Best Unsealed Poems
The green-blue marks of the tufuga's* tools run down his thighs
Patterns in shades of deep-ocean-dark and unsealed-road-like lines
Back to his ancestors and forward to his descendants
He is young and good in a way that makes it impossible to imagine he might ever become old
angry...
drunk.
He speaks quietly like the 'shhhhhhh' sound his teachers made when he laughed too loudly as a child
His skin is brown like the soil used to be
and soft,
like it still is,
underneath the white man's concrete.
*Samoan tattooist
Categories:
unsealed, culture, men, teenage,
Form:
Free verse
In the corner café across from the sea
he sits alone reading his book
Thinking of love while drinking his tea
and memories of chances he never took
Her name resonates gently
recalling moments,
of cheek touched whispers
yet hands unheld
and lips unsealed
What if?
What if he turned back time
Would she ever know,
what lies woken
in the dormitory of his mind
What keeps lingering,
in the alley of his heart
Would she be struck by cupid's arrow
tongue-tied and wanted
Would her heart melt
at the sound of his voice,
the touch of his hand
Would his feelings resonate
deep within her soul
What if?
What if then was now
Would she be the keeper,
of his heart
The object of his affection
Would she dawn into his eyes
like early sunbeams
Or disperse into the night
like the autumn mist
Would she tread her dreams
upon his footprints
Would she share the truth
which lies so still within
Or would she be restored
to a mirthless mouth
and twisted smile,
to somber moods
and bleak commands.
To griefing pain
that killed her life
Where would her chambered heart lead
What if she would confess
The last of his caress
is all she needs to breathe
Categories:
unsealed, fantasy, feelings,
Form:
Free verse
To love you in every fairest moment
and kiss you tenderly in pure delight
to yearn for you when you are absent
and hold you closer in shadowed light
love keeps us fondly in a warm embrace
as dreams within the heart become unsealed
passion will become a familiar face
beneath the sun's flowered fragrant field
we'll be devoted when our arms entwine
like tender green leaves hold the morning's dew
in the dawn soft glow your eyes always shine
hummingbirds slow their flight when they see you
the true beauty found in love is so clear
a bond to be until we disappear
Categories:
unsealed, love,
Form:
Sonnet
.
This desk with its scattered papers,
blotted ink and unsealed envelopes…
passages penned and tossed
in the confusion that lives and breathes in my mind…my heart
Distance frames the walls of
the addressed…since canceled
Splintered dreams on the edges are worn,
time has shaved the moments…the places
on broken calendars swinging freely
of lost dates scratched within the numbered boxes
Sorrow carved in the fine oak grain
by an empty pen with dulling point…dented
Poetry sits meaningless
with rhyming phrases of hope…wishes…love
begging for but a brief visit,
only to be discarded between reams of teardrop leaflets
Verses formed deep within a vacant heart,
a lonely space, emptied by the loss
I write in an absolute mist,
fog induced renditions of another’s touch,
formulating in the same words…always the same words,
repeating in the darkness that sighs in rhythm of a flickering candle flame
Over and over,
echoing the halls of this barren heart
Shadows drain the breath
of hopeless desires…built on manicured dreams
within a world collapsing in shredded
prose, and fractured fingers, still writing
I am lost
without her…
10/14/16
The Poet's Ache
Greg Barden
Categories:
unsealed, heartbroken, lonely, lost,
Form:
Free verse
What is a dream
if not reality's conceit?
What is reality
if not a shadowy deceit?
The dream circle was unsealed
when we were born
and dream-time filled our lives
from night to early morn.
The circle grew ever wider
in our youthful days of yore
with unbounded dreams of glory
on some far distant shore.
But then the circle tightens
when our days near to a close.
Dreams replace ambitions
as one's mortal body slows.
So our dreams in poems we'll write
hence when we disappear,
we'll leave our mark in some small way
to show that we were here.
And in some far off time we hope
someone will read our verse
and a dream that was a part of us
will shake the universe.
Categories:
unsealed, philosophy, universe,
Form:
Couplet
Once upon a time
In a land far away
A Baby was born
On a bright winter’s day
He was a happy baby
His laughter quite the treat
He was perfect from his head
To the bottom of his feet
He was born a Prince
So they wanted a regal name
The Queen called on her subjects
“Please come join in our games.”
“The winner will choose
our young Prince’s name.
To be spoken throughout the land
to bring the Prince fame.”
They brought their lances
Their armour and swords
In their search for Glory
and to win big awards
But the greatest prize
to select the Baby’s name
The winner so honoured
would gain great acclaim
They fought upon horses
In matches on the street
All manners of combat
Many foes to defeat
At the end of the week
One winner was proclaimed
The public all cheered him
For the Prince would be named
The winner was a man
Who, had not a name
He’d lived all his life
carrying that shame
So he thought for many hours
What name might be best
He searched all manner of books
So the Prince would be blessed
Alexander or Richard
Maybe Demetrius or Hobbs
Perhaps Matthew or Vincent
Or something simple like Bob
After hours of research
His choice was revealed
Written on a Silver Scroll
The name was unsealed
Queen Harleen was ecstatic
Dressed in a gown of gold
The Baby Prince in her arms
She did affectionately hold
King Matthew took the Prince
Introduced him to the crowd
“His name is Benjamin
Of him we’re all proud.”
Dedicated to our son Matthew, our daughter in-law Harleen and of course the star of the Tall Tale, our new Grandson Benjamin.
Categories:
unsealed, beautiful, birthday, child, family,
Form:
Quatrain
Some people are convinced that they possess
Accomplishment within a certain art,
Yet sound, impartial judgement would conclude
That they have little talent to impart.
In contrast there are those with aptitude
Who never share the gifts which could inspire,
Reluctant to expend their time and skills
In quickening a kindred spirit’s fire.
Each person is endowed with unique gifts
To be applied, not to be hid from sight
Nor quenched by the mundanity of life
But rather to encourage and delight.
No gift should lie unsealed upon life’s shelf
True talent must be nurtured and unfurled
Enhancing lives which then reciprocate;
Creating an enlightened, vibrant world.
25/09/18
'Parable of the talents contest' : Sponsored by: Holly Hippocampus
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS N/A gifts Anthony Biaanco 7/18/2020
Categories:
unsealed, appreciation, bible, blessing, encouraging,
Form:
Rhyme
The moonlit sea hides within the scent of waves
which waft and lilt on shores of dreams
Evanescent thoughts of effervescent moments
linger oncemore through nights
where heart was young ,emotions deep and lips unsealed.
Alone I sit close to a rock which bears no colour
as softened ripples caress my memory
and silver stars outline the black of empty skies
The cold damp mist covers my eyelid
as the wind blows within my soul
the same old soul which knows each sound
each every rustle of shriveled leaves
brown whitering leaves which leap and creep
in prolonged darkness.
Somewhere so far my breath still mingles
in open fields beneath a sun
which warms the skin of evergreen
amongst white orchids which fill the air
somewhere so far somewhere out there.
Somewhere so far the worn out chords
of a guitar still play their tunes
and broken footprints still mark the path
of my bare shoulders within your arms
as broken voices whisper no words
as early snowfall freezes the years.
.
Categories:
unsealed, life,
Form:
Light Verse
Red of fire
Reddish fire in place of loins,
Fiery hell to thee enjoins,
Kundalini coiled it waits, until,
Opened doors the chakras willed,
Enjoined to feet of clay.
Orange door is very bright,
Growing larger orange sight,
Fill your mind yes until,
Strength of purpose is your will,
That’s right.
Yellow blossoms brightest day,
Cast the very blue away,
Brighter still to make you blink,
It be written, don’t let it shrink,
The spirit is in play.
Green of heart the healing mill,
Help your fellow man until,
The darkness gone, from night,
Lift spiritual from the blight,
enjoin the great God’s will.
Blue of throat the hearing feel,
Sound of others gone, revealed,
Light blue veil is unsealed,
Therein, within the night,
Hearing is our right.
Purple smoke the eyes beheld,
Image seen, ding dong the bells,
Danger comes as seen ther-in,
In the purple flashes dim,
It is your birthright.
Kundalini seeks the light,
From top of head a glowing white,
Understanding fruit of gall,
Aura glowing nine feet tall,
A spiritual delight.
We do have these swirling chakras,
these spiritual devices…
Don Johnson
Categories:
unsealed, adventure, blue, spiritual,
Form:
Ballad
The workings of the hidden world
By the poet are revealed
The heart’s untangled in a verse
The secrets are unsealed
The poet paints a picture
In timeless light it glows
The beauty of the language
Is captured yet it flows
He’s expressing hidden feelings
And the value in all things
Can you hear the melody
The song the poet sings
Elegance and timelessness
For others to be blessed
He’s capturing for all to see
What cannot be possessed
Categories:
unsealed, imagery, poetry, poets,
Form:
Rhyme
This situation seems quite dense
But don't make half the sense
But it happened two times in cadence
I'll try to shorten it so I won't trespass on your patience
So here's the deal
It's becoming hard to express how I feel
On the real
An unread love letter that remains unsealed
As cliche as "looks can kill"
You heard it before so you know its real
Anyway, this is how it goes
The unbearable love that nobody knows
It numbs the pain of your heart piercing the soul
With a high on poetic flow
So sick your eyes stay low
You'll be on straight lean mode
You know
My thoughts are paced
Til faith illuminates
The pain it takes
To repair a heart that's easy to break
Here to keep
Through ideas incomplete
His kisses bleed
To a place too deep
Even love couldn't reach
Where fear consumed me entirely
Fear of what?
Well, fear of you
And what your body can do
And I can't shake the feeling that you think so too
And I realize love is a choice that affects time
And to give in to it is matter over mind
Such seductive memories left behind
Guilty and convicted by a 3-word line
Now it's my time
As I mortify this rhyme
To pass up something so kind
Or maybe sublime
Cuz his time's out of love and my love's out of time
Categories:
unsealed, life, love, heart, pain,
Form:
Silence, silence—pin-drop silence,
Commands the teacher's voice.
Yet in the hush, the children scheme,
Their whispers soft, their hearts rejoice.
Even in silence, eyes convey
The thrill of games at end of day.
Their glances speak of plans anew,
Of bonds they’ll strengthen as they play.
With nodding heads and thumbs held high,
Cute smiles flash, some gaps reveal.
Twinkling eyes and brows that dance,
Their silent signals, joy unsealed.
In quietude, their thoughts align,
Ideas shared without a sound.
Children found joy in silent moments,
Understanding blooms profound.
For silence listens, silence speaks—
A language deep, beyond the words we seek.
Categories:
unsealed, 1st grade, childhood, children,
Form:
Free verse
Where goest thou soul?
have you split again
into your kaleidoscope frame
in the body so vestigial contained
what if there is not one Other
but many that enter inside
waiting to stake claim
Where goest thou poet?
the higher self penned
it seems you have been contracted
to Groundhog Day again and again
Perhaps you are God, and in you the Matrix,
many souls enter your vessel
like a hotel door rotates and it swings
Where goest thou observer?
you stare at a wall, praying
like a wailing wall waits
for its prayers to be called,
head bowed, knocking, knocking, thrice knocking,
the mind opens its humble Shushan Door
where its Eastern side unsealed, shines so much more
and in walks The Stranger
the reading and writing of messages, bled
palms outheld, barefeet marked,
you have inherited the stigmata
all of a sudden you understand
you have been bookmarked,
alike for a while, shelved to be read
when It counts,
at the closing moment
of the main truth, the do and the dare
you are seated as if religiously waiting in Sunday school
passing and failing the tests, and failing again,
The Stranger smiles
as if you are the only one that imagines
The Stranger Is there,
The Stranger notes the notes you are passing back and forward again,
the teacher out front, has their back turned again, unaware
you pass The Stranger a note,
on it is written, “Get me the Hell out of here.”
The Stranger laughs and agrees
I follow The Stranger's lead like a child waits for a Saviour
to save the day, make it cool -
not a word spoken, yet the exchange, clearly heard,
the Door is wide open, and
out in the playground I am
again, throws me the ball,
I take the shot
The Stranger’s no fool
Candide Diderot. ‘24
Shushan/Golden Gate.
Categories:
unsealed, muse,
Form:
Free verse
A Pet Peeve
By: Olivia Rodrigue
A smile that reeks desperation
A mascaraed eye batted intently
Your falsified figures and fancies
Undermine others of my generation
To think that a woman is only
Aesthetically valued and won
Is a peeve that’s been maddening many
But thought significant only by some
They bray at braless feminists
Thinking that these are the crazy few
Feminism means makeup-less monsters
That degrade men-as bitter shrews do
How can you laugh at oppression?
A word that history knows well
When minority rights and reactions
Have shaped how we act-what we sell
They painted the greats as extremists
They called activists nearly insane
But the genius among us would not bow
To the pressures that society named
Therefore I say bring on your follies
For the truth of the matter will be revealed
Though you peeve me with your ignorant statements
The injustice- once hidden -is unsealed
Categories:
unsealed, future, gender, identity, introspection,
Form:
Free verse
Thanks for making us tough, ever so rough.
Black in the Day, Black in today
They still do us harm when caught unarmed
Still trying to hold us back, still mad because we’re black
No matter how much we come up, they still try to hold us down.
Who are we that they fear when they see, the color of a man, black, brown, caramel or tan?
Any color but white makes them paranoid on site.
The white supremist still filled with hate, we wake up early, they still say we late.
Black in the Day, together we stay, no longer whipped, no longer hosed, are they still mad? Yes, I suppose.
Mad cause their dad’s dad dad had it made, raped our women in the shade.
Used and abused, tried to confuse, wounds are buried so far behind, Black in the Day in our ancestor’s mind.
Ancestors bought, oh how they fought, lessons taught of the tuggle and struggle for free-dom.
How could this be? Whites thought they were dumb cause they fought to be free.
On the ground they walked, underground they crawled, they fought for justice and freedom for all.
Whites had desires to set afire, spray with a hose cause everyone knows, they were obsessed in finding a way, cause they feared the power of Black in the Day.
Back in the day, being Black in the Day, back of the bus, they did that to us.
Marched, protested for civil rights, was jailed when wanting to reverse civil whites.
They tried to hold, hold them down, turn them around, from a vision, from a King, the Doctor with an amazing dream.
The dream was revealed, the dream was unsealed, everyone knew that the dream was real.
They tried to control, wet, fret, but know that the world will never forget, enough was enough, it was time we stood up.
The light so shine from far away, I see the light, I’m Black in the Day.
I’m Black in the Day, I’m Black in the Night, who am I? Colette Dright
Remember my words when I walk away, and be proud to be Black in the Day!
Categories:
unsealed, black african american, change,
Form:
Narrative