Best Xeric Poems
Stiff, stifling, arid air: snakes, lizards, sand,
and cactus. Scorched red rocks and baking skin.
My canteen empty in a barren land -
my romance landscape till first love walked in.
One summer evening under moon's cool beam,
the desert's xeric heat no longer cursed.
Lazing with friends. A pool... in walked my dream.
First glance: a tall, cool drink to slake all thirst.
Then as her eyes met mine, my blood ran warm.
My hand touched hers; both temp and pulse were raised.
In time, slow dancing - two bodies conform,
and with that first kiss, fulgent flames soon blazed.
The desert heat from which I'd just emerged
blithely returned, as first love's swelter surged.
Allow altruistic artistry among ailing american adversaries.
Bartering begins before begging beasts break brothers.
Capture calamity controlling catastrophe calming castration.
Dedicate decisions directed down dreary deaf disillusionment.
Eradicate equality earning efficient energetic epiphany.
Follow fallen foreigners forgetting faithful flight from fluid folly.
Gasping greatness growing grapes given golden goodness.
Halt hollow hearts hearing helpless happiness.
Imagine impurity imitating indestructible ice inflicting impotent illness.
Justify jolly jerusalem jingling janitors joining january’s jewelry.
Kill kindergarten kings kicking kindly kindred kilts.
Lament likeable links lingering lowly light like lavender letters.
Mount monetary moments melting motherly marshal monuments.
Negate nightly notions noticing nurtured naughty nakedness.
Open oblivious obligation of odd operative oceans.
Propagate proposed premonitions producing proud pirate papas.
Quiet quilted questions quickly quoting quaint qualm quandary.
Remember righteous royalty returning rotten remnant rage.
Skip silent sulking surrounding super salty sounds squeezing sanity.
Teach talented tearful tyrants total trivial topics training treason.
Utter utopian universality upon united unitarian usurpers.
Violate vermin validity valuing victorious vomiting virgin volunteers.
Wash wandering women wondering whether western whiteness welcomes war.
X-ray xeric xenophobic xylem-made xebec.
Yearn yellow yearlings yelling yonder yuletide yachtsmen.
Zebra.
A pple pies, that's what I want to bite.
B egging my mom: "Mommy please, please..", as I
C ome closer to her..
D ancing a little to the left and right;
E very move a way to tempt my mom
F or that sweet delicious pie..
G iving her a kiss to her lips. And
H ugs so tight.. Finally,
I ris, my mom, said yes, yes we go and buy
J umping thrice for I am happy and thrilled, I
K not my arm to my mom's.
L ovingly, not wanting any other mom.
M oving fast as we could to buy not one or two but a plentitude of pies.
N oting, how generous is my mom for I was just asking for one.
O ven-fresh, my mouth waters as I smell the apple pies.
P icking one piece,
Q uickly, I took a luscious large bite.
R ich rumble rush of savory pie
S ated my appetite.
T aunting me to take more! more!
U nder my mom's gaze, Again I eat and eat.
V ery delicious, I said to my mom
W idening my grin and giving thumbs up.
X eric is my throat, I drink and drink.
Y ummy! So yummy, that I eat four pies in a row.
Z ipper of my pants, my oh my, I hardly can close!
*** Xeric means dry.
_______________________________________________________
Sponsor Carol Eastman '
Contest Name Your favorite Poem Contest
© O. E. Guillermo
9:36PM
October 10, 2014
All is calm; all is
Bright on this lovely
Christmas Eve night.
Do you see how
Easily the smiles come?
Feel the warmth that envelops you and
Glows in loved ones' eyes.
Hear the fervent joy
In celebrants' voices as they
Jubilantly sing of the infant
King who lay in a manger so
Long ago, born to redeem
Mankind from sin.
Now let's look at the
Other side of the season:
Platters of tasty food, Dad
Quoting "'Twas the Night . . .," kids
Receiving long-awaited toys
Santa delivered,
Telling funny stories, standing
Under the mistletoe . . . Let's appreciate these
Vivid, memorable scenes
Which will be springs of inspiration in
Xeric times during the coming
Year. Relish every moment.
Zealously embrace this season of smiles.
December 25, 2015 (posted)
Placed 2nd in Shadow Hamilton's Abecedarian Contest, January '16
entered in Geraldine Taylor's Creative Collective Anthology Series Contest
on July 4, 2017 Placed 5th
February 22, 2019, entered in Mark Toney's Poetry Marathon, Mile 20
June 28, 2019, entered in Brian Strand's Seasons, Festivals, etc., Contest
February 7, 2020, entered in Caren Krutsinger's Abecedarian Contest
Anacreontic verse
Bacchus rose
joy purging
xeric throats
choking upon
libations
conflicted aims
dancing naked
fearlessly awash
escaping
inhibition’s
tyranny
loosing anger’s soul
through merriment
releasing
wingless spirits
thoughtless thoughts
unfettered
voices mumbling
wine soaked praise
to numbing’s god.
10/26/2015
submitted to – Anacreontic Verse 1 – Poetry Contest
sponsor – Edward Ebbs
The Zweiback Warrior
Zweiback cookies – teething biscuits
Yucky, gnawed upon, gummed delights
Xeric surface absorbing wanton drool
Wielded, by the toothless cherub, in
Valiant fencing stance encumbered by
Unsteady footwork of diapered distress.
Tongue licking the blunted sword tip
Short sticky fingers grasping the hilt
Reeling under the self’s relentless
Quest to free the imprisoned.
Pursed lips immune to all assaults,
Open gates of tormented demon
Nourished by the wailing
Moans of twice baked relief,
Lulled into the whimpering
Kingdom of the succulent biscotti.
Jaws clenched on mercy’s mushiness
Ingesting its flavored fluids,
Holding the healing wand
Gripping it tightly lest it be lost.
Featureless, the ravaged cookie, is
Eased from the grasp of the
Duelist sleeping hand.
Champion of the
Battle for
A tooth.
7/12/2015
submitted to – Abecedarian – Poetry Contest
sponsor – Shadow Hamilton
Aghast!
Bulimia causes dizziness,
Eating fullfils gluttony,
Having induced jutting,
Kindly leaves me no option
Pertaining questions
Relating sickness to
Untold visions.
Wickedly xeric,
Yearning zinc.
Afterwards
Battling courageous,
Downing each fill,
Gastroenteritis has identified
justifications kindly
Leaving meals
No other person questions,
Relishing salads than unusual varieties.
Waiting x-rated
yummy zakuska's.
Antisocial anacondas don't associate in numbers;
Bears and beavers don't become the best of friends.
Civet cats catch rats, so is it any wonder
On doleful dingoes dire dilemmas do descend?
Effete elephants eschew jumping, it's ungraceful;
"Frenching" frogs will never fetch nor wart nor prince.
Beware lest grim gaboons give you a face full;
Hyena's haunting laugh makes haughty hippos wince.
Iguanas ignorantly ignore sunscreen on their eyelids;
Jaguars judiciously adjure a jungle nook.
Kangaroos are kind of cute when they have cute kids;
In Lima llamas leap and lastly look.
Mountain lions may masquerade as pumas;
Nimble narwhal's noble spear's his joy and pride.
Opossums opt not to oppose those "play dead" rumors;
Prosaic penguins probably take leglessness in stride.
Quails quibble querulously in quorums;
Raccoons rinse their rations when they eat.
A snail can wreak some slimy harum-scarum;
Tarantulas tout tasty toads as treats.
Urutus usually undulate in jungles;
Vultures vainly vote for haute cuisine.
A wildebeest's a waggish work somebody bungled;
Xeric xenops don't exactly tan, they just stay green.
Yenta yaks may yell and yowl when they feel chatty;
Zany zebra's zoned in black, or white, if you prefer.
I pray this piece will play and not seem "catty",
SPCA's raucous ridicule I'd rather not incur,
For these bits of critterary trivia, A to Z,
Are things I never learned from Marlin Perkins*, R.I.P.
*For those of you, dear readers, who may not know, or who may not remember, Marlin Perkins was the host of the long-running NBC nature series, "Wild Kingdom", which aired on Sunday nights from 1963-1971.
To hell harbinger, niggling winsome words,
has grasped the devil's share, for menhir size
Has pencilled in his own and crossing swords-
It errant's change which seeks the high rewards.
As such they'd yammer the athiest priest
Prepare to skewer faith that's what we've done
With raffish grin, the template from the East,
Has built ferocious men to form this Beast.
Defy, that would no penitence be claimed,
To bask in carmine etchings, someone's blood
Somewhere, where an idle worth is blamed,
Adapts these xeric rituals therefore tamed.
To vilify each state, the wordsmiths curse,
Has first to reach the west, a destination
Jitter free from consort, ends his verse
While kohl can camouflage as matters worse.
Before the tinsel shrinks the bask shall glow,
A zephyr hailed along, with fan to blaze
Contained as one explorer, which we know-
Oblivion, auras mentor steals the show.
The umbra can indeed produce some shade
While gullet quenches low, as food shall be,
Where evil grows the size that man has made
He brings the lions share for masquerade.
Any
Big
Cat
Deserves
Everything
Fine
Going
Home
Into
Jungle
Kelp
Losing
Motion
Near
Ocean
Piers
Quietly
Running
South
Toward
Underwater
Valley’s
White
Xeric
Young
Zebras
African art:
Beautiful beads,
Creative crowns,
Deep dances,
Eternal expressions,
Fashions… fictions,
Gorgeous gowns,
Hearty huts,
Inspiring instructions,
Justifiable jewels,
Kudos… knocks,
Lovely languages,
Melodious music,
Noble nomads,
Oaks… oasis,
Peculiar pictures,
Quiet queens;
Religion, romance;
Spirits…songs,
Terrific throngs,
Undiluted unbriddled,
Virtuous villagers,
Wisdom… words;
Xeric Xenopus,
Yoicks… yokes,
Zealous Zulus.
Every day moves differently.
Quietly ebbing and flowing,
Under the guidance of time,
Invigorating growth even when
Neutral systems dictate cell death.
Only to show greater maturity, whether
Xeric or soggy – grow!
At day I fight the warriors fight.
Because my heart is made of light,
Comes the dread of mine own blight-
Demons dark as blackest night.
Except that oh, they do forget
Falling Angels, a-many, I have met.
Gone With the Wind is not Their name,
Hellfires happenings will not break my sane.
In the cold an’ crisp-air riot,
Jests a-many
Kill my kin,
Love is my Name…I will not sin.
Move They won’t
Neither will I!
Of course I’m bound to suffer and die-
Proud I am of my heart,
Quintessential of Heavens Lark.
Rage the storm fiery and fierce
So goes the Warriors ballad song.
Tonight the tribulation will carry forth,
Unless my soul is captured…
Venerated and pure and true…
Well, I will not give it to you, devil!
Xeric though my land may be,
You will not have that victory-
Zeal for Him is my middle name.
Afterglow, the way you shine, awakening delicate as early morning dew
Beautiful, always the memory of our first time
Charming, the way you blushed as I stroked your cheek
Divine, the tatse of your lips upon mine
Elegant, your style, your passion
First and always, I will remember your trembling hand as I took hold
Graciously, I bow out, knowing my own defeat
Harmoniously, we stutter and stammer our conversation
I will always remember
Jealously I submit to let the world share you as you must leave
Keeping evermore this moment in my heart
Loyal I guard the secrets of our only night
Maybe, just maybe, you will return
No, no I know I am wishful thinking
Over, it's over, so much ending so soon
Promises, promises made and yet the cold light of day breaks their intent
Quietly, hush, there's nothing more to be said
Regrets do not belong in this moment, this time, this place.
Stolen, the hours we shared, never mine to keep
Trusting, those eyes that need not ask for my silence
Undying, such undying love
Virginal white, the sheets which we lay upon
Wanting more, so much more
Xeric, so dry, so barren, my thirst once quenched by the oasis that is lost
You the embodiment of my soul, the only home my heart resides in.
Zero, from nothing you came, and to nothing I now return.
And then the blunders of the past merged into serenity. Tranquility
ensued where wild storms had been raging.‘Safe travels’, they whispered
‘now you’re prepared and able to let go.’ The past became a beacon and compass when the ocean parted and gave life to the desert. A lizard danced around a bouquet of flowers. Devil’s Claw and Fairy Duster held hands as they swirled. Pirouetted once awoken from their slumber. Broken dreams reassembled for a new dawn.
aghast no longer he counted his many blessings
bewildering torment had faded into understanding
Charon gifted the Styx to recede for the time being
devils had stated their demonic point and gave way
enthused he rubbed his eyes from the fairy dust
foreclosed void and oblivion and grasped a nettle
ground zero recovered joy from smoldering ashes
he who mastered turmoil and uncomfortable truth
in defiance of hardship alighted from the drought
journeymen carry a flickering flame in their hearts
Kasim gave thanks to depression and disorientation
loosened the straps of straightjacket and shackles
myriads of dead ends gave birth to a fork in the road
navigated the spell of his name ‘controller of anger’
of meaning ‘defender protector gift division and oath’
purveyor of healing in the wilderness of doomed fate
‘Quo vadis’ they shouted ‘Veni Vidi Vici’ he replied
reliving bygone disaster had served malevolent dues
satisfied their purpose and may now rest in peace
transformation is not for fainthearted soulless minds
unveils instead signposts of blessed lessons for fun
vitality sprung upon him and recoiled from delusion
wasted no time once out of the box of tangled demise
xeric confusion ceased to dissatisfy unbearable thirst
yataghan’s lost handle reappeared and he gave thanks
zodiac longing finally offered surrender and firm gratitude
03rd August 2020
Quo Vadis? - Where are you going?
Veni Vidi Vici - I came saw and conquered
a yataghan is a double blade Turkish sword with no handle