The Lake.....
lies… still,
a glistening sheet of tin foil,
shimmering in a cold-eyed wind.
At night
the lake still... lies… still;
a coffin with lid screwed light-tight.
On occasion, the moon trickles light,
lightly across the lake's pitch-black back;
the knack of making the coffin lid crack!
Today, I challenge myself
to touch-dive the lake’s chilling depths,
halfway down I halt, a dark vault,
weakens my errant confidence.
Despite puppet legs and handcuffed arms
I spin frantically to reach a detached surface,
bursting out like some skittish, Scottish salmon
only to be held between the two supremos;
illuminated sky and darksome water.
Tonight, the lake grips my bedroom window
and I watch as watery, inky tentacles
claw and talon at an unsettled shoreline.
Later, I wait for sleep to possess me,
sensing surrounding hills clinging closely
while rain falls like pellets of iron.
So I drift…listening to the lake
whispering dangerous, whispering treacherous secrets
until nature’s seesaw; night tilts into daylight.
Ian Souter
A lion with a passion so ravenous
Unable to be satisfied by love
her bite of sensuality poisonous
She lives in her empty pit of self-love
this shepherd of men, her body of goats
who yearn to be fed by her lips of fire
then are tossed aside with lumps in their throats
after she filled her cavernous desire
This darksome snake will often shed her skin
After her hunger dies from the goats she bled
She will flick out her tongue for their scent again
The next time her hunger needs to be fed
She runs
to top the hill
and listen for songbirds.
On this grayish, black and white scene,
there are only crows in the sky, screeching
like a hawk who has eyed a snake.
What is that rustling sound?
Is there a snake?
She runs.
The leaves
atop the trees
rustle now and snicker
when she trips over fallen limbs.
The darksome clouds release their hold of rain
on this grayish, black and white scene.
Despising the day, she
crawls home, cursing
the leaves.
April 28, 2023
Sponsor Sotto Poet
Contest Name UP TO 20 LINES
Woe is me, Oh woe is me!
Life is so unfair.
I know all sometimes have hard luck,
But not more than their share.
I live beneath a darksome cloud.
I think I have been cursed.
The minute things seem to abate,
Something makes it worse.
My home life is an argument.
My job is just the pits.
I get no rest, I get no peace,
Sometimes I want to quit.
Quit my marriage, quit my job,
And run away and hide;
But where on earth can I go?
The world is not that wide.
Food and shelter are a must,
No matter where you are.
One must needs support oneself,
Or else you won't get far.
Where'er you go, what'er you do,
You'll have the self same problems.
It's how you handle them that counts.
It's the way you solve them.
You must do it on your own.
No one can do it fr you.
It's called "growing up" my friend.
Just like all those around you.
The immortal flame on a cold and frozen night
Guide our lives through fire earth and ice,
To the unknown depths consume in the light,
We feel the warmth and comfort in Christ.
To offer ourselves up unreservedly to that power
And wield the weapons concealed within,
which allows one to defeat infested terror
by the glint that draws the radiance in.
Against innumerable noise and propeller voices,
That revolves around you, filled with the life of fire
Friends, in their loneliness, making you speechless,
And becoming the pure air for a ruined heir.
This immortal flame I can see in my awakening
Arising from the darksome shade into my dream.
Butterfly Night I Knew You were Waiting
The night was tenderly, loving, so warm and still!
Lo, I stepped outside and found a golden butterfly
with wings etched in darksome black,
Resting on my bountiful window sill.
My mind into a mental fury stretched.
Where was the butterfly mother and
his butterfly friends?
I took a chair to be with him, his beauty
beguiled me so!
If you can in communication with any
of God's creatures be, so blessed art thee!
He softly spoke, with a message for me.
Reminding me with a velvet voice..
To always turn the other cheek.
To never take,as the bard so well said.
" the slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune" and allow them to dance in
my capricious head.
I thanked him for his lovely message,
He allowed me to caress his softness.
I lifted him in my palm to God's moonlit sky.
And tears of gratitude filled my eyes,
As his utter softness flew into the Spring sky.
Panagiota Romios
4/30/2019
10:00pm PST
The maiden voyage
My first voyage on a ship was on an old tanker
who took us to Novorossiysk in Russia to load oil for
Iceland (Reykjavik.) It was an arduous voyage
in the Black Sea, we got stuck on the ice for days which was
better than the darksome Novorossiysk where we could
only go to restricted places.
Reykjavik too was a dreary little place but we could
walk about as we wanted and the people were nice
only it had no restaurants to speak of and the cafes
sold ghastly beer.
Then the ship was bound for Curacao, a Dutch island
full of bars and whores, it was on that voyage I wrote
my first poem “The Ship plough on” it was met with
amusement of the type I disliked and did attempt to
write anything for the next 30 years but read hundred
of books.
I fall asleep in clouds of snow white and baby blue
I stand tall in the middle of nowhere if only you knew
I call out to you - echoes protrude through the air
Despair filters through the darksome atmosphere
The world of viruses come
With lots unwanted gum.
Quick Heal is a family album
Where I can reject all scum
And freely continued my rhumb.
Viruses for all are season autumn,
Looking into browsers is alum,
Inserting memory cards darksome,
Quick Heal software is awesome.
Don’t worry! You are safe at bottom.
Browsing was like a deep chasm
From where Hacking my info a custom,
All these malwares made me a glum.
At this point came Hoary dictum
Quick Heal is the best centrum.
Antivirus software is an Ashram
Where all viruses to rest swum.
Quick Heal saves from boredom.
Quick Heal software is awesome.
I can't hide from him
I am guilty, a sinner so grim
Kill the sorrow
Of yesterday's tomorrow
My lights grow dim
Especially when I think of HIM
I am truly happy...singing songs that are rather...sappy!
While I'm on the spotlight
I've fought battles, even when I felt crappy
Our Love ain't Cliche
Hey, that's what I say
I'm drifting away today
What can I say? I did it again this darksome day
I feel naught at home
With I, myself, and me...
Where else do I roam?
In my mind's thoughts of envy...???
Like the night,
Neglecting the day -
Your words of spite
Gives me utter dismay
Don't bruise me with your envious vanity
Don't sanitize me with your insanity
I wanna flee and just be set free
You're not a peace, but a blasphemy
Whispers In My Mind
The spirits of my ancestors cry out to me tonight
Wanting to help me through this darksome plight
Whispering wisdom from beyond
Telling me to ever strongly hold on
Filling my mind with memories dim
Promising to reveal from within
The one who tortures my very soul
And with a quick word my peace stole
Listen to us they whisper urgently
To the past keep looking diligently
Never give up what your heart sees as right
Keep moving forward to win this hard fight
Listen sweet child to your ancestors pleas
Only then can you finally and forever break free
From the chains that bind and hold you down still
From the crushing pain that seeks to devour your will
Listen to me a voice rings out clear
I have always helped to wipe your tears
Never have I left thought it seemed that way
Remember now the name from that day
But before my mind can grasp the news
My ancestors are quieted just like my muse.
(10.16.14)
Darksome night and shining moon,
hearken to her echo In blue...
fragmanted woods spreading aroma..
The scars of my karma turn erotica...
She didnt fly she is coming down...
A faithful eve, wearing a black gown..
I was born in love with thee,
So why this world stands in between..?
I am her posession, She is my darkness..
Oh how I wish this world to embrace..
I hate this blood soaked field of glory,
I am grateful to her for this soliditary..
A tiny grain of ego, lust and lies...
Divinity told her to break the ice...
Seeing world in such postition...
Universe laugh for the final perdition...
She blessed me with divine words,
Which never connects me with this world...!
I kissed you soft in the sunlight
You held me tight in the night
Together we blazed the fires
Of our darksome souls so bright.
You wrapped your heart in mines
And I felt your love so strong
A new rare joy has just begun
Beating our hearts as one.
You’re freezing cold …where’s your passionate glow?
I don’t have a place in your heart
You’re as cold as snow…your enticing spirit sways to and fro
IN THE BRINK OF WINTER– has our melody broken apart?
My hope has lost its grip of effulgence and love
I’m scorching hot…at least I melted away your heartless snow
You don’t have room in my heart
I’m as furious as raging fire…my lamenting soul is cawing like an injured crow
IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER –our harmony rolls in the death cart
You’re freezing coal
And I’m scorching ice
Our two wicked hearts beat as one…
I’m left alone in a darksome hole
No need to pay the price
Our two wicked hearts brew chaos
You fill my heart with wickedness
Could someone take me out of the darkness?
Hopelessness enraptures my mind again...
I'm sitting on this bench...thinking regret
I'm just.......
Drifting away
There's so much to learn out there
Somewhere in the abyss,
There must be a rope of hope...
Hanging and circling rapidly
The dreads of life kill me at times
The stresses of life suffocate me...I hear the bell's chimes
I just pass by like a stranger...
Trapped in a bottomless chamber of loneliness
Hopefully, I'm making some progress
Could someone carry me into the light?
I'm in a darksome pit...I scream
I scream for help
I yelp
About a million times...
I haven't committed that many crimes
Hope shimmers in God's mind
Do you mind if I ponder a bit?
I must.......
Walk that narrow path
There's so many things to stumble upon
Out there...somewhere beyond sight
But, I write day and night...
The things I write sometimes even gives me a fright
I could get through the dreads of life
You're as helpful as a trustworthy friend, God
Why must my mind submit to the shadows of every day life?
I should be...walking that road of recovery
Do you mind if I walk that road....alone?
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