The house is quiet,
as Knothead’s asleep
Hershey Kisses in place
on the staircase to reap
There’s snow on the roof,
with the chimney unblocked
For Santa to enter,
new soot on his frock
The cookies and milk
on the hearth reappear
With Rudolph’s one favorite,
chocolate chip to endear
The sound of his footsteps
arrive on the roof
As Knothead awakens
to Santa’s reproof
“Get into the sleigh
as I’ve told you before
“TC and Melissa
deserve so much more
“Your mischievous wandering
has caused quite the stir
“Mrs. Claus is upset,
the good Elves much deterred
“And clean up your mess
before we move on
“Those wrappers a danger
to those woe begone”
But as they departed,
the naughty Elf smiled
Two silver reminders
ensconced to beguile
Both hidden in cupboards
for children to find
Christmas 2021
—to forever remind
(Christmas Poem: 12/24/2021)
Backstory: Knothead is the naughty Elf who has plagued the Behm household for over 40 years at Christmas time. To catch him, you need to put out Hershey Kisses, so that Santa can follow the trail of wrappers, capture him, and take him back to the North Pole.
Categories:
braden, christmas,
Form: Rhyme
Swift and sweet, how memories rise
diamond- strung in a room of silver
Slick and sleek from a stormy world
solid tree trunks on a bell- clear morning.
Liberum Divisa 4 Poetry Contest
Gregory R Braden
February 27th. 2021
Nevernore
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/nevermore_469415
Categories:
braden, emotions, introspection, memory,
Form: Free verse
Only a Tiger will approach a Tiger,
Lions never do
To give him pause and make him think,
“What will this Tiger do”
All other beasts he rests cocksure,
a meal they will become
But faced with one of his own kind
—to stay or then to run
(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2020)
‘For Kiley, Hunter, Braden & Parker’
Categories:
braden, nursery rhyme,
Form: Rhyme
The Doggie was white,
and the Kitty was black,
as they crouched at each end of the floor
Their eyes never met,
because the rules were set,
that the dog would chase the cat as before
At night came the darkness,
and the Kitty stood up
and headed right straight to the door
But the Doggie just lay there with his head
on his paws, and thought:
“Tonight—is quite different for sure”
(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2015)
‘For Kiley, Hunter, Braden & Parker’
My Grandchildren
Categories:
braden, nursery rhyme,
Form: Rhyme
The Doggie was white,
and the Kitty was black,
as they crouched at opposite ends of the floor
Their eyes never met,
because the rules were set
that the dog would chase the cat as before
At night came the darkness,
and the Kitty stood up
and headed right straight to the door
But the Doggie just lay there with his head
on his paws, and thought….
—today is quite different for sure
(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2015)
‘For Kiley, Hunter, Braden & Parker’
My Grandchildren
Categories:
braden, animal, childhood, nursery rhyme,
Form: Rhyme
My first breath every morning,
a thank-you to the Lord
My heart beats then in tribute,
single note in heaven’s chord
My last breath every evening,
as I close my eyes to sleep
To thank him softly once again,
—his grace now mine to keep
From: 'The Book Of Prayers'
written for my Grandchildren,
Kiley, Hunter, Braden & Parker
Categories:
braden, prayer,
Form: Couplet