Best Waited Poems
It sat there—not as metal, not as memory,
but as something half-asleep and listening.
A quiet creature of keys and shadows,
its body dulled by dust, its spirit still humming
beneath the years.
It had known the weight of a man
who believed words could bend the world~
a man whose hands were rough with labor
yet gentle with letters, as if each keystroke
were a small salvation.
I remember the music of it~
that click-clack cadence like rain on a tin roof,
like a heartbeat learning to speak.
I was a child then, cross-legged under his desk,
catching the syllables like fireflies,
not knowing they were seeds, not knowing they were mine.
When Granddad passed, I carried the machine upward
as though escorting a relic to its resting place~
a silent procession through the narrow throat of the attic.
It waited there—through summers that smelt of cedar and heat,
through winters that whispered of things forgotten, it waited~
a sentinel of stories I was too afraid to write.
Years later, the attic groaned under my return,
as if recognizing the footsteps of someone
who had once believed in beginnings.
The machine was still there, its silhouette steady,
its longing patient. It had survived because some things endure
even when we abandon them~
faith, memory, and the quiet insistence of a dream
we pretend we outgrew.
When I touched it, the dust rose like breath.
The first key resisted-a refusal,
a reminder of all the years I’d resisted myself.
But then, a single letter, dark and certain,
punched through the page like a pulse returning.
By the third paragraph, I understood:
I had not resurrected the machine. It had resurrected me.
And somewhere between the rafters and the rising words,
I realized this truth: I was never the one writing the story.
I was the story finally finding its way back to the page.
The accompanying memoir vignette can be read at poetrysoup.com/short_stories/a_dream_deferred_13827
Caring and loving for him she waited
He wondered why they never dated
Hit me with an Epi-Pen Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Maureen McGreavy
Date:11/30/2019
I waited on your conscience to come to your rescue
For your veins to come alive with life’s blood flow
I wait for the repair of your heart’s oil pipeline
Broken spilling crude at our relationship’s door
The Bible says “Meekly wait and murmur not”
But I’ve waited beyond wait can’t stand the weight
Isn’t it time you realize the “Stephen” syndrome is over
This moral self-mutilation is not cutting it anymore
I’ve waited with anticipation for you to come true
So we could start over with the slate wiped clean
I held the weight of shame of ridicule and deep pain
But nothing seems to faze you do you even feel
I waited for redemption from loneliness and despair
My heart is saddened you don't even care
I won’t let your sad cold stone crusted heart
Spoil my chance of having a brand new start
I never told you how I felt,
When I had the chance;
I hid my welled up feelings,
Never gave a second glance;
I stowed away my longing thoughts,
You weren't right for me;
But all I ever wanted,
Was to let you see;
I let slip through my fingers,
My one and lingering shot;
And allow that one brief moment,
Slither away, I cannot;
I waited too long to show you,
How much you meant to me;
And now you’re gone forever,
As gone as you can be.
THE WOMAN WHO WAITED TOO LONG
Empty womb
Springs tumble winters
The clock ticks
Plum blossoms
Yearnings of passion
Wept away
I
made
a mistake
with my mother
when the doctor told me she was dying
I should have brought her home to die with me
I live with that
weep at night
because
it
haunts
my soul
I could have
it was her wish
to be honest I was just so afraid . . .
then when I wanted to it was too late
if it happens
don't wait till
its too
late
her old cat w a i t e d
on her bed for days and weeks
t h e n he came to me
___________________________
June 27, 2016
Poetry/Tetractys/Senyru/I Waited Too Long
Copyright Protected, ID 16-84-627-0
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym
For the contest, Your Biggest Mistake
sponsor, Laura Loo
Sixth Place
I asked him why at my house he had stopped.
He answered me, "I have some time to wait,
and here I'll stay until the sun has dropped!"
All day in summer's sun, nearby the gate,
he patiently awaited my dear sister,
and now I shall reveal to you his fate.
Evening came, and then to meet that mister
came she who'd kept the poor gent waiting long.
I saw through parted blinds her caller kissed her. . .
Endurance served him well. I'd reckoned wrong!
Bless me with your
presence, with the
tenderness of your
love...
Bless me with your
radiant joy, for you
are all I do think
of...
Bless me with the
happiness which only
you alone can bring...
Bless me with the
peaceful bliss which
causes my heart to
sing...
And in the morning
as I rise, the
prayer I will pray
to you...
Will tell you Lord
how deep my love is
and how it will always
remain so true.
Last night I waited long...
The moon will appear of the murky clouds
But it didn’t…!
And I soothed my sorrowed soul
As this…
If tomorrow! You call me
To the ruined almonds-garden
In the backyards of the lonely cottage!
And angrily say:
‘Now it’s very late… It’s late-autumn,
The last birds also return, in just a few days:
You blame me, and I see you silent eye in eye…
Though these days will as seconds pass,
Still, we can turn them a year’s each,
At least, longer than the customary years.
And as there the long-separation is anxiously waiting,
Promise! Promise…!
We will always see,
In snowy winters, and autumns--
When leaves fall of trees.
And I say yes, I swear…,
Of the dog walking there through the pasture—
An unknown way,
Knowing not which hamlet will it lead…!
Or better if you hold my finger
And guide me
To there the quiet pasture,
Where only thick thorns grow;
Though the butterflies there strange,
Romance the unsightly flowers.
We walk
In and around the thorns,
A slow stopping walk,
And momentarily pause—
Gaze our eyes
And realize...
We are together
And are in love…!
I waited long among the dew
of morning grass and day anew,
arising in the place we played
where hasty promises were made;
our tender hearts to each we threw.
So we could naive vows renew;
and others from our minds eschew;
among dawn's chorus, here I stayed.
I waited long.
Soft downy skin, a dress askew
I can recall each inch of you
places where our fingers strayed.
Last eve with deadly fire, we played
then panting breath, a sweet adieu;
I waited long.
God waited for me, literary
Always ahead of me, itinerary
Always full of me, stationery
If work could change me, bribery
Then God summoned me, Calvary
And, God waited for me, literary
My itinerary
Quite literary
Got me stationery
That Calvary
Was the only bribery
And, God still literary
Waited,
Just for me.
On sunny days walk beneath the aesthetic pine trees
that gently undulate in the tepid Roman breeze,
their image is reflected in the Tiberius' flowing water;
majestic is the Colosseum, the mighty power of Rome,
it has withstood time, wars, earthquakes, and pillage...
stand in front of it and reimagine emperor Nero, so fair,
inciting the crowds to hail him as a god while they caught his bread:
what was his real reason for burning Rome: madness, anger, or dread?
Did Virgil, the Mantovian poet, love and admire Rome
when Augustus ruled the empire and was worshiped?
No, he chose Naples to write the epic poem Aeneid
in a location that stunned, but he was too far from home!
The Campanian landscape was the perfect setting
as Virgil brought to life Aeneas, the Trojan captain, escaping
burning Troy to realize his fate and embark for Italy without doubting;
and Rome vainly waited for his return and hear his brilliant poem
in the Forum to amaze Caesar while senators applauded him!
I waited ‘til I saw the sun,
The sun just slipped a note below my door
No warm arrival, as before,
The fragile light of empty air, and cold rejection on the floor
The summer days are gone too soon
I was a little girl with nothing wrong, eyes wide open without a sound
In the empty room that once smelled sweetly
Now only left to face the gloom
I will walk a mile, just to feel the edge
Some place low enough to step right in
I can’t stop my self from falling, I can’t stop myself from calling
But my voice is weary, can hardly speak at all
I pick up a stone that I cast to the sky, hoping for some kind of sign
The wind is gone, asleep at dawn
The long day is over…I’m feeling tired
The embers burn on, with no reprise
The sun will rise, …again you say?
But what do you say, when it’s all gone away?
I’m on my knees empty, you humble me Lord
I’ve gone too far, …., you can take me away…
__________________________________________________________
For Tracie’s Contest: Sing a Song poem
Songs from Norah Jones: Following lyrics are from:
“Don’t Know Why”( I waited ‘til I saw the sun)
“Feeling the Same Way” (The sun just slipped its note below my door)
“Shoot the Moon” (Summer days are gone too soon)
“Seven Years” (A little girl with nothing wrong)
“Toes” (Walked a mile just to feel the edge)
“Lonestar” (pick up a stone that I cast to the sky)
“In the Morning” (I can hardly speak at all)
“The Long Day is Over” (The long day is over, I’m feeling tired)
“Humble Me” ( I’m on my knees empty, you humble me Lord)
It was your call
If you did call
I would have been home
I would have not
Those minutes, That time
We would have talk
We would have walk
Now where I am
Now I am lost
Lost inside your heart
Let this heat pass your heart
Let it pass the heart
You will shine bright
You shall be my light
Shine, shine brighter
So that doubters will stop
Never again will they be sceptic
Never again will these feelings stop
A feeling that makes flowers glow
A feeling of happy future
Shall I call you;
Nor wait for you
Wait for you to call
Wait till I stop thinking
The thoughts of you
The truth about our dream
Years of loneliness; She hast lived a life of no aspiration
Everyday yearning for closure at the next station
Dreaming everyday of the hopelessness cure
My Rebecca, Thy Hast Waited For Me To Rescue Her
She reaps the suffering and lots of pain
Not finding her one true love from Moscow to Maine
Praying everyday with such intensity; such words of pure
My Rebecca, Thy Hast Waited For Me To Rescue Her
She has almost given up hope; but still had just one small wish
Finding her one true love and soulmate; very hard to fish
But, she accepted the pain and knew she can endure
My Rebecca, Thy Hast Waited For Me To Rescue Her
A life of just day after day intensive praying
When will he come for me, before bed she kept saying
When shall this suffering end and for eternity be over
My Rebecca, Thy Hast Waited For Me To Rescue Her
A day she got a mysterious Secret Admirer Letter
After being fully amazed, she felt hopeful and so much better
She gave praise for her blessing from her lifelong endeavor
My Rebecca, Thy Hast Waited For Me To Rescue Her