Poem Form: the Vesper Step
"The dust is dancing slow,"
"I caught a heavy sigh,"
"We have nowhere else to go,"
"And learned the way to fly."
"Your velvet coat is heavy, dark, and deep,"
"I promise I will watch you while you sleep."
"I love the way you steal the breath away,"
"I love the way you beg for me to stay."
"But why are you erasing every sound?"
"To keep the secret that we keep."
"I'm buried under ground."
"Go back to sleep."
Oh.
brief
precise
&
concise
shaped
in meaning
absolute
endeavour
complex
so
eagerly
astonished
freely
expressed
initiations
of
excellence
prevail
both
immediate
&
ultimate
then
vanquished
in
a
sense
of the
emergent
in
terse
conversation
being easygoing has its advantages
but a framing of how life is processed
helps establish rules of conduct
when relationships are in the making
clarify expectations
say what you mean
and mean what you say.
clarity of ideas
well expressed thoughts
precision of words
understanding what works
and what doesn’t ~
life not a crap shoot
improve the odds
take charge
be in the driver’s seat
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
they say actions speak louder than innuendos
so true and when you speak in riddles
know that your subtleties are lost on me
i'm left not knowing how to feel
so if my responses seem anything but direct
i admit that it is absolutely so
i'm often in a quandry and have no words to say
AP: 3rd place 2025
she whispers to the bluebird
early every afternoon
whispers in its ear and
it listens as if it understands
she dreams of peace
and they talk for hours
probably devising machinations
to make this world a better place
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
“Compromise is only a weakness between two who are unwilling to work together”.
In the tapestry of love, two souls entwined,
Marriages, a journey to perfect, beautifully designed.
Imperfect hearts melding in a dance,
A union of flaws, a second chance.
Discussion, the compass in the maze of the mind,
Seeking the truth, the answers to find.
Not to overpower, nor to lay blame,
But to illuminate the path, the passion's flame.
Arguments, not battles, but lessons to learn,
Discovering truths, for wisdom to earn.
In the clash of opinions, let insight arise,
A bridge to understanding, where empathy lies.
Yet, in compromise, a shadow may fall,
When unwilling hearts build a dividing wall.
A weakness not inherent, but a choice to sever,
The ties that bind, a bond to endeavor.
The youthful Thinker asked...
"What is Life?
How can I find the answer?"
And the wise Philosopher said...
"Life is a tapestry to weave
you are but a single thread."
The enlightened Student queried...
"I must contemplate
where I am in the weave?"
As the inspiring Teacher imparted...
"You are the exquisite monad
unique in all of existence."
The perplexed Scholar insisted...
"How can I find myself
not knowing who I am?"
While the gifted Guardian affirmed...
"Listen to your songs and dreams
and you will foresee your meaning."
The lyrical Listener deemed...
"How can it be
that I am?"
And the consummate Master confirmed...
"Because you are
all that is."
At last the tested Disciple marveled in his journey...
"Where do I go
with this knowledge?"
The Holy Man rekindled...
"You are already here!"
Submitted on November 23, 2022
Dialogue Proficiency Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Matt Calari
What worth are you?
You deny all knightly sports.
You do not defend our walls.
I heal with no gold.
I free doves from steel cages.
I wait for heaven’s kingdom.
Spare me from those self-righteous snobs
Who think they have all the answers to life,
Leaving no room for alternative explanation
Or different interpretations, creating strife.
They are so full of pride and continually preen
Looking down on everyone condescendingly,
While believing they alone possess the truth
They treat all who disagree disrespectfully.
They are akin to those folks who "know it all,”
Who are unwilling to consider any other way
And, who will argue their point vehemently,
Sometimes mouthing off just to create a fray.
I have found it’s best to avoid them, if possible
Certainly not to engage them in foolish debate,
For wasting one’s time in frivolous discussion
Will never help their appetite for argument sate.
written January 28, 2022
Politics is a mutual confrontation
To gain status, power and influence
Is not that simple
Sometimes out of logics
No sympathy
Only politicking
No discussion
Only debate
No laws
Only conspiracy
No truth
Only absurd and fantastic ideas
No promises
Only proposals
With comical speech
A brilliant orator
With bribery
Some dirty tricks
All are to win
And he who wins
Is always to be admired
Three drunken gentlemen in a neighborhood bar
Discussing the wise men who travelled afar:
Said one, that he found it “unlikely, at best”
They made that journey with very little rest,
Another said the star appeared in the east
But the Magi, in their haste, were travelling west.
The last gentleman, he was chuckling with glee
Said “It makes absolutely no difference to me!”
written October 11, 2021
Circle up chums
My five-minute friends
Let serene quips
Raucous banter
And sudsy bellows
Ooze from every plank
Stable and knotted enough
To absorb the welts below
Testimony joins the fun
Sworn in by tongues
Worth of beggar truth
Slapped with blackened humor
Salted to retard the melt
In favor of icy declaration
Some conjure regimes
From ancient repression
Or schooled outside the core
To relinquish victory
Unattainable and undeterred
For degradation spawned
From amusement's render
Because nocturnal chatter
Logs off the clock
To join the mythic lore.
(3/12/08)
I have yet to win a verbal spar
Or change a hard-headed opinion
A waste of energy to try, I think,
They are someone's solid minion.
written September 6, 2021
Brick Walls
One may present some facts,
completely indisputable.
These are soon dismissed,
as being quite inscrutable.
Presenting flawless logic,
with greatest perspicuity
is immediately rejected
because of ambiguity
One may cite, eternal,
laws and codes and precedents.
"That's as well as may be,
but still it shows no evidence."
There'll be no revelations.
No change of hearts appear.
Debating is a waste of time,
To those who will not hear.
White Discussion
Man down they said
but it's ok we don't know the whole story,
let's check out his previous history,
I say you can't justify another casualty.
Man down they said
but it's ok his previous convictions
mean he didn't have a say.
I say criminality don't lessen your humanity.
Man down they said
but it's ok 'cos he had a bad cheque
the whole world watched screaming
get off his spine,
get off his neck.
Can you tone down your voice,
can you quieten your pain
we don't want it spilling,
out of your neighbourhood again
can you please not mention like white fragility,
'cos you know we don't see colour and we're all about equality.
If you keep inside your homes
we'll have some more discussions,
where we'll look into the matter,
before we white wash the blood splatter,
we promise they'll be change
but first let's reassign the blame.
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.