Best Umpteen Poems
I stood still on the top of the mountain
Gazing at the nature's colourful fountain
Wondering what's behind this amazing rainbow
I ventured curiously on to every high and low
The Violet proudly presented the Valiance behind her Royalty.
Indigo proved that Devotion yields Power and Dignity.
Blue demonstrated that Wisdom is the outcome of Stability.
The Prosperity, as Green proved, results from adventure.
The colour of sunshine revealed that Hope fuels Survival.
Orange disclosed the secret behind the joy of Freedom - Commitment.
Red introduced Courage as the guiding force of Self-empowerment.
I extrapolated these rainbow lessons to understand the essence of existence
Then I was amazed to look at every bit of life's radiance
On the other side of the rainbow of mother's love, there was labour.
On the other side of rainbow of success, there was the waterfall of sweat.
On the other side of the rainbow of sweet dreams, there was bloodshed.
On the other side of the rainbow of independent thoughts, there was abuse.
On every facet of life, only one side of colours is typically seen.
But the brushes that paint them are surprisingly umpteen.
"Umpteen little moments of all living creatures are knitted together to weave the vivid fabric called 'Life' " ~ by poet.
The first wee sprout springing up from a seed
Bright sparkling baby eyes so fresh and pure
A wobbly calf standing first time for feed
Cute ducklings following mama for sure
Blooms that bring, to the dreary mind, a cure
Children diving into the pond for fun
Birds cheering us with their morning songs sweet
Peacock wooing peahen - dancing begun
Buzzing bees, wild, building their hives so neat
Busy squirrels collecting nuts to eat
Crows cawing and sharing food with their friends
Sparrows hiding under leaves during rain
Toiling hawker, his life in streets, he spends
Grandma's graceful smile - creased face - hiding pain
The fall of the leaves, nothing to remain
Date: 07/11/2022
Submitted for: It's All About Three Q's Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Constance La France
Theme chosen: Life
Quintain (English), ababb, 10 syllables each line.
Dear Heart,
You are the great fulcrum of the human machine
So integral to keep us alive and leave us healthy
I know you work incessantly day and night
Neither taking rest nor seeking respite
By defiance, on any day, if you go on strike
Alas! All our body functions will come to a halt
Though a sinewy piece not bigger than a man’s closed fist
You are the seat of umpteen thoughts and emotions
A wondrous magic casket holding love and hate
A pouch that can contain so much of treasure
A sponge that can absorb any amount of pain
A hidden cave to stash away so many secrets
So deep and vast as a fathomless sea
You are so full of spiraling eddies and currents
Who can fathom your horrendous depths?
Who can explore your hidden recesses and crevices?
At times you stay still like a placid lake
Silent and unperturbed without even a ripple
At times boil and spill with emotions and feelings
Pounding like lashing waves of a stupendous sea
Sometimes like a swift bird in flight
You take off on wings to alarming heights
Or like a gambler’s horse on the race track
You keep galloping in lightning speed
Sometimes you are hard and resistant as a rock
But don’t be insensitive and unfeeling as a clump of wood
That’s my only prayer to you, my bosom friend
Store as much love as you can and lavish it as a millionaire
Do you know how much I love and value you
I feel there is nothing greater vouchsafed to man
Than the gift of an ever loving palpable heart
I relish you and wish to hug and caress you dear!
Much Love,
Jan.30.2023
~ Placed Nineth~
Dear Heart Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Mystic Rose Rose
More than anything Nature fascinates me
Men living in close proximity to nature, I love to see
So I ramble into the city’s far outskirts
Watching ordinary people in commonplace pursuits
Imbibing much from the life of the peasantry
Whom none can beat in life’s lessons elementary
How they interact devoid of all cold formality
And remain free from all artificiality
I inhale the fragrance of the wayside blooms
Watch kingfishers and parakeets in colorful plumes
My eyes never miss Nature’s minute caprices
And I rejoice in home bound birds’ sonatas
I watch the daylight paving way for the night
And the sun willfully surrendering his might
I listen to the invisible choir, singing in the dark
That breaks the sacred silence of the dusk
How these common scenes fill me with delight
Nevertheless making me sorry for the unhappy plight
Of those unable to enjoy any ordinary scene
And turn their backs to pleasurable sights umpteen
Blessed are those who have eyes to see and feel
And remain happy being close to Nature’s heel
Whose ears are attuned to the beats of the average
And who need no other intoxicating beverage
Those who get a kick out of the commonplace
And seek everyday banal sensations to embrace
________________________________________
May.21.2022
Fascination and Awe Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Jeff Kyser
In the hush of a fading twilight eve
Heard the passionate crooning of a dove
Under the eaves, it sat close to her love
What delight, that sound instantly gave
Sudden was the change it could impart
Brought forth a spurt of spontaneous delight
Lifting away all my sadness and regret,
It fell like rain into my lovelorn heart.
The heavens soon turned azure blue
In joy, my heart began to leap
It generated in me emotions too deep
Before me, all beauty came into view.
I saw pearls of bright sheen on trees,
Resting wobbly on the edge of leaves
Felt the scent of opening flowers,
Fanned in bouts of wind and breeze
Watched the evening covering in shrouds
And the day paving way to night
In darkness, fireflies dancing in delight
And the moon riding in the palanquin of clouds
In the open, I sat long like a sculptured figure
Breathing the scent of the perfumed air
Experiencing a new gaiety in profuse measure
My heart brimming with umpteen desire
Placed First.
A Strand( Dec.28) Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Brian Strand
Not long, but clear and strong, came Dad to me.
Gone six months now, grief still filled me empty.
One day he helped me avoid tragedy.
Scared, so scared, I left work for my son's school.
His epilepsy was being cruel -
school said .. hot .. red .. damp head .. remote .. no fuel.
Driving, Dad's voice clearly called out to me ....
he repeated my name with somber voice
until I was a good listener by choice.
Then, once, twice, thrice he spoke four words to me.
(no, no, no this cannot possibly be
I am desperate to be worry free,
to believe it, my sanity has quit.)
Five times more he delivered the four words.
Seemed he would say it 'til I believed it.
Directing my moves using Dad's four words
enabled my son's health to be restored.
Epilepsy left and spirit had scored.
Dad gave me proof that death invites no fear.
Souls ebb and flow, roll like ocean's own tide.
Death must be two doors, one souls pass through,
and one love-sealed to hold humans earth bound.
When flesh life dies, one's spirit life remains
on journeys aptly mapped for souls' growth-gain.
Each soul endures umpteen human lifetimes
'til spirit consciousness shines light divine.
Now mortal senses hold the universe,
when spirit senses would spare us our worst.
In race and gender, many are fast wrapped,
yet death shakes gone both sad, human rigged facts.
Misplaced emphasis could be what ends us.
When spirit sense outweighs human nonsense,
we shall seal heavenly wrapped, peaceful traits.
among umpteen passions
which invade me
day and night
how can I pick
a single passion?
of late, poetry I discern
as the prime passion
raging in me
when a cascade of feelings
plunge down from my heart,
unveiling inmost secrets,
when scenes from nature
fuel my imagination,
when feelings throttle
my heart
when memories whiz past
like flash bulbs
I sit drowsy
in yawning dawns
then my pen moves
trapping
all drunken thoughts
bustling
to be winged
it is when a poem is born
let every poem of mine
carry thoughts that can delight
a weary mind
how I wish,
to have a poem within me
always
that when chanted
will turn into a lulling winsome song
soothing the troubled souls
and reverberating in the silent nooks
with its echoes ringing loud and clear
May. 23.2022
Placed 9th
Your Passion Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Regina McIntosh
How fast time has fled in limitless wingspan
How months and years have merged into eons
Bringing such changes, so awesome and spectacular
I have come swinging open the iron gates
Of the Netherworld where I have been asleep
For over the last four centuries from now
From my prolonged slumber, I am just awake
With my memory intact as in the days
I walked the London streets on my way to Globe theatre
And roamed through the streets of Stratford on Avon
Here, I stand stunned like a Rip wan winkle
Wistfully staring at a world so strange
Wondering how in place of shacks, skyscrapers stand!
How the serene villages into bustling habitats made!
How the frilled frocks into jeans and shirts changed!
Seeing the changes that have come over now
I can only remain perplexed and “tongue tied”,
An expression I used long time back, but still in vogue
Happy I am to revisit the literate of the world
Especially members of my own clan;
My friends of Poetry Soup who wield their pen
To see words are latticed like filmy cobwebs
In diverse poetic forms, on themes and subjects varied
And in rhyming sonnets, my favorite poetic form
Though I stand in a remote and distant tract of time
So happy you still remember me and hail me as an immortal bard
And you name the young lovers- 'Romeo and Juliet'
And write on their amorous romance in honeyed rhyme
You call selfish and cunning people as ‘Iago’
And exclaim on being betrayed- “You too Brutus”
When you are confronted with problems insurmountable
Like Hamlet, you ask the million-dollar question-
“To be or not to be”
My friends, this is my parting words to you
You may live by fame as I do
Through verse, your name you eternalize!
When dead and in solitary vaults you lie
May your verses ring clear in umpteen hearts
And produce echoes that time cannot stifle.
Jan. 13.2023
~Placed First~
Shakespeare in 2023 Poetry Contest
Sponsor- Anoucheka Gangabissoon
yes, I am lonely enough to die;
lonely enough to cry;
lonely enough to ask Myself 'why'?
yes, I am lonely enough to say goodbye!
Everybody wants to live forever;
its what i wanted never;
the thing i wanted ever;
but nobody loved me like forever.
Nobody wants to die;
Nobody wants to cry;
its Me who wanted this all to try;
and thats the reason why every second i die!
Its the most difficult thing to realize,
when you yourself wants to be killed by a knife;
is it really swift to live such a life;
NO! as you know you have to be wise!
Can't even attempt something like suicide;
cause my religion is still walking beside.
its makes me feel scared side by side,
what if i died and nobody cried!
Still there is something to which I am tied;
but umpteen times i have lied;
and umpteen times i have cried;
as i really not find this world wide.
As I told you i never was clever;
so now I am saying GOODBYE FOREVER!
“Autumn leaves don’t fall; they fly. They take their time and wander on this, their only chance to soar.” ~ Delia Owens
When I was born, I clung to my mother,
A little light green being,
God made me so unlike any other,
I flap flutter unmoving,
Thousands of my brothers and sisters live
With me and my mom, all green,
Dancing and swaying with the breeze active,
We rustle, bustle umpteen,
During Autumn, my colour becomes red,
And I know my end is near,
Away from mom's clasp, I will soon be dead,
There's only one thing to cheer,
Now I can go where the wind wishes me,
I will try out my new wings,
All my life passed by, content on a tree,
Now I can explore few things,
Happy, I soar, away from my mom's shade,
Journeying on a new quest,
Fly and glide over the grass and the glade,
Floating, I find final rest.
2nd January 2023
Down lonesome roads of life I travel,
only resting when I grow weary,
I stumble on Memory Lanes of gravel,
when my mournful eyes grow teary,
I recall the many times I've fallen,
unable to stand up on my own,
Umpteen doubts that slowly crawl in
hinder the journey I've started alone,
It's then I see through tear-blinded eyes,
a shining Light, though somewhat bleary,
Growing brighter ev'n as I realise,
I'm walking again and no more dreary.
Grey storm clouds have all been lifted,
I see clearly, God has shown me The Way,
I've been blessed. With optimism I'm gifted,
On the Path of Righteousness, I'll not stray,
I have learned to be malleable and shrewd,
relying on prayer and what God will provide,
Life became felicitous with the right attitude,
Now, faith is my sole trustworthy guide.
(A COLLABORATION WITH LIN LANE)
02/14/18
Thank you, Lin for your inspiring words, it was a real pleasure writing with you:)
Down lonesome roads of life I travel,
only resting when I grow weary.
I stumble on Memory Lanes of gravel,
when my mournful eyes grow teary.
I recall the many times I've fallen,
unable to stand up on my own.
Umpteen doubts that slowly crawl in
hinder the journey I've started alone.
It's then I see through tear-blinded eyes,
a shining Light, though somewhat bleary.
Growing brighter ev'n as I realise,
I'm walking again and no more dreary.
Grey storm clouds have all been lifted.
I see clearly, God has shown me The Way.
I've been blessed. With optimism I'm gifted.
On the Path of Righteousness, I'll not stray.
I have learned to be malleable and shrewd,
relying on prayer and what God will provide.
Life became felicitous with the right attitude.
Now, faith is my sole trustworthy guide.
Written in collaboration with Jo Daniel.
It was gratifying to write with you, Jo. Thank you!
She is the reigning queen of poetry soup
Producing a plethora of poems at will as from a mill
Children or adults, she fits into every group
A woman of childlike innocence and goodwill
Though her poems cannot be ranked first rate
They flow smoothly with ease, and never need edit
Hardly enters a contest but has written everyday till date
And she has thousands of poems to her credit
Her world is populated with fairies and elves
Thus endearing herself to all children
For whom she works and they closely follow her heels
With a fiery passion for poetry, she is driven
This poetess from the United States
Resides in a world of fairy tales and fable
With flair, umpteen poems she creates
And joyously wears a poet’s illustrious label
Her poems are peppered with a pinch of humour
She is warm and genial, seemingly untouched by strife
Driven by distance, all I can do is to pray for her bright future
And wish her many more years of creative life
(Wrote for Paean on Poets Poetry Contest
without knowing that its form should be limerick)
Jesus sparkles as a jewel in my cloud ridden sky
I can sense his presence from sunrise to sunset.
His love as celestial mist, descends down from high.
When I place my trust in him, all my needs are met.
He makes me happy and fills my heart with gladness
I believe, he stays above my head, shedding benediction.
Saves me from every peril, never letting me slip into sadness
Every day I wish to grow deeper and deeper in that conviction.
He patiently listens to all my ardent pleas for help.
His words of wisdom serve as beacon in my path
I feel, he walks with me, always guiding my every step.
He is the talisman that saves me from enemy’s wrath.
In all trials and tribulations that each day I face,
God pulls me through, right on time, as from a slushy marsh.
He bestows on me his boundless love and grace.
Through his death, from all sins, our souls are awash.
Jesus! You glowing jewel, I wish to sing of your glory.
We see you as the greatest gift sent down from above.
No other name can be equated with yours in History.
As a true Shepherd, your flocks, you do care and love.
In my life, I would love to place you as the nexus.
To your reins, I give my life’s complete control.
Let my soul sing of the umpteen glories of Jesus,
For he is the radiant jewel that sparkles my soul.
Can you imagine a bond with one I have hardly seen?
But if I can call someone my bosom buddy, it is Maureen.
We contact over the phone daily as a routine.
In keeping our friendship intact, both of us are keen.
We first met accidentally at the office canteen.
Soon she went away to another place and was never seen.
She was then so very young, hardly nineteen.
Her appearance and manners were quite clean.
She was petite and lean with a pleasant mien,
Endowed with a heart with qualities umpteen.
She seldom says or does anything harsh or mean.
Sane in her decisions with a disposition serene,
In my heart’s innermost shrine, she stays ever green
Also brightens my life with dazzling sheen
She reigns in my heart as an unrivalled queen.
In my sorrow and in every need, on her, I can lean!
October.4.2022
Resubmitted for Brian Strand Premier Choice Poetry Contest
Single Stanza Monorhyme Poetry Contest
Sponsor. L MILTON HANKINS