Best Tuned In Poems
The beach climbs are harder
the rocks turn my feet
and I find myself walking on my ankles
wading through sand
But the photos at sunset
or as the moon rise
are such a surprise
Like paintings
like fine art
witnessing the beauty of nature
as it shows us all of the basis for inspiration
everywhere
The sea air is so refreshing
the tang of salt
its cool crisp feel
as it laps past me
and blows my hair
The sheen of the sun and the moon
off the water
and it undulates and ripples
It's mesmerizing and beautiful
I seek out the lighthouse
to capture its beauty on the horizon
Its glow too settles on the ocean
and lights the scene in a way
that makes it seem like a painting
A huge downed redwood tree on the beach
a sculpture in driftwood now
but so big as to be a playground
The natural wonders of this place continue to provoke me
and keep me wanting more
from the tiny bits of rock on the ground
to the magnificent scenes in the sky
my senses are always tuned in
And here I share them with you....
Artimus 9/1/2025
I'll hold this place for her loving faintly-
fragile, and tepid outer layer veils so thinly
a gorgeous core shining bright and quietly
Her eyes say more
than lips betraying her thoughts
as they swirl to intriguing depth.
I dive, plunge deeply-secretly
wading in thought's waters
loving the expanded borders
hidden beyond your rippled surface.
As birds singing, primp their rehearsed tune,
your diamond shines reluctant
from realities igneous tomb
I wan't to know the words she's trapped in blue
fluttering chests locked tightly when nervous
posture tells of something more.
Hushed often before, and muted now conditioned
to repress your heart...it's hard to breathe
as you selfconsciously hold your breath
Move those lips to mine
and whisper each trapped caption
your mind froze but never lost,
open the soul to feeling once more
like blood reddening air exposure
freeing the absence of feeling
...replaced with this tuned in euphoria
blaring melodies warm and familiar to our ears
*Inspired by Nathan's "Diamond in the Rough" contest
His fingers flew like hummingbirds
across his old guitar
as he played his wordless melody
in the shadows of the bar.
Suddenly the crowd was still
as every ear tuned in
to hear the song without the words
that sang itself to him.
But someone in the shadows listened
deep within her heart
and heard each silent word
his strings intended to impart.
Then, when the lights came up again
he hushed his old guitar,
and as her misty eyes met his,
he embraced her from afar.
My husband won a contest
On a weekly FM quiz
To prove to all who listen
What a “know-it-all” he is.
The prize is a certificate
And maybe some acclaim
From the kith and kin tuned in
When Jeff*, the DJ, says your name.
A call came through soon after
For the winner’s home address
And Jeff playfully explained to us,
As if it would impress:
“Now when you get your certificate,
It’s valuable to you.
When you go out to a restaurant,
This is what you need to do…”
So we thought, free meal or discount,
But that wasn’t what he said,
Though he had us both in stitches
By what he exclaimed instead:
“If your table has a wobble
In one leg a little bit,
Take your prize and fold and place it,
Very gently, under it.”
Well, this “know-it-all New Yorker”
Learned just what his title’s worth
But it added to our day
With the injection of some mirth.
*Jeff Spurgeon, WQXR-FM, NYC
Tranquil twilight tuned in a mellifluous brevity,
Silver stars appeared, twinkling, forming constellations bright,
And nightingales sang to honour our memorable night,
As we lay serene. the fine sand willing our destiny.
Blessed indeed were we to find such a peaceful sandy cove
I looked into her eyes and saw how they reflected stars.
No doubt as years roll, the view still will be in my memoirs,
Indeed, it was just our fortune to find that treasured trove.
Lovingly, a soft kiss was like a rimming nightly breeze,
The palm trees swished to the cool brisk zephyr murmuring low,
While the cacophony of cicadas gave us their show,
That flowed gently o'er silvery waves of calm coral seas.
The quiet moon shone bright as it ascended in the sky
We jumped into the sea surrounded with coral glowing
The moonlight glistened as fish swam in shoals over-flowing.
Alas it was time to leave as we uttered a deep sigh.
Up we climbed our small yacht and went to have our well-earned rest,
The gentle soft waves rocked us to a deep refreshing sleep,
Unaware of bright coral or tropical fish beneath,
We had our wonderful honeymoon the ultimate best.
10 May 2021
Writing Prompt - Calm - Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Constance La France
Placed 1
14 syllables per line
Sway, sway so soft
Back and forth swaying
near motionless
holding on so tight
blending, merging
melting together
rocking your baby doll
to sweet silver blue...
Now gliding, waltzing
Cajun waltzing
Jolie Blon waltzing
so smooth, so elegant
so easy and tuned in like
skating on ice...
Slow-shag shuffle
Beach sounds on the juke box
barefoot on a sandy floor
Platters, Drifters, Temptations
Intricate, delicate movement
Shuffle to the seagull's call
to the warm gulf breeze
to the pounding rhythm of the sea...
Now shake it, shake a tail-feather
bend over let me see you
shake a tail feather
sweaty, salty, sexy shaking
C'mon baby shake it on down
shake it on down with me...
Last verse based on the song: 'Shake a Tail-Feather' by James & Bobby Purify
A stick of simple bamboo. .
A wood of no repute.
Hollow, empty, dull...
Deaf and dumb..so mute.
Then..just a few holes they put..
and Oh!! ..how it looked so cute.
Behold the brown bamboo..
It changed itself to a flute.
Fingers flowed..
Sliding the route so smooth.
Acoustics played paradise. .
So serene and so soothe.
Soft humming sound it found..
Pied Pipers tuned in all around.
Breathing melody deep from heart
Mellifluous magic ? or
Music of Mozart?
What an harmony...What an art!
Lord Krishna embraced ...
His immortal part.
The music of the flute..
In resonance with the Truth.
The world bowed down..
to love and salute...
The 'Opera' of life..a divine astute.
I’M COMPOSING MYSELF FOR CHRISTMAS
I’ve done all my Christmas CHOPIN
And got everything on my LISZT.
All in all I’ve been frightfully BIZET
And the Christmas break will be BLISS.
I’m away to the VILLA-LOBOS,
In HAYDN until New Year’s Day,
With a girl in my arms who’s mad about BRAHMS
And the note on the HANDEL will say,
“For GOUNOD’S sake do not disturb us
Except for our SUPPE tray
With two glasses of sweet MARTINU
And a bowl of crème BOULEZ.”
The COLE PORTER’S built the fire up,
The TELLEMAN’S tuned in the set,
We’ll POULENC ourselves down on the sofa
And drop ORFF and try to forget.
5th March 2023
Pun Fun poetry contest
Sponsor - Margarita Lillico
truth imbibed
awaits assimilation
we feel it in our bones
in time dissolved meditation~ Unseeking Seeker
When the sun sleeps and the stars rise, close your eyes,
for there, within the sailing flickers of time,
you’ll feel the electric warmth of cosmic sighs,
caressing the soul chakra with bliss sublime.
We are silken fragments of engraved moonlight,
manifesting miracles from the truth traced,
while flames of dreams reignite colors so bright,
tuned in sync with the magnetic beams embraced.
And here, in the halcyon arms of silence,
I thread faith with thoughts of love, erasing fears,
releasing dimmed sparks from rays of resilience,
as truth breathes sweet elixirs from lotus tears.
In the hushed state of roseate reveries,
I hear songs of solace from the seventh sphere,
quenching greyed petals wilting in miseries,
for I am my zen, cloaked in crystals so clear.
Let faith dissolve blurred lines carved within jinxed art,
follow the softened storms laced with forgiveness,
trust in the sage stillness of the mindful heart,
incensed with peace, veiled in redefined kindness.
O glorious glow of the Almighty’s light,
allow my spirit to bask in the restful
quietude composed in diamond-glazed delight,
embodying luminous lamps, so zestful.
The need to know and to belong,
to sing the chorus and the song,
to learn to share and be a part,
not at the centre,in the the heart;
To play a role,an instrument
finely tuned in temperament,
one of many,in symphony,
essential,yet in harmony;
Yet we each,unique,individual,
in unison,sacred,sacremental.
Inspired by Jesus prayer in J 17:11
Poetry is my photographer's way of taking a picture,
my way of capturing the moments our hearts envelope
and need to express. It's a snap shot
of the before, in between and after seen now...
NOW, RIGHT NOW!...
...What - I - felt,
What - she- thinks,
What - he - will - do...
...It encapsulates the heart of each poet's under-
standing for how to bring everything into words,
and focuses the listener into a sure way of receiving
what others mean to roll into your camera.
The seconds passing can now embrace the all
of life AND time for you to have now...
NOW, RIGHT NOW!...
...NOW can have more than the speaker standing
and the now that is spoken, but can release
the imagination to discover the realness of what
connects us all and en frame the totality of
existence into this moment...
As the shutter shuts, you impress into the world ideas...
Ideas like love lost, or an oak tree in mid-autumn...
You can engage your heart to feel united to a teenager
who lived 350 years ago and bring her back to life...
as well as unlock and set free your terminal uniqueness
and end loneliness forever now,
NOW, RIGHT NOW!...
...All you have to do is read and listen
and we can connect to each other....
maybe not this poem, maybe not the next...
let the shares become the film developing,
staying tuned in...
and everything you've ever been waiting to hear
can reach you!
...You can feel oneness with others,
ease the pillar of your soul,
comprehend your inhibitions,
put to rest your cravings,
or set loose your laughter...
...Time can angle your lens and catch what everything
looks like, but a poet can capture and increase
the moods and tones of the photo so you can
FEEL what the picture looks like with one flash...
and cause a picture to breathe....
So......take a deep breathe...
rub yourselves into your clothes....
...feel the texture of all the material,
maybe on your thighs or your shoulders...
..........smile...
go ahead and feel the texture of your own smile...
...SAY CHEESE...
and welcome to the now, NOW...
right now.
(A poem of Love and Hope)
The sky: Part 1
the sky's timing
so tuned in
to the sun
to the moon
always smiling
bright blue
with never
ending
arms
stretching from
East to West
a loving embrace
taking all in
and all there is
even an odd cloud
The cloud: Part 2
a cloud comes
entering stage left
blown
by a wishful
whispering wind
curling his white
bearded chin
he without
a silver lining
but not lying
has never
stopped
for any thing
or any one
having never
nothing
or no one
for to ever
stop
but
seeing
the sky
the blue
the smiling
he wants
to stay
embracing
this face
this place
this space
knowing not
to change the tune
of the sky's
blue to
the blues
In the half-light's gentle hue,
I find solace in the sighs of you,
as winking stars gossip of length of purpose,
and width of possibilities that
challenge us-
as one of love's melodies beginning
to surface- as renewal remedy,
a phoenix returned, tuned in to propose
recognition of self's selfless ashes burned;
cognition to the ways
you have- Saintly urn about you,
an auric aurora world
unique to you, turns
each glance heavenward,
a brow arched like a curious child,
each heartbeat a soft echo -
smile sympathetic sonar
to porpoise the ocean wild.
Your countenance is remembrance
of promises whispered long ago,
where we embraced
in the moon's soft afterglow gaze,
our souls intertwined in the flow,
grazing satellites to synthesis a gardens growth.
Like petals of a delicate pansy in peacock mode,
our love in full bloom grows and grows,
done waiting for the other shoe to drop,
the fertility of hope and faith
has redeemed our tandem crop-
with every touch and every kiss,
every broken bone,
we find eternal chance to be one,
not a broken bone, but never broken,
never alone, a harvest of
Love's green thumb.
In the business of the day
and the silence of the night,
we find comfort in each other-
in each other's light,
a love so pure and love that I hope
contagiently imbues
an eternal flame
that will forever spread like wildflowers
with true colors burning bright
and pigment turning true.
My world on a piece of paper
Drawn and felt under the Moon's vesper
Simple life I rended
Under a tree I shredded
Early in life I staggered
Held only a pencil and a paper
Walking with shoes of a cobbler
Trudging many roads that bantered
At sixteen my life turned and spinned
In a world not mad, but splinted
At eighteen my world tuned in din
Like a song in a jukebox, worn and tinted
Years passed and my world stayed the same
To act and strive without shame
My thoughts that broke me in two
In a world that honed me to be true
The world is full of mystery
Stand up and walk over misery
God opens a way to relive a life
His name I praise all my life
Past will always be a history
History of any man with clogged stories
Stories that can break you or mend you
Stories of you, all but one in you
Aye, let me say
It's not what ya think bout me,
For I'll always be that, just me!
Holler if ya want to,
I'm not listening,
For I'm not tuned in!
Turn up the volume all ya want to,
I still don't feel the lousy heat,
I'm over you, over that too!
Want to tell me a story
All about me?
I know me well and I do ME well.
What else to add to your false alarm,
Like a clock going off
When it's not supposed to?
What do you gain from your strife?
Does it make you into a hero,
Locked in like a club sandwich?
How large is your bite
Shedding dirt like a mite,
Pieces flying all over - air, land and sea?
You got that right, It's not what ya say
And it's not what ya do;
Hurting is the name of your Game!