Great she thinks. Turns her attention back to the youngster. He falls to the ground and covers his ears as he could be hyperventilating? He never seems to amaze her. She thinks about grabbing him in a nurturing way but it's a teacher student policy not to .She gets on her knee at eye level and brings her voice tone down a notch. He's rocking back and forth with his breathing calming down .
Inquisitive teacher
”Calm down your breathing, calm, calm down .”
” I'm here, calm down ”
Youngster
He looks up at her and says ” I don't want to go home to that scary man! ”
Inquisitive teacher
”what scary man, Youngster?”
Narrator
He looks her in the eye and pulls in closer to her.
Youngster
” he hates me, yells at me and when Mama goes to sleep he likes to come in to my room at night and..
The lights go out and hail starts a coming down fiercely
To be continued
Categories:
tone down, anxiety, boy, child, class,
Form:
In the late 60's in 'the second city', on the south side at 43rd and Calumet, there stood a mission center to reach out to drug addicts and alcoholics
I recall there was a young lady 18 years of age and addicted to heroin And there was 'Shaky' on Calumet who left the program prematurely
I'd say to myself, "I don't see how he can last much longer out there" Once, I was confronted on the street by an angry and threatening man
But just in time, a good Samaritan came to my defense and rescued me He forced the angry man to tone down, to move on, and leave me alone.
I continued my mission in spite of my fears and inhibitions. I confess; I was afraid in the valley of the shadow of death. But in spite of my fear, the Lord was with me with rod and staff. Nearly 50 years ago, God sent someone, maybe an angel in disguise, to stand on my behalf. A college student studying for the ministry, I could have been name 'Shaky'. I cannot say that my faith presently is so strong that it destroys my fear. But I can say that God's grace disallows my fear to destroy my faith. My fear said, "Leave this area"; my faith said, "Trust and stay".
For the longest time, she was known as 'The second city'. But for me, she was and always will be 'My first city'. She is one most beautiful that I once knew. From a teen I lived, learned, and loved her for years just a few. There were times I feared her, but left her not for fear. She robbed but never abused or beat me, but yet I love her still.
A very bold one in character, but she is also on the windy side and cold. Although I left Chicago, the truth is that she remains in my heart and soul.
08022017cjPS
Categories:
tone down, angel, anger, blessing, chicago,
Form:
Narrative
Get not bitter
If an insidious issue under consideration you flatter
Cos a situation abnormal can get better
If only your blinkered eyes can see
Life ain’t all about gung-ho glee
Cos common sense can make you free
To roam free of matters you overblow
In circumstances and stances so slow
They make you draw
A conclusion not backed up by a fact
That claims you exercise no tact
In handling and tackling the contact
Whose mesmerized measure
Somehow deletes the leisure
You believe grants no pleasure
In stooping beneath
Circles and buckles whose teeth
Somehow sneak beside the sheath
Growth and mirth skirt
Despite beliefs on a damsel you dump so much hurt
In words you blurt in a tone so curt
You succeed in consolidating the belief
That claims efforts invested in misread emotional relief
In one social segment whose chief
Motive defies hedonism
Thinly disguised as sophism
Portrayed as altruism and nepotism
You need to tone down
If society shouldn’t frown
On misadventures in which you attempt to drown
Fickle emotions
Whose prime motions
Deserve no approbations
Cos some activities ain’t worth it
Just eat your humble pie and quit
When optimal conditions you can no longer meet
While you wear your hedonism hat
Reclining and growing fat
As your pesky pride against reason you opt to pat.
Categories:
tone down, poems,
Form:
Free verse