Best Toppled Poems
~ATLANTIS~ Featuring:) Kelly Deschler
-------
Can't be re-written by the Gods
The land and sands of time'
Destroyed by the fire of Poseidon's curse
Atlantis swallowed by: Earth
--------
In one day and one night
Peaceful existence met its end
Built on a volcano, now surrounded by ancient rippled tears
Lava stripped apart the rich and glorious empire
Enriched by Engineers and Architects whom loved power more than the Gods
Forgotten souls, sheltered by a watery grave
History withheld from shallow sunken memories,
Western sky's hide the truth, a vision from the Pillars of Hercules
"An island situated in front of The Strait of Gibraltar"
Ghostly ruins wait to rise above the Mediterranean and Atlantic Waves
A magical island held down by the hands of death,
~
Atlantis lost city walls ---a secret hidden by mermaids
Partially buried, beneath the ocean floor it lies
The largest sunken treasure never to be found
Magnificent pillars of an imperial palace still stand
Somewhere hidden under ancient sand
Some are leaning against turrets, that toppled after the impact
Nothing human will ever inhabit these walls
No feet will ever touch these staircases, again
Only an eerie silence now resides here, with the blue-green waters
Seaweed grows along it's outer walls, like ivy on a trellis.
Obscuring it even further from the human eye.
~
Other ocean tides will never compare
Tantalizing blend of fantasy and mystery
Stone walls covered with precious gems
-Listen to PLATO'S voice-
"Look close, Look close, into the sea!"
Through the light and Pillars of Hercules
Some where out there buried in the vast
ATLANTIS THE PARADISE
~A Poet Destroyer Collaboration~
Categories:
toppled, beautiful, fire, grave, imagination,
Form:
Epic
you May-
think me odd perhaps strange
peculiar and off the wall-
but I
like to wander cemeteries
among rows on rows
I love the tranquility
there is a peace like no other
where hidden birds sing melodies
and little creatures scurry
and time stands still
and I like to read inscriptions
on tombstones in the dappled sun
or rain wet or snow covered
gravestones monolith
flagstones flat and small
all the RIP inscriptions
among rows on rows
the relic stones I do adore
those traces
of family history
faded now and obscure
covered in moss some toppled over
I have to get close to read
and even then it is a mystery
on a bright sunny day
camera in hand journal ready
my mind at peace
I noted one stone inscription
reading U N K N O W N
this of all the stones this broke my heart
among rows on rows
no name no date no record
no flowers ever I am sure
no memorial of any kind
a homeless man, perhaps
or woman, maybe
a baby unwanted so sad
of all the commemorative slabs
the huge monuments with many names
with beautiful words engraved
of remembrance with dates and names
this unknown stone has broken my heart . . .
____________________________
November 9, 2017
Poetry/Free Verse/One Stone-Unknown
Copyright Protected, ID 17-9597-09-0
All Rights Reserved. Written Under Pseudonym.
Written for the contest, Two Word Challenge
sponsor, John Lawless
Second Place
Categories:
toppled, heartbroken, memorial, peace, sad,
Form:
Free verse
Pigtails loosen yet messed,
twisted by pliant fingertips
of evening’s devilry…
tracing her budding breasts,
embers gleam from a lamplight, dim…
his jerked breathing quickens to rake
this young, tender flesh---
from pink , blood red, to pale yellow... despicable!
Invading her territory,
the blister of muffled silence
grates adolescent wails,yet…
crazed feasting of desire remains.
She quivers under a toppled quilt
brushed in wounded cotton...despicable!
And while darkness slides on metal frame,
he riles, riles with abandon,
grinning under a sinister moon
arsenic as the sweat of male hunger
to ravage a girlish body... trembling, trembling
while her cupped mouth stutters,
‘Please step-dad, no!’
‘Hush…dear baby, I am your angel,
guarding you from evil wolves..despicable!
Quietly, he pins the knob of conquest
until the frail child's porcelain doll
splatters on the floor, and then…
.............
Re-Posted /1/2017
Contest: Let's Talk About It
Sponsor: Richard Lamoureux
Categories:
toppled, abuse, evil, girl,
Form:
Free verse
I came across an old cemetery today while exploring,
Full of broken, toppled headstones and tangled weeds;
There was a deep hush, a whisper and a sigh, I felt tears,
My tears were falling for long dead souls forgotten.
A tree's roots are entwined around an old, tilted stone,
In loving memory of my husband George, born Feb, 1882;
Oh, George you were loved very much once upon a time,
God took him, but he will not be forgotten, engraved.
And I am of the age of Aquarius too, just like you,
I love violets and everything purple, and I am so mellow;
Oh, George were you a deep thinker, sensitive, creative,
I get hurt easily and I always want to help people.
Be at peace George in your decay and ravaged grave,
Listen to the twittering of birds this bright sunny day;
Promise, promise, I will be back to lay some purple violets,
Forever now, dear soul, you will dwell in my heart.
Now, be still George, I heard your whisper . . .
____________________________
April 28, 2016
Poetry/Elegy/Whispering Old Cemetery
Copyright Protected, ID 16-783-587-0
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym.
Submitted to the contest, Any Poem Written in April 2016
sponsor, Laura Loo
First Place
_____________________________________________
Written for a contest
sponsor, Steven Henderson
First Place
Categories:
toppled, death, grave, grief, lost,
Form:
Elegy
It was always there, rooted deeply, in my backyard.
That mighty oak, it was so beautiful, so noble, and strong.
~~~
As a child, I would climb up into its arms, and sit there for hours finding comfort.
It became a part of me, its' spirit ran through me and we were as one.
~~~
Through the years, as I grew older, I would take my burdens, and sit by my tree,
And, it would unburden me.
It was my pillar of strength,
~~~
Now the mighty oak lies toppled. I touch his withered limbs and cry.
And as his spirit rushes through me, I hear him say goodbye.
~~~
And my world is changed for ever; it can never be the same.
For - tonight my father died.
Categories:
toppled, introspection,
Form:
Free verse
The airy mountain, lush and green, they call home
Perched on shaky rock, the waters beneath swash and foam
Goats graze, cattle feed, fields of corn and wheat they comb
Stored in the belly of the hefty hill
The harvest, food for all, food to fill
Spring is here, they forget the winter chill
Swimming in the mountain stream, singing of selfish praise
Not a worried eye to be seen, to the sky a glass they raise
Foolish people dance and scream, their minds muddled, their hearts ablaze
Through the earthen caverns they wander
Wealth and fortune they do squander
They do not think, they do not ponder
What a waste these people brought
No knowledge gained, no answers sought
Squabbles grow more and more, 'ore the land they fought
Blood spilled, turning the mountain red
The rocks toppled, the peak lost its head
Waste away they do, no stopping 'till they're dead.
Categories:
toppled, america, analogy, fate,
Form:
tristich
Sitting beneath the stellar awning
Humbly, shall I comemmorate
Before the sun, creeps in crawling
Every star shall I dedicate
To you, My Love; Look at the skies
For you, My Love, I most despise.
To you, I say, in subtle north
Go tell him how my heart did bleed
When he did scowl, as I put forth
The ways I cared and loved indeed
You'd kiss my wounds - control, condole
Then skew them deeper, slaying my soul.
In far east, you, so bright yet blank
Have you not seen how hard i wept?
When flowed his eyes, his tears I drank
Did you not count my nights unslept?
And blind, was I, to your disguise
Gaze up, My Love, go find your lies!
Weep not, My friend, most close-knit
For you did taste deception bitter
Dazzled like queen, down south you sit
Mere a pawn now of waning glitter
Concur I, My Love, all pretence is sweet!
Until falls the cloak, and truth does greet.
Toppled, as I, did west monarch shiver
Warned of haste; but he'd cried my name
Limits, leaped I, not a blink's quiver
For cared I not, if world did blame
In pain, My Love, at me, you mocked
Alone, My Love, left me, you debauched!
Sorrow, the sacrifice, you did witness
O! Glazing Moon! Make haste and tell
How profound is hatred, beneath this breast
Where, drenched in love, a heart did dwell
Upon you, My heart, I swear, I proclaim
Sha'n't ever bleed in eye, sha'n't ever take his name.
Lo! Behold! Last thing, I wish to confess
If I say unto you, shall I be relieved
For you know me, my heart at best
If I say unto you, shall I be believed
No matter how high may hatred soar
I own, my love shall weigh ever more!
Categories:
toppled, lost love, loveheart, heart,
Form:
Rhyme
A Chair and Music
How deep in pain I met the day,
Yesterday’s old emotions had gone into play,
To top the mood, the skies were gray,
My mind toppled into past forays.
Drifting, not thinking, just in pain,
What could I do to undo the past,
Knowing full well the impossibility,
Hoping, praying, this mood would pass.
To have a “chair” is a heavenly thing,
To leave the world to think, to dream,
Music loved without voice or clash,
To leave the world to think, to dream.
Minutes passed and quarter hours,
Conjuring visions of coming spring flowers,
When recalling Your gifts – I had let You go.
Paints and brushes saved my soul long ago.
I picked up an old brush and then a tube,
While music washed me, changed my mood,
And I spent time away from my guilt-filled place,
When I came back, You were there with Your grace.
To leave the world to think, to dream.
And find that your hell was not what it seemed.
Categories:
toppled, perspective,
Form:
Narrative
There is a rain deluge in the cemetery today,
as I open the intricate old gate;
I am lost in a sea of gray,
stones worn old and ornate;
a maze of twisting trails,
step-ruined from all the years;
stones with faded details,
a deep sadness fills me and I hold back tears;
death is an unwanted guest who comes unbidden,
and toppled stones touch like friends;
moss leaving names hidden,
I am on a path that bends;
and now I complete my quest,
but fall to my knees weeping;
for our stone is moss distressed,
on all sides covered and with lichen creeping;
o, sorrow and grief the old cemetery is in disrepair,
I breathe in the smell of decay;
and notice moss is everywhere,
out of place is my bright bouquet.
"I place my flowers and holding back tears turn away."
________________
July 29, 2021
Poetry/Rhyme/Holding Back Tears
Copyright Protected, ID 07-1376-328-29
All Rights Reserved, 2021, Constance La France
Title and Theme chosen - Holding Back Tears
Written for the Standard contest, This or That, Vol. 5
sponsor, Edward Ibeh, Judged 08/19/2021
First Place
Categories:
toppled, deep, imagery, metaphor,
Form:
Rhyme
Blessed with ingenuity, he fought advancing tyranny
That stormed the sea in twenty-three great warships sailing furiously.
That day, October twenty-first, saw Admiral Nelson at his worst,
As cannons roared, while gunners cursed. The times were changed, the tides reversed.
Lord Nelson, as an admiral brave with all his fleet defied the grave,
His native land and king to save:-- his life for freedom's cause he gave.
In but a half a dozen hours he humbled Europe's finest pow'rs,
And toppled Tyranny's highest tow'rs; yet Vict'ry found him crowned with flow'rs,
And not a place the crown to lay, on him, nor all who died that day
In sending Britain's foes away, across the stormy seas of grey.
Categories:
toppled, courage, england, freedom, hero,
Form:
Couplet
The city of Prague
In a different world
Its centre ripped
The whole world heard
Its now separated by
Canyons so deep
The day it happened
To hear a country weep
Beautiful buildings
Fell away
Architectural delights
Toppled on sway
But the city recovered
No bridges to be seen
Ingenious in genius
Sky Gondola's reign
To cross this great city
From north to south
Over the gaping rift
Above the canyons mouth
Gondola shaped
Zeppelin for lift
Tiller propeller
Propulsion shift
Sky taxis
In ariel flow
With their lanterns lit
Like glowworms glow
This sight i view
With my pal Jules Verne
Inspires his writes
As generations will learn
http://www.thehighlanderspoems.com/fantasy4.php
Categories:
toppled, fantasycity,
Form:
Rhyme
Ronald was a tough old ram, the biggest of his breed
Daniel was a clipperman, renowned of shearing deed
Many sheep were sheared that day and woolless they had fled
Before those two met in affray and battled in the shed!
Ronald, he had seen old Wallace wrestled to the floor,
Mugged of his dignity and fleece, and knew that it was war
And seeing that his turn was nigh, his hooves he dug in deep
He'd fight and though perhaps he'd die, at least he'd die a sheep.
Daniel had no time to waste, he'd quotas set to keep
And unprepared, he reached in haste to take the waiting sheep
But Ronald steeled himself as Daniel took him by the horn
And, rearing, pulled himself away before he could be shorn.
Off-balance, Daniel stumbled, to Ronald's great delight
Onto his knees he tumbled as the shears flew out of sight
And Ronald now unhanded felt his victory increase
Protecting his sheep dignity and, likewise, his sheep fleece.
But Daniel was not beaten yet, he knew that he'd faced worse
His mind was still determined set, he rose up with a curse
But still he was unsteady and Ronald was a ram
His head was lowered ready and he charged the clipperman
Ronald's head met Daniel's side and toppled him again
This time headfirst and to collide his head against the grain.
Leaving, stunned, the clipperman upon the wooden floor
In final victory, the ram strolled out the open door.
But, alas, 'tis not the way that sheep triumph at last
And Daniel would not see the day that any sheep got past
Despite Ram Ronald's victor's pride, the shearer would not yield
So followed a less dignified pursuit around the field.
Ronald, he was fast and he had four legs matched to two
So Daniel was outclassed, if that was all that he could do,
But he also had a sheepdog and so Ronald was defeated
He would have had the victory, if Daniel hadn't cheated.
Categories:
toppled, adventure, animals, funny, imaginationold,
Form:
Rhyme
Bounded by fear -
Do you still remember that?
When I would build my walls;
I would let no one in
I would look for ways to cut them off
Especially those who got too close
Do you remember when I said?
It was for their own good
In the meantime you knew it was the fear talking
Afraid of the consequences
Feeling that if I let them in,
They might be hit by misfortune
I never thought it would come to this
I never thought the fear would dissipate –
Replaced by faith
Replaced by the knowledge
That everything that happened
Had to happen
In order for me to let go
To stop myself from stifling my growth
I needed to embrace the pain,
Embrace the laughter,
Even the fear of losing loved ones
I needed to let go –
I needed to experience the hurt
I needed to experience the joy
I needed to experience the fear
I needed to fail,
I needed to fall
So I can stand today
Knowing that no matter what happens
My mind,
My body
And
My soul
Is ready to go on –
That fear can be toppled by faith
If I focus on me
Focus on today and not on my past
©142704092013
Categories:
toppled, growth, life,
Form:
Free verse
you May-
think me odd perhaps strange
peculiar and off the wall-
but I
like to wander cemeteries
among rows on rows
I love the tranquility
there is a peace like no other
where hidden birds sing melodies
and little creatures scurry
and time stands still
and I like to read inscriptions
on tombstones in the dappled sun
or rain wet or snow covered
gravestones monolith
flagstones flat and small
all the RIP inscriptions
among rows on rows
the relic stones I do adore
those traces
of family history
faded now and obscure
covered in moss some toppled over
I have to get close to read
and even then it is a mystery
on a bright sunny day
camera in hand journal ready
my mind at peace
I noted one stone inscription
reading U N K N O W N
this of all the stones this broke my heart
among rows on rows
no name no date no record
no flowers ever I am sure
no memorial of any kind
a homeless man, perhaps
or woman, maybe
a baby unwanted so sad
of all the commemorative slabs
the huge monuments with many names
with beautiful words engraved
of remembrance with dates and names
this unknown stone has broken my heart . . .
____________________________
November 9, 2017
Poetry/Free Verse/'One Stone- Unknown'
Copyright Protected ID 17-9810-99-0
All Rights Reserved. Written Under Pseudonym.
Submitted into the contest,
Impress ME' With A New Poem
sponsor, A SKAT
Tenth Place
__________________________
Written for the contest, Two Word Challenge
sponsor, John Lawless
Second Place
Categories:
toppled, death, inspiration,
Form:
Free verse
Thunder and lightning ruled the black night
As the frightened young mother struggled
Beads of sweat ran down her pretty face
The old midwife calmly sponged off sweat
She hummed a lullaby to soothe her pain
Praying that the husband would be back soon
Five miles to travel in treacherous weather
Seeking the one doctor for hundreds of miles
Twelve hours of labor now seemed like days.
Fell trees and shaved off roof tops, toppled by whipping winds
Rising rivers were swollen, and flooded make shift roads
Endless rain poured like there would be no end
Meanwhile her unborn child lay bridged as it battled for release
Suddenly the door burst open and the doctor rushed in
His clothes sticking to his skin; there was no time to change
With his palm he felt her forehead asking pertinent questions
He and the old midwife tried manually to turn the exhausted child
At each attempt, mother’s painful cry was heard in the distance
She gave one guttural scream and usherd her baby into the world
The child, born limp, barely breathing as the mid wife took her away
He starred into her eyes, and knew that she was beyond his help
He brought the new born to lie in her mother’s warm arms
The silence was noticeable; the raging storm had passed
The sound of light rain, now a comfort, gently tapped upon tin roof
In a soft, weak voice she called her husband and managed a smile
Then she blessed her child with words from a mother’s heart
“May you be a light, swift as lightning when days grow dark.”
“May you have wisdom and foresight beyond your days”
“May your heart nurture and remain open to love”
“Like rain, may you bring life to all “
“Born this stormy night, your name will be “Rain”.
~*~
By : Audrey Carey
Note: Imagination at work:) Written for Constance's "Rain, The Story" Contest.
My imagination took me to some little village in Africa. This scene is played out in
many villages where health care is non-existent. However, there's always, thanks
to God, a wise, caring "midwife" to help mothers during delivery.
Everyday, countless miracles are performed by God through "midwives"!
Categories:
toppled, caregiving, dedication, health, imagination,
Form:
Free verse