tiny stars
are pin pricks
in a gray-green
gloaming
and we see
a maiden with
sleek, dark, bobbed hair
sitting atop
a lake -
her billowed
long burgundy gown
f l o w i n g
like the swan
attached by a leash
to the girl’s
slender fingers
its loveliness
reflecting in
aqua water
the moon
is a long white sliver
slicing through
the young maid’s gown
like an unusually
large parenthesis mark
to the left
half-caressing her
in twilight’s
enchantment
Oh, bright moon
of grace -
glide along with her
as the white swan
slides besides her
guiding her
through this night
of tranquil
delight
One by one leaves drop, curl, and mix on the spot.
When left unattended, their bodies slowly rot.
Nature recycles them for purposes man forgot.
Ashes get poked and release wood smoke that furls,
twists and glides aloft to reside. Residual wisps curl,
stings eyes, produces tears and evokes emotions that whirl.
Crickets stridulate seeking mates then sneak inside to hibernate.
Night football games yield cheers, groans and rivalry debates.
Hot cider, sipped and swallowed helps the blood to circulate.
Hayrides get cozy while fingers and toes, turn numb.
Pumpkins get carved, cooked, smashed and become;
pies, cupcakes, cookies and bread, leaving trails of crumbs.
One morning early still and bright before the sun came into sight,
a clean white sheet of frost glazed the remains of night.
Folks start this day viewing an awesome autumn delight.
In autumn’s darkening eventide
The skyline brings lustre to one's eyes
When the sun has slipped away from sight
The sky is a picturesque delight.
Autumn moon shines in colourful displays
Of red, orange, silver or golden rays
In moonlight one's negative thoughts blow
Forgetting one's sorrows and their woe.
Trees grace the admirable Selene
In serene, silhouette they are seen
As stately they do stand in tableau
Against the radiant moonbeam show.
In ethereal nightly gloaming
Lovers everywhere come roaming
Enjoying moon’s celestial rapture
Sweet scented with late blooming Aster.
Hall of Shame, where I currently dwell
Played the game, but it was bound to fail
While the Devil just danced
I was Demon romanced
Head aflame, with Hellhounds on my trail
Blest throne of grace is my haven's delight...
there, God* meets me with divine blissful light
welcoming my heart against trials' plight
offering solace for triumphant flight.
Midst fellowship around haven of rest...
there, the Lord cheers me up with joyous zest
warming my spirit to vanquish woes' test
commending me for doing what is best.
Enclosed inside protected haven's brace...
there, I stay serene in safe prayer-place
while my faith soars above heavenly space
grateful to live well, conquering life's race.
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
September 9, 2026
Honorable Mention, "Haven" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Constance La France; judged on 10/1/2026
There's golden moonshine this autumn night
Though air is cool romances ignite
Lovers stroll in bewitched ambience
Wrapped together in love's dalliance.
The autumn moon changes night by night
Yellow, orange or red, gleaming bright
A glimmering globe hung in the sky
Delighting hearts of those passing by.
Autumn produce in colourful hue
Apples in shades of red or green too
Delicious pears so juicy and sweet
Are a delightful autumnal treat.
Days become shorter each passing day
A sign that winter is on its way
Evenings find us all snuggled up
In our cosies, hot drink in a cup.
[Verse 1]
The rumor spreader grew stronger in that mystic mundane
As they howled in that busted hour
Did they? Did you hear the talk of the town?
And uncertainty kept the frozen in the ice chamber
At the tip of the iceberg
[Verse 2]
Mundane, morbid, humble, down to earth
They led the prayer five times in the early May
Remained silent with the fallen leaves
And the golden hay
[Chorus]
I will be one hour belated for the sunken ship
A few hours more
For evermore
For the lakeshore windy
Along the nighttime journey
[Bridge]
To sing, to brim, to the hymn songs
Stayed for the most intricate, subtlest twilight
[Outro]
For the twilight hue fallen on the other end
Of the eternal morning delight
Eternal morning delight
Coffee
Morning delight
Perfect
Lay dreaming on the beach
Listening to the ocean roar
Ecstasy filled my soul with delight
My mind wandered ~
I filled the night's chalice with knots of desire
My heart raced ~ faster
Pulsating beats of rhythm
To the sound of the ocean
Splashing vigorously in my mind
Intense heat filled my body
Dripping with sheer ~ delight
My heart missing beats
I learned how to live unkissed, until ...
That night changed everything
I screamed ~ “Tie me to your Tongue “
Please, please ~ I’m begging now
Passed the stage of no return
Tonight is the night
Desire ~ becomes fire
It’s raining roses and love riots
Oh ! I feel your tongue caress me
I don’t want this to stop
I can take it ~ more~ more
The moon is an honest Manipulator
Brighter the moon shone, hotter I became
Is this a dream ~ or reality ?
I don’t wanna wake up
Feelings of desire, engulf me
Ocean calls me into you
If time turns, will scars stain the sky ?
AN EMOTIONAL DELIGHT
reasonanced
preception
overwhelming
the
implicit
rhetoric
as a
means
of address
observing
potent
responses
so
sublimely
beautiful
as
imagination fails
making
visible
phenomena
beyond
belief
A ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ring ¦¦¦ a starbright sphere,
With ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ delight and ¦¦¦¦ cunning ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ unsought,
¦¦¦¦ the heart ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ may smile if to pleasure his ear
A ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦ jewel of music is ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ aught--
Love, laughter, ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ to hang in the ear ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
As a bird's ¦¦¦¦¦ song ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ in us hear
Pause ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ again the same strain caught,
So moves ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ as a pearl or tear,
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ wrought.
(Blackout of The Roundel by Algernon Charles Swinburne)
I like my doughnuts raised and glazed
coffee black and sweet
my fish a salt and battered
but you're my favourite treat
Indian is hot and spicy
Chinese it gets old
Italian can be fat and greasy
salad leaves me cold
I like my dumplings round and plump
vegetables stir-fried
prefer my fruit firm and fresh
but you're the best I've tried
man cannot live on bread alone
or so I was taught
you're my soul food make me whole food
you're my food for thought
I like my chicken finger-licking good
martini stirred not shaken
my medicine with sugar
but you're the best I've taken
there's no confusion I've come to the conclusion
if nothing else you are delicious
and at the risk of sounding repetitious
I've decided you're decidedly delicious
dew trickles, rinsing dusty leaves
cleansing the dark despair who grieves
exchanging daydreams for nickels
rinsing dusty leaves, dew trickles
rushing thoughts, over mountain streams
for nickels, exchanging daydreams
oh, the tears, so tied up in knots
over mountain streams, rushing thoughts
blazing sunlight, erasing fears
so tied up in knots, oh, the tears
cherish the still of dawn so bright
erasing fears, blazing sunlight
gentling praise, love to which I’m drawn
so bright, cherish the still of dawn
weeping words beneath sun’s soft gaze
love to which I’m drawn, gentling praise
In the still of a summer night,
Softly playing, stars so bright
Seeking hearts, in moonlight
Joy stirs in those who delight
In the wonder of this sight
Glorious stillness feels so right
The world has distinctive experiences for a man
And his journey lies in it
To a child, Ice cream is a delight
But not only in taste
An encounter, Admiration, Curiosity and Change.
A real first look at life
The construct entices a person before its flavor
As a growing child, sweet and shining things speak to us
The process meant something to us, to me
The start was only a moment meant for the fun
But as time passed
Emotions we had as kids, unknown to the world problems
Became either you feel or you don't
Like your palate
You outgrow somethings that it becomes nostalgia you didn't know you had
An aching sensation that fills you as you choose
The life of an adult
From Ice cream to Sorbet
From sprinkles to Ice
You become someone you can't recognize
And the people around you have to suffer for it
As the workings of the world wasn't working for you
But you get use to it, and try to understand it more
And see a better reason why some choices left you pillow wet
Are now the reasons a walk seemed better
Than rotting with your feelings
A change necessary but takes a lot from our young selves
Some call it growing up
I call it
Changing my palate
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