Contrary Poems

Contrary to the Bone

I’m sure my first words
As a child were “No!”
Followed soon after by “Why?”
But I only really realized today,
A bit surprisingly 
Given my 66 years on this earth,
That I dislike following 
Either other’s directions
But particularly other’s trails
Obviously wishing instead
To find my own way
Changing it as it changes
Moment by moment.

And it’s been over fifty years now 
That I’ve been able to make my own way
For better or worse,
Although we all know 
The journey is always better 
Than the goal.

Today I hiked in to view 
A wild and remote local canyon
And it only became enjoyable 
Once I was free to wander
Willy-nilly up the open
Rocky and grassy slope of one side
Meandering between shade spots,
But the first mile or so 
Following a cattle and game trail
Through a forest
Was more a chore 
Than what it’s like to explore.

And that’s the key word
And key experience here 
Exploring
All the things it means to be 
An independent individual.
All the things it means to be
Alive.

(5/28/25)

ON THE CONTRARY PART TWO

            If there is love
          There is no revenge
          If there is humanity
          there is no extermination

ON THE CONTRARY

If  son of a fish fell into the net, he is not a little fish... ;

Contrary Before God

Contrary Before God

But I Think It
Loves Me Anyway.

Kiss.

-Gray Squirrel

05-19-2025

Contrary to Popular Opinion

      Contrary to popular opinion
      the man of the house
         does not even share dominion

       with his wife, who runs the whole show
       determining who comes and who goes

         ~ leading him around by the nose

Contrary

It’s hard to always know in life
which way is best to go.
Following fads and trends
tends to be not,
from what I know.

But does that mean in everything
you go the other way?
I’ve tried that
and I’ll tell you what
at the end of the day -

if you live life against the grain
most times you will be right.
But if it’s all you ever do…
then you will miss the light.

Defeat As Contrary In Many Ways

Defeat in economy is a misuse in good governance
Defeat in beauty is lack in empathy and self-initiatives
Defeat in numbers of men who will depend the country
Defeat in humanity is selfishness
Defeat in transparency is lack in service
Defeat in trust triggered betrayal
Defeat in love is enemy's war influence
Defeat in money is lack opportunity
Defeat in education is innocence enmity
Defeat in faith is Satan's bows and arrows
Defeat in Satan's wiles is God's victory.

Quite Contrary

When quite contrary crashed on Mary 
And the pan hit Peter's head 
They found Humpty Dumpty and the over the moon cow 
Lying in the courtyard dead 
And when Mary's tuffet was bit by a Muffet 
The Incy Wincy spider ran 
Mary ran too, in fact, she almost flew 
When she saw the spider on her little lamb

Contrary Similarities

Incognito, I stand exposed.
Difficult days, of smooth sailing.
Completely baffled, I do know.
Happy endings, such tragedy.
Right or wrong, see no difference.
Great injustice, a fair outcome.
Crimes committed, yet acquitted.
Opposing theories, we think alike.
Time to go, let's stay awhile.
Sunny days, in dark of night.
Come to terms, in disagreement.
Willful blindness, I see it.
Peace on earth, by warring factions.
Democrats, ----- Republicans.

Refurbished Nursery Rhymes: Quite Contrary Mary

The thing about Mary that was extraordinary 
Was her parents on her pulled a fast one.
They gave her a first name, multiplied it by two,
But neglected a middle and last one.
And so Mary Mary was deemed quite contrary,
But, oh, what a green thumb had she.
Though she didn't grow okra,
Tomatoes, or peas,
Or cucumbers, parsnips,
Or beets, if you please,
Her strange garden plot
Was as full as could be.
She diligently toiled
With spade, rake, and hoe
Planting silver bells, cockleshells,
And pretty maids in a row.
All the townsfolk agreed
Mary's skills were incredible,
But it was a community garden,
And they would have preferred she
Grow something more edible.

CONTRARY

CONTRARY

A poem personified, it could be me
Yet to embrace analysis, I am averse
Words should flow at their own pace
Precise syllable counts are a disgrace
And a volta can be an empty purse
So, it’s a simple structure, you see

Is a stanza really more than a verse
It always depends on the poetic form
It one appeals to me, then I’m on it
Whether Scupham verse or a sonnet
But free verse conjours up a storm
And mixed case words are a curse

Apologies to all the purists out there
I never wanted to be so constrained
Rhyme is Okay, especially masculine
As slant rhymes should go in the bin
It loses something when explained
But I’ll try and write better, I swear

Berry Contrary

Berry, berry
Quite contrary
How do you grow? 

Berry, berry
Quite contrary
Many would like to know

Down in Georgia,  way down
Two trees stood on the ground

One weighed down with sticks,  bottles, and all sorts of stuff
The other stood alone, beautiful and virtually untouched

Two worlds and just one ground
One full and the other barren, with a few lying around

Mulberry and Chinaberry
One sweet and the other quite contrary

Things of Contrary

How I see thrill movies,
Is what I feel when I see you.
How I taste the cake,
Is what I feel when I kiss you.
How I high my eyebrows,
Is when I hate most of the time,
When you say goodbye.
Let's be silent sometimes,
For things has their contrary.

Antipodes

everything is a grand illusion
and from far away it's strange to see
the way they interact with cutlery
what phases of the moon influence their neuroses
and the rituals of self-destruction
which in every way resembles ours
they also believe in lowering the sidewalks
in the consumption of vegetables for a better life
nails grow the same
here and on the other side of this lie
we're tired of the same games without wins
trying to unravel molecular structures
not knowing how to tie shoes
there on the other side of the world
are the ones we could have been
subjugated by the same plastic gods
chained to health plans
hateful obese oily
swallowing this life's recycled oil
that we wanted without pain

My Scarce Poetry Is Needed

My poetry is scarce and short...
Contrary to life, is poetical
and long... and live its contradictions:
When I drink they feel drunken,
If I cry, they laugh,
If I imprecate, they suffer,
if I work, they eat a lot,
 finally and contradictory:
If I die, they already told me,
will suffer from deficiencies...
That's why my dear friends  i say
my poetry can be little,
but it causes damage when missing... !

• Short Contrary Poems
• Famous Contrary Poems
• Best Contrary Poems
• Read Contrary Poems
• Long Contrary Poems
• Contrary Quotes