Ever have real dogged days?
Sometimes I'm happy to wake up grumpy.
I decide to stay grumpy.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
Calibrated with fortified spirit to pursue, fight
Amidst brewing storm in a subtle hour of darkest night
Pulling all strengths to move unceasingly forward
Talon’s fearless claws abrading trials, holding faith hard.
Ascent with prayers to view the gleaming light of dawn
Illuminated heart of hope wakes a dogged determination
Noble act of heroism flails with great leadership to lean on.
Ardent impulse to journey more tough roads to success
Maximizing power to carry heavy loads, fighting distress
Earnest desire to fly crossing mountains and vast seas
Remote on retreats to fulfill self to others’ dream or wish.
Imperishable impetus to venture with insignia of goodness
Coat of resilience for pains with wisdom to grow from weakness
A fortitude to persistency for achievements and happiness.
There, somewhere yonder, I have to go
It looks like a long and arduous journey,
A fear brewing in the pit of my stomach
Yet with sore feet, a bruised spirit
and dogged by a dubious dilemma,
Go, I must—Where to? I do not know!
The road is straight and clear ahead
The destination is nearly in sight—
Then why, why do my feet falter?
I see no one around
It’s quiet and lonesome
The sun is directly overhead
beating down with vengeance
There are no trees to afford restful shades…
Should I make a dash for it
Or, stroll leisurely toward my destiny?
I will see the finest of my times
In moments I'm tangled in the turmoil of my
Own vines
Wrapped up in life's thrills and throws
Dogged and vexed by taunts and woes
I see myself in victory and heights
But failed cause I believe in my own might
I will climb down onto roads of time
Bothered and stalled by forks and wineds
But the path i take will vary and sway
Till I see his sickle at the dusk of my day
Chelsea FC by Adejola Joseph
Chelsea FC
The indomitable lion in the forest
Brave, bold, calm and courageous
We strike like a lion
And hibernate like a chameleon
Resilient and dogged
Unbroken and undefeated
Chelsea is a champion of champions
A king among kings
Chelsea
Blue is the colour
Grace is the logo
And resilient is the spirit
Chelsea.
There was a young Lady who followed a Prince,
then became a Princess when she kissed a frog,
I don't know why — perhaps she's Di.
This same young Lady married the dog,
not a hog to marry a dog,
she married the frog to catch a King,
I don't know why — perhaps she'll die.
There was a young frog who dogged Camilla,
an older commoner, the silly feller,
he followed her instead of Diana (1961 – 1997),
I don't know why — perhaps he's high.
The same young Lady who married the dog,
rode a horse...
She's dead, of course!
The morning of January never run like that,
The surprise shown is again by the God.
The winter day is spraying with rain white,
Like the girls dressed in niqab.
People is carrying to his house,
In a rush, in a job, without notice.
They not spend money for a books,
They throw the money for fireworks.
Otherwise, who to gather fireworks,
May be you happy when fire fly to the sky.
Too much green Christmas trees, fireworks,
People throw it to garbage after one day.
I don't know is it dogged livelihood this,
The village of spiritual revival is far away.
It seems to me in the deep crisis,
Society, government, the people may.
(“The Cave of Unknowing”, 2012, original oil)
As The World Burns
As the world turns
The morning soap operas play out
In print and film, song and dance
Showing on every screen
A world ablaze with fear
Disease, famine, war and rumors of war
Programming the programmable
While I sit in my room a cocoon
Surrounded by dogs
All sprawled out on chair and sofa and floor
Asleep at ease and peace
Filling the house
With their own therapeutic vibe
Beyond worry at least as long as they dream
While I watch and wait
Soothed by their dogged oblivion
As the world outside turns and burns
And I grow just a little more uncomfortable
Filling a delightful cocoon that I know
Must eventually open
Into a great unknown.
(12/11/24)
As long as I see the sky, I know gemmed sparkle ~ follows dogged blues.
One of those castoff items that we shove
Promptly deemed ‘junk’ upon a second glance.
I hid you on the highest shelves above
With a slim ‘someday’ of a second chance.
In solitude you stoically withstood
The cruel confinement you were sentenced to.
With dogged demeanour of solid wood
You kept your composure as if you knew.
Oft butting heads over your checked acts,
My late dad and his dad battled so well.
Though I delved not in your strategic tracts,
My grandsons set you free from jail cell spell.
That chessboard - centrepiece I now hold dear,
Your pieces shine, each one is carved with love.
When boys butt heads I smile in silent cheer,
Imagine dads are smiling from above.
Artifacts may lose temporary trend,
Then triumph tenfold in the timely end.
That barren blank pristine surface
and then…..
The scratch of the pen
The grind of the pencil
That first mark as it strikes the surface and breaks the plane
The drip of the ink
The cathartic strokes of the pen
Eager to do it all over again
The sound of the words
Their acuity
Their accuracy
Their sensuality
Their spontaneity
Their perplexity
Their melody
Their harmony
Those that instill fear and forever warn me
Pleading
Begging
Cajoling
Charming
Those books on the shelf
Dogged ears
Crumpled page
That smudge
That rub
I know where I was
I remember that time
Like an old song
whose magic is strong
Just words ….
On a page
Truthfully, the question knocked me off my feet
Like I was zapped by the stun gun,
The question is so insipid, so jejune, so naive
so unsavory that I caught myself dumfounded.
How can you ‘become’ a poet?
Can you even become one if you wanted to?
It’s not like you go to the school
to become a chef or a mechanic.
It’s more of a calling,
a dogged pursuit of the muses
You have to have ache in your heart
Passion in your soul, flair in your spirit
and streaks of craziness.
You have to feel the pain of the others
You have to cry their tears
You have to enjoy their joy
You have to celebrate their victory
and mourn their loss;
Neither can you become a poet
Nor can anyone make one out of you…
Either you have it in you or you don’t.
( “If a man comes to the door of poetry untouched by
the madness of the Muses, believing that technique alone will make
him a good poet, he and his sane compositions never reach perfection,
but are utterly eclipsed by the performances of the inspired madman.” ~Socrates)
The lovechild of a god and a poet
Your eyes in that photo
They spoke of kindness and innocence
The heart on your neck, I took as a sign
Only the heart became a diamond, pointed
Your eyes grew fierce, begging for a challenge
What do you need —
Patience?
My surest weakness
This you ask from me again and again
Stillness?
A most unnatural way
For a dogged scientist
If I could learn your tongue
Hear your thoughts, hold your feelings
Speak my devotion to you the way I know how
I yearn for our souls to meet
Wouldn’t then everything be alright?
Red hair and dark eyes
The way you rest your head on me
I do love you so
Yet your teeth are sharp and draw blood
I pray to discover the lessons you teach
We're known to
Waste time coveting
Things we can't have.
We mortgage our castles in the air
Pursue illusions, rainbows...
That yield no pot of gold,
As opposed to waiting
For these elusive butterflies
To organically alight on our palm.
In our dogged pursuit,
We recklessly trample upon
Our flower beds, leaving
Bloomed flowers in ruins.
You let be those butterflies
You can't trap...
Inside your clenched fist.
Exercise patience, they'll come
On their own time, if not,
They're not meant to be yours.
Instead, pause and watch them
Float with abandon
Over your manicured garden.
Visually trace them
From flower to flower;
Admire their beauty...
Until they quietly flit
A w a y;
They're visitors
Not meant to be
Caught
"All of us are on a journey and the answers are unspoken" ~ Constance La France
There, somewhere yonder,
I have to go,
It looks like a long
arduous journey to nowhere;
Yet, I got to get on the road
and walk
dogged by a dubious dilemma,
A fear brewing in the pit of my stomach…
Where to?
I just do not know!
~05/18/23
~Contest: Writing Challenge "A" Quotes
~Sponsor: Constance La France
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