Best Win Poems
A fledgling poet round two thousand three,
I found some friends who mentored me; they led
me to a site called Shadow Poetry.
By mental challenges there, I was fed.
I learned to better write according to
specific forms or themes, and I was thrilled
by all the many things that would ensue
the more time there I spent; I was fulfilled!
The annual big contest, Shadow Ink,
gave not just money, but a chapbook deal.
I paid to enter it and did not think
I stood a chance. How good I soon would feel!
My best friend and I tied. We HAD to call
our chapbook “Friendship Garden.” That said it all!
Note: Shadowpoetry.com was not able to be maintained as an interactive poetry community and after several wonderful years, the owner had to pull out. All our chapbooks were removed from the bookstore and the contests are no longer done. Today it is a website for writers' development only.
"Poetry is important to the writer but I feel it is all about the reader."
By Poet
Today as I open up my computer what will I see,
a contest looking back at me?
As I read the rules I must decide is this one for me,
or will it haunt me if I turn it away?
No mask needed to read the many rules,
I am only writing when the words flood my creativity.
My ego must sit upon a shelf watching,
but not a word to be whispered or said.
Win or lose I have tried my very best,
not knowing what the judge is looking for.
My purpose is to first write for my readers,
only when they love my writings do I feel I am a winner.
I keep returning to the contest page over and over,
in hopes to learn how to become a better writer.
Poetry is the language of a human poet’s heart,
mind and soul writing away.
Eternal Breath
Hardly could I see you through my watery eyes
Holding you in my arms never to let you go
As your existence dribbled to the ground
There was no light, no air and no sound
What all could I see, was just you.
A death rattle took your last breath
At very moment, without dying, I was dead.
I see you in every facet of a single crystal
In a single flower I see you in each petal
I change my stance to see you in each tree
With outstretched arms of the branches
In all life I find you hiding and thriving
I have lost myself to the fading dreams
As snowflake melts in the summer sun
I am nothing but a stranger in my own house
+++++
Date : 10-11-13
Dr. Ram Mehta
First Place Win
Contest: Eternal Breath by Gail Angel Doyle
Look at this smile on my face, do I look sad and alone.
With no one to give me love, and no one to call my own.
Can you look into my eyes, see them filled with happiness.
Would you ever realize, my life is in such a mess.
Chorus:
I should be a movie star,
for playing this happy guy.
While holding back all the tears,
trying so hard not to cry.
I should win a gold Oscar,
for the way I’ve lived my life.
While my heart’s in so much pain,
like it’s being cut out with a knife
You know you can’t judge a book, until you’ve read every line.
Or feel how much it hurts, to know you’ll never be mine.
Seems like an eternity, of singing these happy songs.
While trying to fool the world, into thinking nothing’s wrong.
Chorus:
Look at this smile on my face,
do I look sad and alone.
With no one to give me love,
and no one to call my own.
While holding back those tears,
trying so hard not to cry.
They should give me an Oscar,
for playing such a happy guy.
They say if I wait enough, the right one will come along.
True love will one day find me, and I’ll know where I belong
Until that happens my friend…
I’ll put on my smile again…
I’ll laugh and try to pretend…
That I have not reached the end…
They will hand me my Oscar, cause I’m such a happy guy.
Once upon a time there lived a dancer
Shyama, a concubine of a feudal baron
Had a pretty girl Kanha, also a dancer
Quite excelled in playing of the Veena”s tune
Was mortified being Courtesan’s daughter
Sobbing, came to her mother with a question
Calming her down she pointed to God’s statue
HE is your soul-mate will take you away astute
She took to Lord Pandurangam thus advised
As her lover, owner of body, mind and soul
As the classical musician her she was praised
People came with offers, mother turned down all.
Sultan of Vidarbh by her beauty was charmed
Sent order to send Kanha to his serial
She left town at dawn as she had intimation
Went to Pandharpur temple for inspiration.
She wrote, composed and sang as blessed poet
Data was leaked when a man saw her singing
The Sultan besieged the town and held the priest
Quite engrossed she kept on Veena –playing
Chord broke, song disrupted, the statue split
God came out, carried her, the statue joining
Merged with God, piece of scarf stuck in a gap
Kanha got herself in her eternal lover wrap.
**********
Once upon a time in the fourteen century, at Mangalwedhe ,Maharashtra State,
India, the story has taken place. A temple was built later, in Kanhapatra’s name.
The lucky visitors, who strongly believe in Lord Vithal and his miracles, can see or
assume the tiny piece of cloth, stuck (at the place near the heart) on the Lord’s statue.
Contest: Any poem # 3 6th place win
==============================================
*Name of a woman
** Kanha means a belle
*** Veena, an Indian musical instrument
****Pandurangam, a name of the Indian God
*****A feudal Lord of Ancient state Vidarbh of India
******Pandharpur name of the town where there is famous temple of the Lord
Pandurangam
===============================================
Honorable mention
Contest: The ottowa Rima by Jared Pickett
Might make this into a song. Hope you guys like it.
---------
I want to save your life with this love I bear,
To hold you in my arms and tell you it was always there
All around you, the darkness sways
But inside you the light still stays
I’m sorry my words fail me
I’m sorry I’m so weak
If only you could see me
If only love could speak
I want to take you to the top of the mountain
And let the rain pour down on you
To allow those tears to spurt in fountains
To sooth your core of blue
But you are strong
And words always ring
My heart will pull you along
With every boil and every sting
I’m sorry my words fail me
I’m sorry I’m so weak
If only you could see me
If only love could speak
I want to say that I do love you
But you cannot hear me until the darkness leaves you
So I will wait here with an open hand
Hoping, always hoping to understand
You are strong
Words will always pull you on
And the light inside you from deep within
Tells me love will always win
Today you have no reason to be sour and sad
When you look around, the world is not too bad
Smile to the world and you will see hwo many friends you get
Focus on everything that is positive and don`t be upset
Open your window let the sun and love come in
Today, it is your birthday and you have everything to win
19.04.2012
A-L Andresen :)
Copyright © All Rights Reserved
Viewed from the snow covered mountain
Slopes laden with flower beds like
Colorful vase of flowers
I saw the* Him Kamal flower
I asked, “Why are you all alone?
Beauty is to be adored”
Should give yourself before
Your petals fall to dust”.
Quick came the response from flower
“Am not lonely, enjoy these heights
Shelter of blue umbrella”.
I asked if I crush your petals
The flower said he would be glad
Its fragrance will radiate.
Purpose of life fulfilled
If destroyed not admired.
Nearby look at the snowy streams
Ripples flowing kicking each other
Exhilarating music.
Our life like ever flowing streams
Water running towards ocean
Currents never turning back
Perennial flow of life
Small life merging in big.
The nature is peace all around
She only disturbs who disturbs
She teaches wisdom to those
Praise her beauty, not destroy her.
Develop the aesthetic sense
To feel the nature’s beauty.
Looking into the sky
Searching their gardener.
=========================
Date 10-1-14
Third place win in
Contest: Thank you by P.D.
Eighth place win in:
Contest: Maverick Free verse sponsored by John Freeman
My wife said our sex life, ”Is always the same…”
“You need to spice things up, and rekindle our flame”
So I got onto the net and researched lots of stuff
I took tons of notes and soon…I had enough
I went to “Trickie’s Tricks” with a list a mile long
I even skipped around, humming a naughty little song
So my wife came home from work and entered the scene
I sported a mankini and mask…she started to scream
I chased with a feather in one hand and whip in the other
She dashed from the room, crying loudly for her mother
She slipped on the rose petals…the candles fell to the floor
I reached for massage lotion as she darted out the door
She left me hot and bothered, much to my chagrin
Whatever I do, I feel I just can’t win!
So next time… I’ll ignore her rebuffs
Tomorrow night, I’ll whip out the cuffs
Dull As A Disease
I am sitting in my Dorchester lair,
Behind the door I do feel your mien,
When my poetic muse is in apt flair
You look real as life, my amore mia.
When I am surfing on the internet,
You are there in my click I envisage,
When I initiate to scribe sonnet,
I see you duly embossed on the page.
Sighing, wry face, lips as dry as a leaf
Your green blue deep eyes upraised fully,
Neither the death kills me, nor does the life,
Your very silence eats my soul and body.
Dull as a disease, I die of a thought,
Do not you fancy the same as I ought?.
============================
Date 21-10-13
Dr. Ram Mehta
Third place win
Contest: I Recall by Frank H.
Whistle in the wind, hum to the trees,
life is always on the run, as evasive as the breeze.
There is often smoke smoldering in the heart,
but we have got to seek fire if we are not to fall apart.
Surrendering your passion is to lock yourself in jail,
just as to be untrue is to live a personal hell.
Life deals merely a portion of the whole of eternity;
you may blow off living, but it takes you seriously.
Feelings must be felt to the brim of the soul
or truth cannot touch you and enable you to grow.
When you fall down, feel all of the pain.
When you are depressed, let yourself rain.
If sorrow is a stranger, joy cannot be your friend,
for they walk hand in hand seeking the same end.
If you never felt empty, how could joy fill you again?
If you never lost, would it feel as good to win?
If pain never met you and put you on trial,
how could you ever truly appreciate a smile?
Please look in my loving eyes
I'm not trying to disguise
The way I feel about you
I won't ever leave you blue
Or full of pain like you've known
By others who've just thrown
Your love away without care
Leaving it to hide in fear
That it will be hurt again
You are so scared to begin
A relationship once more
You won't open up the door
To your heart, there is doubt
But please let your love come out
I make a promise here and now
An honest and truthful vow
I will never break or bend
Your heart, I'm here until the end
Lies I will never display
Or push you so far away
That you will never return
From another deadly burn
On your heart so fragile and weak
Give me a chance you will see
A relationship so strong
It will feel right not wrong
Please don't turn away I'm here
Till my last breath I will care
For you with my heart and soul
Fixing you will be my goal
Loitering lonely in a crowd in London
Separate, apart, different from the rest
Because of change of culture and taste
Can’t relate or fit in their world within.
In the whirlpools I gyrate in the middle
Things required to be finished before dates
For the dead and sick sending courtesy calls
Or Greetings for birthdates and weddings.
Sitting depressed or standing in my balcony
On the ground I see the last year’s leaves
The twigs are black and cold is dry & itchy
Think of failures and not of joy or victories.
In between the average sadness and joys
Only thing remains is solitude to enjoy
Of which I don’t see any remedies or cures
Not even bitter pain pills or lenitive lures.
Loneliness wearing away the idle mind
Like a grain of food a hungry ant finds
Hearing the temple-bells I feel to shout
“Hey I am alive, alive in this my lonely rout.
Our birds have flown away for a better lives
We stare at each other no sex drive but survive.
Dt. 10/10/13
===================================
Dr. Ram Mehta
2nd place win
Contest: Faces of Loneliness by Frank H.
Royal blue won out
with luck and perseverance;
now to Super Bowl.
What does it take (to win your love)
Staring out my window,
wondering what to do,
With this empty heart,
inside this lonely room,
I know how much I love you,
but, I can't get through to you
Chorus
So, what does it take (oh baby)
tell me, what does it take?
What do I have to do to win your love?
I offered you my love, but it's just not enough
and my heart it just keeps breaking.
Maybe I can't buy a
mansion in Malibu,
I can't even buy a
penthouse with a view,
Maybe way deep down that's
been what, really bothers you!
Chorus
So, what does it take (oh baby)
tell me, what does it take?
What do I have to do to win your love?
I offered you my love, but it's just not enough
and my heart it just keeps breaking
I know I can't be happy
living without you,
I always thought you'd be
the one to see me through,
Why is love so crazy,
so unfair and so cruel?
Chorus
So, what does it take (oh baby)
tell me, what does it take?
What do I have to do to win your love?
I offered you my love, but it's just not enough
and my heart it just keeps breaking
So tell me now, What does it take?
Oh baby, What does it take?
Oh darling,
What... does .... it... take?
September 29,2019
John Derek Hamilton
revised July 29,2025