In dancing, as experienced by my eyes,
I see figures of beauty and of grace,
in steps, choreographed or improvised,
moving rhythmically through space;
but, as I see others, I become aware
that others may set eyes on me as well,
another circumstance, altogether,
as they see a homely man without hair,
not an Arthur Murray clientele,
and much heavier than a feather.
Yet, by replacing sight with other senses,
I find it was my eyes that did impede,
with self-conscious, self-constructed fences,
but now, my joyous spirit has been freed,
and I can connect, engage, and hear,
as my body, merges with the sound
of the rhythm and the melody,
and my feet, my heart, my soul, my ear,
lose themselves as I twirl madly round -
thankful that I can no longer see.
parti
HEY HEY HEY WHOO OH OH A OH
di grand entrance chance, chance, dance
mek lively, lovely choreographed entries, dance dance dance
entrée dance dance, dance bridal parties.
everyone juz celebrated be joyous be hardy
dis di first dance newlyweds share,
maja, romantic moment for di center
for in di room.
Afrobeats and highlife love
songs set a festive mood
for di dance floor- amour, amour
celebration
HEY HEY HEY WHOO OH OH A OH
The Grand Entrance chance, chance, dance
Make lively, lovely choreographed entries, dance dance dance
Entrée dance dance, dance bridal parties.
Everyone juz celebrated be joyous be hardy
This the First Dance Newlyweds share,
intimate, romantic moment in the center pair
in the room.
Afrobeats and highlife love
Songs set a festive mood
On the dance floor- amour, amour
9/3/26
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2026©
A darkness hovers
A silence whispers
A shadow threatens
Every movement
A choreographed dance routine
Places, places everyone
The new ABC’s
Aggravate
Belittle
Confuse
The new math
One is never too many
And a thousand
Is just the beginning
The new “religion”
A well funded
Burt and Ernie
Puppet show
Everyone is watching everyone
Hovering in a darkness
Whispering silently
PLACES….PLACES
ACTION
TAKE(WHAT YOU CAN)
Seven pearls robbed
Ceramic contrivances replete
with squatter rights
entombing deep necrosis
for an Oscar appearance
staged and blanched
choreographed photoshoppery
of Cheshire cats
faux poses and grins
for psychedelic strobes
beneath neon footlights
and synchronised clatter
of frenzied palms
rhythmic and rigid
Politburo manoeuvres.
#1) Wise is just wisdom,
Being “smart,” can drive one Madd...
It is a process.
#2) Haikus are intense!
They can be so exciting,
I used to write them...
#3) I go by “G3...”
As a “Native...” citizen...
Call me, “One shoe...”
#4) My father-in-law...
He has a name, “One More Song...”
I care about him.
The BOSS???
#5) Is this “restricted?!?”
Nothing is choreographed...
Am I an actor? Ei. Will this be listed?
Little Diddy Truly NOT a Haiku but duly meant for me and you to groove...
Jah “Oh da la dee da...”
Boo yah!!! Hoo, hah, hey, yaw!
Do NOT forget your Yamaha...
A few keys for me please...
It is almost time for Hannukah,
Yet the twelve days of Christmas did NOT miss us,
I do NOT want to miss any of this my close
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sparkling sunlight filters through
the willow tree’s slender branches,
speckling the water’s surface~
a montage of green coins.
Koi swim gracefully just below the surface,
choreographed by gentle noontime breezes~
their forms seem like an artist’s colorful brushstrokes,
orange bleeding into white,
black dissolving into gold.
A koi near the surface,
its gills flaring slow,
mouth open in a silent O
as if it’s savoring the sky.
The water remembers every movement,
every turn, every glide, every moment
leaving a lasting trace~
yet gives nothing back
but the quiet hum of holding.
Above, a dragonfly lights,
its wings thinner than regret,
casting no shadow,
only the briefest interruption of light.
And for a moment,
the pond is not just water,
not just fish,
but the world’s slow exhale~
something between prayer
and perfectly still hunger.
You may read the accompanying memoir vignette here at Poetry Soup:
poetrysoup.com/short_stories/magic_at_the_koi_pond_13577
An Orbit since the blender caught the heart.
No pieces left to glue, just pulsating primordial goo.
Still, blood flows at the beat of hope.
Cursed by the thoughts it feeds the mind.
A Rotation of this planet without inception,
Phenomena deserving parades.
The continuous bullwhip of rumination fades.
Sporadic stabs now dwell in songs and scenes.
The length of despair, the blame is on me.
A requisite to invoke elaborate fantasy.
Futures fabricated, choreographed to the song of us.
Materials a ruse, made of glass and fear.
Shattered from the boulders we threw.
All that remains in this rubble of love, are reflections of me.
Roll in the shards, make sure they stick.
Each fragment, a lesson in the form of riddles.
They have just taken some time to solve.
Meet the heroine,
talk to my evil villain.
The main characters
are companions intertwined,
every move choreographed.
Fall for the castle,
ride a white horse with the knight.
There’s always that twist.
The dragon who saves your life,
an ageless lesson to learn.
Come gather around,
can I tell you a story?
You may want to stay,
share the moral someday.
Remember fables breathe fire.
Countless Cosmic Constellations
Colossal Combustible Clouds
Confluences of Chrysalis Crystals
Collectives of Choreographed Colors
Constant Creation Collisions
Corrective Course Corrections
Cosmonauts Crashed Craft
Countless Cosmic Consternations
INDIAN SUMMER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Autumn comes as a chariot of nature's flame. From woodland browns are born reds and golds to warm heart and soul. The leaves, like flags waving in every sweet breeze, swirl in a wind-choreographed dance. Soon they rest upon the forest floor, embracing their destiny to feed each earthen wintry root.
seasonal trustees
summertime takes final bow
fall heeds her calling
starry autumn night
season brings artistic hand
harvest abundance
I have one special memory
Lying with you on the lake shore
Watching the sun twinkle
As it flickered between the tree’s leaves
A gentle breeze makes the weeping willow magical
Dancing movements choreographed long ago
Never copied by anything else
To me, they are signs of unending love
Given to me and my future wife
To cherish as long as we both shall live
© Poem XXVIII/VIII/MMXXV
LRET
Art brings creativity, depth, evokes feelings,
connects people, reflects historical events,
preserves cultural values and traditions.
Art conveys aesthetic pleasures, one of its missions.
Choreographed dance expresses fluidity, grace highlighting
the dancers’ technical skills and control, ease and elegance.
Dance, an art form under performing arts focuses on connection
appealing to the senses of the dancers and audience is perfection.
Blues, classical, disco, electric, funk, gospel, hip-hop,
and rock, the influential one, are genres of music, another
art form and the most universal under performing arts
for it is a universal language that touches hearts.
Abecedarian, ballade, couplet, diamante, elegy, footle
are types of poems and poetry, an art form under literary
art, uses chosen language for meaning or words artistically to
connect to the reader’s emotions and imagination too.
submitted into Brian Strands 1397 Poetry Contest, July 2025
MEMORABLE BALLET
her thoughts pirouette, twirl, and spin,
a choreographed ballet across the blank screen.
her words harmonize and blend
transforming them into beautiful poetry.
her soaring imagination rises and leaps
like a grand jeté, the poem takes flight.
imagery and rhythm create a melodic verse
like well-orchestrated music, her poetry fills the air.
meter is the measure that governs the pace,
as her passion finds her poetic voice.
in a delicate dance of love and creativity
like a pas de deux, the words entwine.
a crescendo of emotions her heart doth express
like a grand finale, the poem reaches its peak.
her soul dances wild and free
like a memorable ballet is her poetry.
My wallet is empty of cash
When it appears which is rarely
I usually give it away
Doesn’t really matter, not really
It’s gone as soon as I get it anyway
It never lasts but that's okay
Besides, I have plenty of credit
VISA, MasterCard, Discovery
And the more I “spend”
With that lending hand
The more trust I build
Upping my score. Score!
Up the stakes, wait, change the rules?
Now, it’s me who can’t trust, who?
Sky rocketing interest rates
A debt that’s out of control
Taxing me everywhere I go
The scam’s all decorated
Beautifully choreographed
Beautifully camouflaged
All alluring, so endearing
As I assume my plastic smile
At my recently installed
Big beautiful screen on the wall.
A triumph of artistic erudition,
a monumental, historic production,
played to houses hushed and full -
Aesop's Fables with real animals -
glorious choreographed interaction,
among creatures of all extractions,
audiences transfixed and beguiled
by kings and queens of the stage, self-styled,
discussed in every chic salon,
until, an unfortunate contretemps,
there was no hint of trouble or indication,
when a bit a player forgot his station,
and when the director fiercely drew a bead,
the resultant kerfuffluous stampede
was reported, sadly in Le Monde,
and the curtain dropped on the show across the pond.
Sub Categories
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