Best Unharmed Poems
If you could relive one day of your life..
time lost, now retrieved for just a short while.
To thrust old scheming machinations knife,
or return healing to a lover's smile.
Such a fretted frittering those lost days,
though ones you and I will remember most.
Passions reared high in servile dewy haze..
soft breathe warm against skin from dearest host.
Moment waits untended a dreamer's call,
something I can never give you again.
Bodice caught on nail of new lover's wall,
though we may choose to return now and then.
Tarried too long look'g to horizon's edge..
promised heart unharmed, now pulled from a ledge.
The walls are stained by my fingers,
raw from trying to scratch them away,
but they’re unharmed and unmarked
on the random spots, here and there,
where I broke my knuckles
thinking I could knock them down,
and the lies and truths that passed me by,
and the things I couldn’t be bothered with,
were opportunities gone a-begging,
moving lips, I couldn’t hear a thing
and I don’t know what they said.
I don’t remember the things you told me
but I do remember you telling me,
and I believe the worst of it
and I don’t care for the rest,
I might have loved the design, though,
and I know the machine was ruined
before the engineers and the technicians
even knew that it existed.
The TV is on for now,
a million faces and a million voices
and a million unthinkable miseries,
they knock on the screen from inside
and they cannot reach me,
it’s all white noise, though, anyway,
unless I apply an ear well enough
to pick out a particular sound or two
and make of it whatever I will.
I’m not quite sure of what it was
that you knocked into my head,
but I wish to God I could only know
half of what you knocked out of it.
7th February 2019
I awoke to a memory that asked to be felt through the emotions of
An early rising seeing boys playing in the park without wondering
about the meaning of life because at that time life had no
meaning only to be lived and enjoyed in the moment
And I wondered
Was it better then as a tear climbed downward on the lines carved deeply in a
face that had
Seen so much and loved so fervently
Those days when a sandlot became an arena and the ringing
of laughter echoed
Through a neighborhood
Where there were skinned knees and sprained ankles but hearts were left
Unharmed and the gladiators had not seen 13 yet
While skirts were still a reason for giggling and it was more important to reach
first base from the hot corner than it was
To acknowledge her smile because
We were warriors with a common bond
BROTHERS
A pond sits in the glen
bright fish dashing about
casting silvery shadows
ducks chasing after them
eels making their way to sea
flying birds circling back and forth
green frogs croaking for a mate
herons gobbling them up
in the depths a pike floats
jutting out its pointed head
keeping hidden as it prowls
lurking between the rotting logs
minnows swim by unharmed in shoals
newts eagerly snapping them up
out in the reeds lays up a catfish
playing dead it patiently waits
quick to react to its prey
reaping the bounties little fry snack
sticklebacks swim lazily through reed beds
trout leaping catching fly's and midgets
under the calm waters life abounds
vivid rainbow trout spawn
while the blue waters thrive
xanthine filled plants floating
yellowfin cutthroat trout dart by and
zander perch fill a fisherman's net
Journey
By Ifunanya Anyene
Category B (14 yrs)
Grade 11
As a seedling I start,
Fresh and unharmed by the flaws of nature,
From the grounds I depart,
Top of the beauty chart
A whole new creature.
Now I bloom in the sunset
A queen in the wilderness
And they blow the trumpet
Unlike the sun I do not set
But moan with an unending benevolence.
Now I bear the seeds of tomorrow,
As I merge with my own kind,
Now free from the cells of sorrow,
Not long before my petals furrow,
And the weed of death bind.
And so I bear a curtain of hostility
As I weep against my fallen fortress,
And the moon illuminates my site of photosynthesis,
As thus I reach my final terminus,
As a seedling I came as a yield I digress.
Now comes the end of my prolonged journey,
As the weeds of ancient time overthrow me,
And I return to the ground nobly,
Be think oneself with this,
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.
Her death STARING me down
Staring. . .
Her drooping eyes dangling low
Warm blood
COLD blood!
Don’t come any nearer!
I told you to leave!
You killed them all, one by one
I did it for you!
DON’T BLAME ME FOR LOVING YOU!
Give me a kiss. . .stay quiet
NO! Tell me it’s a lie
. . .
This must be a nightmare
The nightmare ends here—I swear
Hold me close and we’ll comfort each other
While they pass by
You’ll be safe, unharmed
And then you can run, you beautiful soul
It’s too late to run, remember?
I lied
There’s still a way out
You’re only giving me a shred of hope
Hope. . .
So you can tear it all down
Tear them all down. . .
We’re together. . .just you and me, And Nobody
I’m scared of you
What’s new?
Use me to save you
You were built to destroy
To CHASE
Run. . .run. . .I beg you to run
I’m not going anywhere
The pain has just begun
Hide. . .hide. . .they’re coming inside
Let them come
I’ll never say goodbye
You left me with Nobody
And Nobody is me
So I’m stuck with you and you’re stuck with me
I want you to go over there
Don’t look—turn around
They will enter me and you will see The Nobody
I’m not scared of Nobody
YES YOU ARE. . .
Run. . .run. . .please run. . .
No I’m not
Bodily odors and sulfur
Blood and oath—SUFFER!
The Dreamer
If I dream a dream tonight
too withered with shades of light.
Worried I will die from fright,
but too weary to see the sun
to sleep I go till dawn has won.
As I dream this dream tonight
transforming bones to shape the bite.
howling at moonlight rays from afar,
to but a dream I sleep unharmed.
To slumber and shake I rage.
as I paint this fiend of knight.
lacking strength and will to fight
the only dreaming I hope tonight.
As I fall through sands that quakes
holes of madness take my place.
for no more horror in my delight
as this dream ends or soon
yields my sight.
As lightning strikes eyes of glass
vengefulness at bitter last.
monster, demons all the gore
conquering the fear is yet a war.
Until the sadness of rain I was dry
not cool, not warm like nothing inside.
now broken only to find
new love, built by my side.
To a spewer of moment, I lie awake
true or false unaware what to make.
I stand from window cold touch to the floor
with the bitter taste of morning sores
left me to wonder if…
was it a dream or was it more.
Whispered words from behind a wall,
to cronies gathered short and tall.
“Go on ahead,” he said, “let's see.”
“If I can turn her sweet on me.”
So from within, she heard the tale:
the rye, small, snickers, the wolves’ wails.
Yet, like the doe in the fires light,
the wail entranced, did not cause fright.
Wide-eyed, so stunned, the morsel stood,
in frozen stance within the wood.
Within his reach and steady glance,
the hunter broached the ancient dance.
With swagger, grace, he set the pace.
the honeyed tongued Knight on the chase.
He spoke words of honor, brave deeds,
of his claimed virtues she took heed.
“No, ” said the Maid, for she was shy.
“I’m afraid,” she moaned. “Do you lie?”
He turned her chin, and eye to eye,
stroked her fair cheek and heard her sigh.
Offered cake to this starving waif,
with trembling hands, she took the bait.
For upon his lips and rough skin,
She could, sweet-sugar, taste within.
He sought the warmth of her blood; bone.
He thought the conquest was his own.
Yet, she too held a hope within,
to bring forth the goodness in him.
Oh, she could feel his aching need,
'Twas his seedling soul, she'd feed.
The prey, prayed, to touch his heart.
to give the Hunter a new start.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many’s the times, his teeth came near,
to the pulsing vein in her throat.
Many times the Universe stopped
like a dandelion seed afloat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The hunter balked, stayed for a time,
tasted the joy of her sweet wine;
loving the feel of a drink new,
a gift, love, offered each of you.
Could he extinguish this pure light?
Could He reciprocate, cause fright?
Sorry, was the wolf deep within.
He was sorry; she’d let him in.
Sorry, he couldn't grow in her arms,
Sorry, he couldn't loose to her charms.
“Sorry,” on the tip of his tongue.
As he left her, unharmed, on run.
“Sorry.” said she, rising higher,
made stronger by her pure desire.
Like the ancient Phoenix, she rose,
on the wings of her loves fire.
And prayer floated back from above.
A prayer, sent with her hearts' love.
echoing his sentiment many ways.
“Sorry Love," She said.
"May the Wolf find his Way.”
who among us is ready to don the red cape
the promise of glory
with the mighty wind at your back
face the slings and arrows of the world
climb every mountain and
walk through every valley
soar through the sky like the golden eagle
with a steel sword to fill your hand
place a golden helmet upon your head
yes, sing the words aloud
oh, sweet glory...oh sweet glory
fill my goblet with nectar
from the Gods above
and not be afraid of the spiritual world
to walk through the valley of death unharmed
and secured by faith undone
to know the promise of glory exist
still, I am sure
enabled to plant the seeds of destiny
but quench every man's heart
with sweet light
in the kingdom of God
and forever and ever
be captured by the promise of glory
Sometimes I get lost in my dreams,
just wanting to escape this stressful life.
I lose my way in a garden full of flowers
and search for never ending love.
The sun shimmers from the sky in the summer
glorifying the beauty of nature.
Peaceful, unharmed, and experiencing nature
while I am in God’s country, it is not a dream.
The cotton clouds and fresh breeze of summer
fill my mind and body with love.
Woods full of animals; I didn’t recognize all the life
that surrounded the creatures like trees and plants
growing every day like the blooming flowers.
The howling, chirps, and grunts of animals in nature
searching for something, could it be love?
Only pure happiness survives within a dream.
Danger lurks and protection is the goal of life.
These living beings emerge for the summer.
A hoot from an owl in the summer,
who is hidden in the dark trees like buds on flowers.
Up high, away from predators and saving its life,
it looks down upon the traveling beasts of nature.
At night, the owl keeps eyes wide open and doesn’t dream.
In the morning, eyes closed perched on a branch to love.
A deer is every camouflage hunter’s love.
Killers mostly keep away in the summer.
A cornfield, apple tree, and salt-block dream,
the elegant animal waltzes through the flowers.
The brush welcomes the creatures of nature
to bed down and hide from the bullets of life.
You ask yourself, “What is life?
and respond, Full of living and love.”
To experience life and the miracle of nature
reminds me of a perfectly warm day in the summer
full of a variety of exotic unspoken, colorful flowers
of which will always define a perfect dream.
I will always be a part of nature for it is my life.
The open window in my dreams leads me to another love.
Sweet fragrant flowers pedal me back to the home of summer.
It"s been a while
The last time we walked over a mile
The last time we talked with fun
Together under the sun
Time set us apart
One day, we didn't know
It's already time to depart
That day, we didn't show
You're a friend of mine, you know
Someone I always hold on to grow
You're a friend of mine I show
To everyone, you need not to know
Strong, we stand together
Things we don't have and not bother
Together we keep each other warm
Same sweater we wear with charm
Sports we play together
Things we share forever
One umbrella under the rain we're warmed
Same umbrella we hold on to and unharmed
Years passed and you came back
Years passed by, we didn't show and look back
Words we should have said and heard
From each other we kept inside so long unheard
I want you always safe and cared for
To you my shoulders I offer and save for
You're a friend of mine
You're worth more than a mine
The day I chose you
Compared to all the others
I saw the uniqueness of your colors
Looking back when you flew away
Broke my heart in pieces and stole all peace in living
When you were found my heart raced fast
I was beyond grateful that you came back
We moved forward and life was good
Until one day when you seemed strange
I saw you bleeding out in pain
Then news struck that you were sick
and surgery would bring an unknown risk
The vet said there was a slim chance
Like the usual medical script
Uncertain and scared I couldn't bare
To hear the panting from your chest
All from too big an egg
You couldn’t lay in your nest
Your appetite was lost and I was at a loss
I cupped you in my hands
Warm and unharmed
You were like snow melting away
Drifting from my heart
A change of season
There was a reason
For this lesson to be learned
You held on for the holidays to make our last memories
When the day of your dying came
It sure left me crying
But I know that you are...still flying
Gov'ners were jealous and zealous the satraps -
One had received uncalled-for promotion.
With design to malign, these guys enacted
a divine trap for this fella's devotions.
"Accept this new law," they said, "Except to you,
O Great King, no petitions can be uttered."
A crusade to degrade, they watched Dan's window,
As he stepped up and prayed, boldly un-shuttered.
Their wily ruse worked and while he was kneeling,
they trotted off to the king and tattled.
Daniel was content to be pent up with lions,
but King Darius spent the night rattled.
Unarmed and unharmed, Dan stayed with the beasts.
In the morning, the king raced to the hole.
The lions in a daze; sudden praise he spoke,
"I'm amazed, God has delivered you whole."
Hear futile complaints among brutal beasts;
Officials are punished with fear and trembling.
They take a fair turn in the lair as ordered
God takes care of revenge for dissembling.
(dissembling means misleading)
based on the account in Daniel 6:1-24
to accompany the painting by Briton Riviere, Daniel's Answer to the King,
it seems Daniel continues to pray to his God inside the lion's den
Running wild through the streets
Dog in tow
Hand in hand with my best friend.
Light shining on our faces
As we laughed and ran
Free, young and eternal.
Spirited and determined
We played the games of innocence
Simple, real and heart felt.
We hugged and kissed
And loved
With the sincerity of youth
Untouched
Unharmed
And hopeful.
Running wild in the streets
Dog in tow
Hand in hand with my best friend,
Sweetness in smell
Sweetness in taste
Forever in our hearts.
There were potatoes planted deep
In the early cold sping
So soon that a frost still could come
And nip the tender green
Unharmed by a sudden frost's bite
They grow to unusual height
Then the blossoms faded fast
Signaling harvest rites