Sixty years since i saw him
But he suddenly came to mind
A quiet sense of humour
Of the mischievous kind
A pleasant disposition
Except when crossed
Then very soon to remind
Who was in fact the boss.
An unlikely friendship because
We were years and ranks apart
But somehow i could never
Take the Army thing to heart
A square pegged soldier
Never quite fitting in
Leading this charmed life
Of undiscovered sin.
Always respectful of rank
When together on base
Down in the pub at night
Near equals face to face.
I, of course left
He carried on
I only found out
Long after he was gone
He achieved senior rank
Became very well respected
I suppose on reflection
Only what was expected.
I wonder if he ever remembered
His disrespectful boozing mate
And how we both reassumed rank
As we passed the barracks gate
Blueprint for a charmed life
AP: 2nd place 2025
For those who know me, this may be a surprise
My mood lately has been less than upbeat
The years must be catching up with me
Lately I've been thinking a lot about life
How it all seems so very short
Seems like just yesterday, we had our first child
He is now about to turn sixty-four
Where did it go???
I've led a charmed life filled with much joy and happiness
Regrets? Had a few but in the overall scheme of things
My life has been a gem
Often wondered why with all the negativity around
Best to just accept it and enjoy it for the time I have left
I usually write happy, silly, upbeat poems
I guess my way of coping, getting through
But reality sometimes says
“Who are you trying to kid, Jester Jack?”
WELL... this is one of those times!
But have no fear,
I'll wake up tomorrow morning
Greet the world with a dirty big grin
And pretend today never happened!!!
Miss Jessica Finch, the avian sleuth
Was scratching out novels and sipping vermouth.
She lived a charmed life when she was quite young;
Her first book, “The Voyeur: Peeking Duck Hung”.
“Peacocked and Loaded,” no rivals, unequalled.
“All Bluster, No Muster, “ a fan-favored sequel.
“Migratory Murmurations of a Wandering Heart”
And “Starling, My Darling,” her cross-over art.
“Covey of darkness: the Unpheasant Truth”
Shines light in glass houses, unkempt and uncouth.
The one she’s best known for, that everyone one knows
That suspenseful thriller, “A Murder of Crows.”
But the one she loves best, that still gives her pause,
The brilliant court drama, “Probable Caws.”
————-
for the A Flock of Birds Poetry Contest
sponsored by Julia Ward
written on 09/24/22
she was the chosen one
plucked and hand picked
brought home from the orphanage
a jewel a precious princess
soon she grew to be a fair damsel
found by her prince
she fell in love
it was then her fate was sealed
she traveled to another land
to raise a family
two boys four girls to call her own
she was the lady of their castle
a happy cheerful home
she’d rise with the sun
each night she’d set
a table fit for kings
dad the provider was a happy man
we weren’t rich but
we had everything we needed
everything and so much more
AP: Honorable Mention 2021
The cosmos loves her, so they nurture her gladly
She has only had fine days, always respected
If she fell from the planet, the stars would catch her
She has led a charmed life, for she is charming
She is an earth angel, watched over by nurturing souls
The heavens loves her scientific mind
She studies astronomy and astrology, concocting her own theories
She is brilliant and adored; men want to be with her.
Women want to be her.
A great listener, she gets messages from the universe
Never focused on her own wants, she nurtures others.
When she reaches heaven’s gates, they say
Why don’t you become a greeter? Staying halfway?
What would I be able to do? She queries
You can help light the way for the others.
So she does.
Must have been kind to a little old lady
Or consoled a little boy who had fallen
Why else have I lived this very charmed life
Didn't know it was part of the bargain
I'm so very happy for my long joyful life
Could partly be due to my lifestyle
The happier we are, the less stress we have
Leads to days filled with big smiles
Not everyone's fortunate, some are sad
Their lives filled with torment and despair
How come I'm one of the lucky ones
Must be the luck of the draw I declare
Maybe I shouldn't even question these things
Let Mother Nature take her own course
Just be happy I'm alive and still kicking
And never consider the real source
Ella focuses her soft eyes
Raises her paw and delivers 3 sighs
She circles once then once more
Climbs upon my chest and begins to snore
I stroke her head and tickle her ear
She coos then sets her purr box in gear
A rescued life has been left in my care
And together we make quite a pair
I'm the cook, the maid, the overseer of the manor
Her only task is to be the diligent cat scanner
Some may say she has a charmed life
Free of harm, free of strife
Some may say she's the lucky one
Lounging all day and having all the fun
But I think back before our acquaintance
Before the spell of her unconditional trance
And I know beyond doubt and logic
That this luck, this magic
Is all mine and make no mistake
I willfully accept all the luck I can take.
I ride that unicorn daydream
a Crazy charmed life it must seem
Money mongers say it’s nonsense
You work on their side of the fence
Maybe it is a mad dream theme
Money faking peaches and cream
You must follow your own sunbeam
Writing is my only defense
I ride that unicorn
It may lead to a fountain stream
Bait your hook and choose "Carpe Diem"
Work life looks so stressful and tense
Follow your passion it makes sense
Hold on tight let it out and scream
I ride that unicorn!
Create an Idiom July 2016 Rondeau form
A pageant of hued flappers drapes the air,
where maiden butterflies awake upon
fresh tunes gliding in crystal winged sensation:
how beautiful they are, enough to initiate
my own spring of rebirth as April endows
this hint of childlike wonder: my breath emerging
while rafters explode in velvet glow… tossed petals
unfurling their limbs while monarchs circle along
ovules with flamenco swings, so luminous.
Much like this season they are born from, rustlings
weave a glazed ascent in radiant pirouette
of joy: I encounter a different scene, a different
potion of life through this moth-like shimmer
from laced nights: at last, spring’s bosom is decked
in flickers that my own awakening yields
to this cycle’s homage for butterflies’ swift magic :
tassels waltzing… until their charmed life- spans are done.
For Rob Carmack's Screwed X111 Contest
Resubmitted 4/25/2016
Love is not an illusion
It is tricky
And elusive
Where is the girl
Leading a charmed life
She secretly covets
To be a femme fatale
Where is the femme fatale
Who yearns to be good
I am the nemesis
I desire and dream both...
We stood apart waiting for dusk to fall
pale the light that may not bring us to next week:
Both of us wanted ties of chains relieved
you from angst, and I from not loving enough.
Then you entered into a gentle maze of just how
time drained pool of years I barely recalled,
our moments chilled by desperate silence
while late-night marked your face, ashen.
And there you were, beautiful in dew’s reflection
sharing the glee from our early anniversaries
when days held our pledge, ' for better or worse, '
as I unveiled this mask I dared not shed.
Back and forth you whispered like fragrant mist
tracing our breakthroughs when stars grew narrow;
until we slowly choked on milestones
of owned joys and trials …I listened, listened.
A fool, I cannot ride the last sunset without her,
then she asked," is there anything you need to say?"
“My love, I promise to fill my heart's absence
oh we must go on; charmed life is ours, evermore."
-------------------
Contest of Silent One: Love Story
~ from a man's point of view~
Re-post 11/3/2017
Reckless Beauty
She was beautiful in a ruthless way
A punishing God's unholy creation
Taunting men with a brutal lack of conscience
The whole world was in love with her
and she couldn’t care less
So she went on with her charmed life
Goddammit, that girl was blessed
with the true nature of evil
and I loved her for it
But she'd just look away,
murdering me with her silence
To her, I was about as memorable as a
scrap piece of newspaper being swept along
in a dry summer breeze
Feeling her truth was PURE SUFFERING
comments?
I sit by the open window watching out for hubby's return.
The ancient oil lantern sways casting pools of light.
There are insects buzzing around it, they seem to be playing kamikaze.
Some pay the price as they get zapped, others seemingly to live charmed life.
As I sit waiting enjoying the night sounds, a large moth appears by the window
so close I could touch it. Then it starts its crazy yet enchanting dance.
Flitting first up and down, now going round and round.
Mottled browns and reds adorn wings of glossier like silks.
Alone like me it seems to be yet having fun drawing weird patterns.
It gets closer to the glass on each pass, a dancing dare devil of beauty.
I do not want to see it zapped, so go out and turn of the lantern.
Sitting in the old rocker chair, I gaze into the star studded sky.
And there silhouetted is my moth
as it flies away across the moon.
Free to live another day and night
it is joined by another as hubby arrives.
written 11/08/2014
contest: Chopped 11
Underneath all the clothes we are all human beings
And for pretty girls you can't escape the Hell of everyday life
All the cat calls on the street they start to get old
All the glares and harsh stares I am naked in a sea of people
It's a charmed life you'd think until you start to realize
That the eyes and the attention will never stop
Until you are dead
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