Best Without Delay Poems
"By the sea, all worries wash away"
(Saw this quote on a sign in my doctor office and I loved it.)
Since by the sea, all worries wash away,
I think I’ll go down to the beach today,
where palm trees in warm summer breezes sway,
before the sun peeks out above the bay.
Fair weather is expected. Clouds of grey
are not expected. I think that I may
jump waves as if I were a child at play!
Yes, by the sea I’ll go without delay.
From morn till twilight's crimson glow I'll stay.
For Angela Tune's
Weather Poetry Contest
I always wanted two slices of ice cube pie
“You only get one”, was the standard reply.
I don’t know why I did
But since I was a kid
It was my favorite treat on the Fourth of July.
The pastry is known by all our relations
Since the recipe’s passed down for generations.
Every bite you’ll savoir
Exceptional flavor
But remember, don’t settle for imitations
Long ago, my great Aunt tried experiments
By leaving out one of the ingredients.
Once Uncle took a bite
He stared out in fright
And barely survived that bad experience.
My oldest son, Johnny became quite wise
He grew up like the others, before our eyes.
His passion for confection
Was a gainful connection
When he opened the first ice cube pie franchise.
Soon after that, we made our first million
And played in the sun with friendly Brazilians.
But to our surprise
We saw ice cube pies
On bamboo platters next to our pavilion
Right away we knew this was an infraction
Without delay our family took action.
We found a private eye
Who loved our ice pie
But his research left him broken in traction.
It was apparent to us that that kind of job
Was endorsed by the brutal ice cube pie mob.
But we didn’t frown
Or give up and back down
We were going to prevail; oh, yes siree, Bob!
With a meeting of minds we gathered resources
And then undersigned the following courses.
To make sure our ices
Sold at cut-rate prices
To knock competition off its high horses.
So back at the shop we assembled platoons
To build enough pies to reach to the moons.
And made plenty dough
That allowed us to mow
Down the cube racket’s, knuckle dragging goons.
We now manage an ice cube pie monopoly
Sales started smooth, but then turned choppily.
So we eased the frustration
With another vacation
But guess what we saw in downtown Mexicali?!
Come and see the tiny baby,
sleeping on a bed of straw.
The angels came and sang His praises,
and shepherds watched in silent awe.
Come and see who's in the temple,
listening to the rabbis teach;
a twelve year old who asks them questions,
His wisdom is beyond their reach.
"Come and see," said John The Baptist,
"The Lamb of God sent from above.
On Him the Father sent His Spirit,
it came down on Him like a dove."
"Come and see," insisted Andrew,
when he found Simon by the sea.
"I believe we've found Messiah.
Drop your nets and come with me."
"Come and see", cried out the woman,
"The man who told me all I'd done.
He said He'd give me living water.
Could He be the Holy One?"
Come and see this man called Jesus.
He heals the sick, the blind, the lame.
Even demons are subject to Him.
Those He touches are never the same.
Come and see this Jewish Rabbi,
as He teaches on the hill.
The crowds are spellbound by His message,
He teaches them about God's will.
Come and see the righteous anger,
of the man from Galilee.
See Him cleanse the crowded temple,
of the merchants and their greed.
Come and see the Lord at prayer,
in the garden on His knees.
Sweating drops of blood in anguish,
God's will be done is what He pleads.
Come and see the man betrayed,
by His own disciple's kiss.
Sold for thirty silver coins,
by a traitor in His midst.
Come and see the suffering servant,
hands and feet nailed to the cross.
Hear Him say, "Father, forgive them,"
as His friends weep for their loss.
Come and see, His tomb is empty.
See, the stone has been rolled away.
The Son of God has conquered death,
He has risen from the grave.
Come and see the risen Savior,
See and touch His nail-pierced hands.
Hear Him say, "Go preach the gospel,
to every nation, every land."
Come and see, men, women, children,
Jesus is the Life, the Truth, the Way,
to peace and joy and life everlasting.
Believe in Him without delay.
Entered in Richard Lamoureux's Battle of the Honorable Mentions Contest
written 2008
entered in Anthony Slausen's "Jesus" contest
Honorable Mention
If I had but one last sorrowful day of my life left,
there would be words I would say without delay.
Too long have I struggled, uncertain and bereft,
my tongue silent as though mired in a pit of clay.
Until now, I found myself sifting sand from my soul.
Now, willing to bare my heart's unavowed affection,
I must find the bravura to proclaim it and be bold,
and yet I find myself fearing your gentlest rejection.
Time warily squandered shall never be returned.
So, I'm seeking courage to reveal what I am feeling,
while hoping my sweet ardor shall not be spurned
nor the love for you that I have long been concealing.
Gleaming are stars hovering aloft in evening skies,
but if gathered together, never could they outshine
the luster I descry in the fulgent light in your eyes
when the beat of your heart and mine finally align.
When the pale moon rises to Heaven at zenith height,
its glorious beauty shall emerge from a lunar eclipse.
Not as seductively alluring to be with you on the night
when alas I shall feel a kiss from your sensuous lips.
Thereafter, sunlight shall yawn on the edge of dawn
but your love shall warm me more than his golden rays.
No greater fire is there to be compared with love born
by your searing touch that easily sets my heart ablaze.
If this is but a fantasy, I dare not lift tremulous eyes to see
the response to my avowal, if on your face it is defined.
I shall not bear the heartache if you turn away from me,
for then it would be a benediction, if my eyes were blind.
January 29, 2023
2022 Poetry Marathon Mile 26 Contest
Sponsored by Mark Toney
Originally written in 2016
for a contest sponsored by John Hamilton
She felt his hands so gently lift her hair
Her fingers trembled on the moistened quill
She knew his lips would graze her shoulder bare
Her writing she kept up to mask her thrill
He pressed into her back his angel face
as thighs of steel closed in on rounded hips
Her line of thought she could no longer trace,
for she was lost in wonder of his lips
Her sonnet all forgot, her quill fell down
She felt his hands undo the single bow
that loosely held together evening gown
She smiled at wanton ways she’d come to know
With patience born of love he did undress
She leaned back on his chest till she was freed
His hands sought out her breasts with sweet caress
and in their palmed embrace she sensed his need
She stood up to her feet, and she turned round
to face her lover seated on his chair
She drew his face to taste what hands had found,
for well she knew the pleasure he found there
She watched his mouth and tongue dominion claim
A moan from deep within escaped her lips
She felt herself go weak, and he untame
for grip of hands just tightened on her hips
And soon she found herself on bed of love
Enraptured was her body and her mind
With trembling hand she touched his face above
as he plunged to her depths release to find
As morning light tinged sky in pink array,
she slipped out of his arms and sat to write
The honeyed words dripped down without delay
and soaked the page in rhyme of love’s delight
Eileen Manassian
It started with the beeping of my clock.
Sometimes I want to bash that irksome thing.
My dog barked for his food and then a walk.
While walking him, my cell phone went brring brrring.
I passed some school girls chattering away
like chirping birds. Back to my house I went
to feed the cats that mewed without delay.
I grunted next. My bills had gone unsent.
To mail them I zoomed off inside my car.
It rained. Outside my car I had to slosh
through puddles with no boots on. Great! Har har.
I splashed back to my car, and oh my gosh,
someone had whammed into my new car’s door.
I nearly bawled. Not even noon – what more?
Don't try to trick me Satan!
You have no hold on me.
Your sting was fully conquered
that day on Calvary.
You are no longer welcome.
My days of sin are gone.
My heart is now the temple
that holds my Savior’s throne.
Your adversary reigneth
and Jesus is His name.
We meet together often
to catch you at your game.
I go now to His temple,
my sanctuary home.
To offer Him my praises
Now go! Leave me alone!
Pack up you fiery arrows.
Go find another place.
It's time for me to join Him
and bathe in saving grace.
Your tactics He has shown me
So leave without delay!
If walking near His temple
His blood I’ll throw your way!
In a secluded tidy sandy bay
In the delightful month of May
My love and I spent a whole day.
I had to show without delay
And thus, my feelings would convey
That my love was not hearsay.
I gave her a lovely bouquet,
With a red rose, a fragrant spray,
Bubbly champagne for her birthday,
Delicacies I had to pay
And fruit we ate without delay.
Celebrate her fine soul so gay.
Pure happiness for us that day.
How we kissed and sang, mere child's play.
Ran across the sand, a mock fray.
Admired the flight of a lone jay,
We rested under the sun's ray,
Then plunged into the sea to stay
Until crimson evening we'll lay.
Time up but happy for the day,
Retired to our rented chalet.
Rather lost, they stare over the divide,
how best to circumnavigate this obstacle?
They can see a path gently sloping down
but it is far off to the north two days ride.
West is back from whence they had come,
east is an impassable cliff of sheer rocks.
They can not see far to the south but maybe,
they talk it over and head into the unknown.
Tumble weed rolling by pushed by the wind
as playfully it blows them into their path.
Miniscule trees dot the flat plateau
and small shrubs popping up here and there.
In a hurry they head on swiftly southwards
and soon start to descend to the valley below.
Billy is pale with anxiety as they push on
his wife Betty is due to give birth.
Sammy casts worried looks at his friend knowing
there is little he can say that will help.
At last they reach the valley and gallop on
Just another five miles will they make it in time?
Their horses now struggling, sweat pouring off them.
Billy's homestead comes into view cattle scattering
as they gallop through the herd and into the yard.
Sammy hangs back as Billy dashes in to Betty.
In full labour she screams "Where have you been?"
"The preacher is here to wed us. Did you get the ring?"
"I have it here" said Billy and without delay they were married.
And within minutes the twins arrived a boy and girl both bawling.
"Geezers you cut that close Billy" said Sammy
as they slumped on the front porch drinking beer.
"We made it in the nick of time" replied Billy
flushed with the joy and fulfilment of life.
written 17/09/2014
contest: Cowboys in the Badlands
sponsor Isaiah
"Billy, it's time! Get up for school!
Your drawing project's due today.
You know about your teacher's rule;
she must have it without delay."
"But, mom, my arm is hurting bad!
There is no way that I can go.
I must stay home, though I am sad...
I'm really hurting, don't you know."
"But Billy, can you lift your arm?"
"I can't, it's painful and too sore."
So now she asked, with mommy charm,
"how high could you lift it before?"
And Billy raised his arm up tall
above his head...his face turned red!
From his warm bed, he had to crawl...
get ready quick for school instead.
If I go to the library each day
and seek out the knowledge there on display,
reading all the newspapers come what may,
and listen to what others have to say?
Then, will I be wise?
If I let the children teach me their way,
drop my inhibitions, and learn to play;
and ask old folks before time slips away,
their secret to keeping doldrums at bay?
Then, will I be wise?
If I study nature's wondrous array
questioning space and the stars as they lay;
or unearth ancient pots made of clay,
recovering treasures of buried Pompeii?
Then, will I be wise?
If I demystify ancient Cathay,
deciphering riddles of yesterday,
and embrace all the prophets when I pray
absorbing all that their teachings relay?
Then, will I be wise?
If I condemn all wars, strife, and melee,
voicing my objections without delay;
upholding truths that I'll never betray,
finding the courage to walk from the fray?
Then, will I be wise?
This form repeats too much, I say.
It’s hard to write a villanelle—
I’ll try again some other day.
My rhyme begins without delay;
It’s going fine, then—what the hell?
This form repeats too much, I say.
Doggone it! This is not okay!
I’m under some nefarious spell.
I’ll try again some other day.
But no, I cannot stay away.
I breathe, then smell that same old smell:
This form repeats too much, I say.
I took the bait; I’ve fallen prey;
The crude result I cannot tell—
I’ll try again some other day.
And thus I end this odd ballet.
(I’ve really never danced too well.)
This form repeats too much, I say;
I’ll try again some other day.
Down in the meadow, bees are buzzing away
cows laze about, after feeding all day
Wildflowers attract butterflies, in pastel arrays
lapping up nectar, in the warm sunny rays
Down in the meadow, lambs frolic and play
ladybirds climb grass tufts, that gently sway
A farmer wipes his brow, whilst loading hay
midges swirl about, as young horses neigh
Down in the meadow, goldfinches come to lay
gobbling down thistle seeds, without delay
Baby spiders spin webs, in more than one way
none of them mind each other, so all’s ok
Down in the meadow, an old donkey brays
don’t think he’s cross, just dislikes his dray
The residents don’t care, what this ass says
all have things to do, and ignore me anyway
No human heart had he, though his, was full of love;
no human soul, but golden, soulful eyes, aligned
with mine, revealed a fervent tenderness, above
that which a non-human could show- so truly kind.
A gentle one, he stole my heart and soul away.
Each day, inside our home or yard, he'd follow me;
when called, would run from anywhere, without delay,
and jump into my arms or lap so faithfully.
At night, in bed, he'd lay below to warm my feet
and later, move up closer by my pillowed head.
Come morning, he would gently tap my face to greet;
I'd wake to golden eyes as purrs of love were shed.
For twenty years, my Charlie cat assuredly
was family to me, entrenched within my heart;
two-decades-long, we shared our days wholeheartedly.
The ache still lingers since that day death made us part.
I hold those years I spent with Charlie cat so dear;
no other pet has come into my life since then-
for, after years of joy, the pain of death is clear.
I could not bear to feel that emptiness again.
April 8, 2018
~2nd Place
Contest: My Companion and Close Friend That Never Complains
Sponsor: Eve Roper
Judged: 02/18/2020
~1st Place~
Premiere Contest: Non-Romantic Love
Sponsor: Emile Pinet
Judged: 04/11/2018
Form: Iambic Hexameter, 12 Syllables, 6 Feet per line
Arggh me hearties! We're takin' a long-awaited vacation!
Th' enchantin' isles uv th' Caribbean is ar final destination!
Hoist th' Jolly Roger an' them billowin' sails an' let's git 'er underway!
Th' Spanish Main is ripe fer pillagin' so let's git thar without delay!
Ye signed on fer this here little cruise knowin' I runs a very tight ship.
Ye do yer jobs, don't complain an' don't ye dare give me any lip!
Ye'll git three squars a day an' yer daily tot uv rum as well.
An' I 'spect ye ta stick wit' me tho' we may ketch almighty hell!
Now if'n we happen ta meet a sloop er two upon th' boundin' main,
Ah'll 'spect ye ta wield yer swords an' cause th' scoundrels pain!
Jes' keep in mind that ye'll share in th' booty that we acquire,
An' I promise ye a proper burial at sea if'n ye should expire!
Arggh me maties! Ah'm anxious ta run me fingers thro' them pieces uv eight!
An' git me paws on them thar island beauties! Aye! I kin hardly wait!
Ye! Up thar in th' crow's nest! Keep a sharp lookout fer any ships at sea!
An' ye fellers on th' deck aim them cannons true when ye hear "far!" frum me!
Ah don't reckon that we'll be received as welcome guests in any port,
An' them wily natives will 'ave thar guns aimed at us frum ever' fort!
But if'n ye keep yer swords honed an' yer blunder busses' powder dry,
We'll carry off thar wimmin an' swag as we wave ta them goodbye!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
Placed No. 9 in Paula Swanson's "A Tale o' Pillagin'" Contest - July 2010