Did you lead me on?
I had dreams you might measure up.
Was it really just illusion?
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
_Scene: Kitchen, hunger and blame_
Wood creaked under his weight.
Lid lifted.
Nothing.
Disappointed as if unexpected.
"Your days are numbered," he snarled like a gorilla,
And threw metal to the floor.
The sound ate the small room,
While he had nothing for his own belly.
"Should I inform you when I've eaten?"
"Yes," she said.
He called her lazy.
She called it truth.
Silence settled like sleet.
Two people - one sober, one drunk.
Two people - one pot, zero food.
I’m very disappointed
The remaining 3 won’t quit,
Since “60 Minutes” took a real
Below-the-belt type hit.
The correspondents who are left
Gave reasons I found lame,
Because we know that long-loved show
Will never be the same.
Presenting a united front
Would make the message clear,
But who am I to give advice
On somebody’s career?
I’m sure they talked amongst themselves*
Though I could only sputtuh
When I heard what they’d decided,
Which was very unlike buttuh.
*Couldn’t resist the Linda Richman reference
(Google her on old Saturday Night Lives)
I don't feel angry much.
Betrayal stings, I end up feeling disappointed.
Disappointed in them and myself.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: 1st place 2026
Chicago’s skyline would never disappoint
non-hysterical people in their right mind
but I am useless, so I stare out into her point
feeling like a crushed bug, the last of my kind
my feelings are my own, I keep them well hidden
others on this metro train are phone-staring
sharing emotions with strangers is Chicago-forbidden
my small- town parts are way beyond actually caring
I stare into the night, wondering where this train is taking me
my disappointment is acute, well-known to me once again
If this was not just a Great Lakes, I’d drowned myself in this sea
on this metro train of strangers, I let my sadness begin
Why must I be disappointed?
Experience?
Just reals
For life?
Save yours
Do they enjoy your suffering?
Yes
Must be disappointed?
To live life over them
I always kept my dreams buried deep within,
Making sure hope was meticulously protected by skin
But you chiseled your way in
and showed me what could have been
So now all i'm left with, is having to take it on the chin
I was okay, you know?
With my incandescent glow.
Before you convinced me that no,
That is not so!
And now that feels like a lifetime ago
You left me feeling disjointed
Maybe a little exploited
O how I wish I could have avoided
Feeling this disappointed
He was a born teacher
From birth destined to be
You'd know by his phene.
In capitalist-run schools
He's taught for many years
Earning pennies for labour.
Three years a beneficiary
On stipend of N-power teach
The Program axed by corruption.
Then long a community teacher
He's rendering public service
For little pay out of community levy.
He's adept; he got more papers
Hoping for full employment
With satisfaction in the job.
He got a conversion to EdoStar
State-run, two-year probationer
On the barest wage.
On his appointment
In the civil service, he got
The news of his careerlong pursuit.
The government is youth-centric
On account of his age, maybe his status
Or affiliation, he's disqualified.
Meanwhile politikers in the council
Of politricks make millions
By the seconds chattering all day.
In this life of mine/
I always end up alone/
No matter what I do/
The outcome is the same/
Each day I strive to belong/
To fill the hole within me/
The feeling of something/
Other than alone/
Fast friends come and go/
Building a quick connection/
That was snatched away/
A whisper in my ear/
That this May be the day/
That I won't wake up alone/
False grand illusions/
Of what might have been/
Building memories/
Yet to come/
No foresight of what/
The future may hold/
As far as I can tell/
I am still alone/
How is this big world/
So full of people/
When I am all alone/
wilting in the setting sun
dissolving deflating
undernourished underfed
neglected rejected
unknown
a mystery
if any degree of pampering
can bring me back to life
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Funny how they're all disappointed
When you willingly written a novel so predictable
But still upset when you yourself are unpredictable,
We all treat the ones we love like they're so fictional.
A VISIT TO THE MORTUARY
Makinde Adebayo Adeniyi
Sleeping on the slab
Surrounded by kith and kin
In a conference of blab
No thought of sin
All opinions in the bin
Naked like a newborn
Helpless like a lost chick
No thought about the morrow
Dreams and aspirations long forgotten
Intoxicated by silence
None to see her fears
The future wrapped in loneliness
Like a disappointed uterus
Here ends the journey.
Happiness is left to be defined by your ownself
As you know yourself better than anyone else
As you're special and unique
Moreover one man's meat may be another man's poison
But don't ask for too much
So that you won't always be disappointed
As the world is to be shared by all
It needs effort and patience to attain happiness
If you're disappointed at this moment
At least someone else isn't disappointed
And so wait for your turn
It seems to be your own business
To work for any happiness
Except any blessings from God
It seems to be your own business
To value any happiness even it's small
As no one can help you to be happy
If you aren't ever ready and be prepared to be happy
Even how small is the happiness gifted to you
Tastes the same
this hole-less
"Happy Belly"
package of ten
But how can it
be called "Swiss"?!
Never buying this
un-holy cheese again!
the more you talk
the more i think of
what you're avoiding to discuss
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
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