there's little sunshine these days,
and despair blows like a cold wind.
It rains, and rains, and rains.
state of affairs go from bad to worse.
Innocent souls perish in a war-torn nation.
the fog of hopelessness hangs in the air
for a downtrodden struggling to survive
in the mean, unforgiving streets.
a child's life hangs in the balance;
accidentally struck by rat-a-tat of gunfire.
what is going on in the world?
all birds, but the mourning dove...
keep silent in the meadow.
the praying mantis has seen better days;
It's arms folded in hope that
tomorrow is a brighter, better day.
Burning sun departing
ember of its fire
graying
as autumn leaves
spent
and blown by wind
of confusion
obscuring clarity of truth
opacifying colors
muting sounds
masking fragrance
boredom of night
broken
by lumens
on windowsill of sky
waning moonlight
flickering of stars
as tremor of aging
before darkness of soul
without life
angels of night
raising gaze to Light
beyond the lights
inviting a return
to the Sun fire
burning stubble of fear
with peace and
hope
of a better tomorrow
coloring soul
with graces
dancing with joy
at the music
of daylight
Love
Second Place Winner-Brian Strand: Only Feb 2025 Posted-2/13
No fighting crowds
No grabbing for food and drinks
No concerts no parties
Maybe an intimate evening with the dearest
Or the family
Surely deep inside my heart still hoping for
A big crowd in the street midnight
An overwhelming joy and a rejoicing countdown
And incredible fireworks
That can be seen from far
To ring in the new year 2022
Surely a great planning for 2022
A looking forward to a better tomorrow
After you live through 2021
Everyting becomes precious and invaluable
Deserve our love and respect
And we will live more cheerfully
Loving people, loving God, loving ourselves
Besides fighting the virus
To win to live to love to share
Love will be with you tomorrow
All your hardships will swallow
A better day will follow
No more sorrows
How wonderful it is
The future will come with a bliss
It’s God giving you a hug and kiss
All your worries are now dismissed
Knowing everything will be okay
The skies are no longer gray
You will now have a field day
On the beautiful meadow
For a better tomorrow
That is here to stay
Hooray!
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???? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??? ?????
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???????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ????? ??? ??? ???
??? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ???? ????
??? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ??????
??? ?? ???? ??? ???, ?? ??? ???? ?? ????
????????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ???,
?? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ??????
Goodness
Doing right things
Opportunity knocks
Sometimes when we least expect it
For one’s better angels
Allowing ways
To shine.
Virtue
A welcome trait
For high-minded living
Example for those we know who
Disregard their morals
Skirt the edges
Often.
Ethics
Will cultivate
An exemplary life
Of lasting proper behaviors
If conscientiously
Better living
Applied.
Conduct
Measuring our
Commitment fully to
A better world for tomorrow
And high-mindedness for
More love, justice
Today.
written May 16, 2021
for "Heptastich" poetry contest
sponsored by William Kekaula
Listed #78 on Best All-Time 100 Poems May 27, 2021 Poetry Soup
Copyright © L MILTON HANKINS | Year Posted 2021
Yes tired, messed and fired
Put work aside for a free morrow
distress from stress makes one tired
Awaiting descension of a day without sorrow.
Precipitance hits the tide of time
Filled with load of contrastive burden
Time did evolve with a different crime
Ages past all in a sudden
Thousand years turn a day
A day without sorrow never came
A sorrow in the marrow, hopes at bay
Bros and Sis have none to blame
Brain's busy, I'm feeling dizzy
Drops the pen for a leisured tomorrow
Creativity stretched to limit; I'm not being lazy
Continuity's road deadly and narrow
Inspiration didn't betray expectation
Leisure didn't fail my confidence
But it flew in another direction
Same entry but different emergence
I woke when originality went to bed
Should've tarried and get the work done
I survived sadly to see my art's dead
The breathe connecting me to it is gone.
Gain he stole but pain is fading,
I'll give forgiveness in another morrow
The pathos now still boldly bidding
But the bellow to forgive, I feel below
Morrow came with a twisted blend
The eye of the cloud is painted red
My epistle to forgive I can't heaven send
My offender is now yonder led
Tomorrow here is not eternity
Not all will wear the canescent hair
Now do what you can for paternity and divinity
Tomorrow you may not breathe our air
To have illusions of what should have been
And wander through the thorned brambles of time
To seek tomorrow can bring its own sin
When we forget mountains this day we climb
The wistful dreamer in the mind this day
Will allow the dream to slowly evolve
Although the darkest thought can bring dismay
The problems we face we can always solve
Lets dream of what's beyond the farthest hill
It's a reason to climb what lays before
And reach the summit a need to fulfill
To stand a top what we have struggled for
The deepest depth of our fervent desire
Is to escape from our heart's thorny brier
9/27/20 contest A Better Tomorrow
With all the restrictions I feel cooped up
I wish I was a bird, then I could fly
they ask us to stay home like good pups
then tell us 'wear a mask' or you will die
I know that if we pool as one we'll win
although the day feels long if we persist
we'll finally send this virus to the bin
so lets keep hope alive and co-exist
we've seen this battle many times before
and every time we won with banners high
contagions can be beat so let us roar
like lions braving all and, lets comply
with the help of God we can over come
even if we march, to a different drum.
September 27, 2020
The future I believe we all shall see
is not a hopeful one, yet I will try
to think a bit optimistically!
For those of you who are afraid to die,
I write this message. There is hope beyond
this world with all its woes, and there is good
in many people. May the human bond
of friendship keep us strong in brotherhood!
When times get bad, we all will have to trust
in one another, for no matter what,
souls are eternal though flesh turns to dust!
I feel this very strongly in my gut.
An eye-blink is the time here that we dwell.
Pure love awaits kind souls beyond the veil.
Clouds on ivory flotilla waver,
sailing on serene air in cobalt sky,
turned to a fleet of lethal haze of scare,
our lives changed as shadows of danger pry.
Out of intimate web almost extinct,
desolate mind is pained in times of strain.
Hope lingers, spurred by survival instinct,
cracks in closeness widen, won’t close again.
Splendor of sunburst sky I long to see,
when black clouds of threat would drift away far,
rays of hope through dismal milieu reach me.
It’s time to revere the ravaged nature.
For the things from our children we borrow,
let us gift them a better tomorrow.
September 25, 2020
Syllable count : 10 each line
checked on howmanysyllables.com
Contest : A Better Tomorrow
Sponsor : John Hamilton
How to achieve a better tomorrow.
Make attempt to improve society:
Fundamental human rights, to follow.
Social improvement is priority.
Drive out malice, violence, corruption,
Person-wise, Race-wise and Nation-wise.
Strengthen love, peace, kindness, and compassion
for civilization: Perfect-precise.
Not to overpower other country.
Exchange of ideas in every field
as Science, Technology-Industry
At end, Global Society to build.
Each be honored as Global Citizen.
To change World, State, Country, and Race,
to glow Humanity at horizon,
Unique Human Religion to face
Every conflict, selfishness or mischief
will be controlled by Education.
Humans will learn to control strife.
That will establish Civilization.
A Perfect World then to originate
Any discrimination can't persist.
Respectable Human Race, truly great.
Fundamental human rights will exist .
A better tomorrow shines with God’s light
Vanquishing yesterday’s despair and gloom
Welcoming today upon blest delight
Midst serenity of hope and faith-bloom.
Tomorrow's radiance is imminent
Now revealed by signs of the times aglow
Showing prophecies’ truth so pertinent:
Christ’s coming to reign along blessings flow.
Shimmering with pardon of comfort gleam
Tomorrow ushers genuine love’s domain
While the Lord leads through righteous-mercy beam
Divinely-filled pleasure, healing hate’s pain.
Assured by the Saviour’s blazing presence*
Bright future brings eternal joy’s incense.
*Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
September 24, 2020
2nd place, "A better tomorrow" Sonnet Poetry Contest
Sponsored by John Hamilton; judged on 9/27/2020.
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