Lulled to slumber by humid summer breeze
She dozed to sleep dreaming of chilly ease
Plunging into swimming pool
Oh, so delightfully cool
Rising up, she woke herself with loud sneeze.
July 3, 2025
3rd place, "Summer Funny Limerick" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Tania Kitchin; judged on 7/13/2025
As if startled awake
from fitfull sleep
Of dreams both cartoonish
Yet with meaning deep
My life having passed
as this very repose
A young woman
Now grand dame all as I dozed
For I must have been asleep
At the wheel
Alternately engaging
disengaging at will
One eightying along I sped through my life seventh decade now coming to pass
How will I cram in
All this life left to live before I run out of gas
Hey you young motorist
Yes I'm talking to you
I once thought of myself
As Immortal too
One day you'll arrive here as
Sure as night follows day
So listen to the words
I am moved to say
Make it count slay regret at its birth
Live fully and thoughtfully for all that your worth
To arrive at destination (well done)
I lay with languor praying for an answer I’d been seeking.
Azure glitter-drops splashed upon
the clean white sand nearby my feet.
I drifted into sleep then as wisps of clouds
in a sky mirroring the cerulean sea beneath it
wafted slowly like my slackening pensive thoughts.
I’d dozed and was awakened by gulls’ shrill long calls.
Instantly, I was jolted by twilight, and I
saw crimson and persimmon devouring sky.
Slathered-on apricot and rubescent streaks
formed the backdrop to the seagulls’ piercing shrieks.
Some saffron deliciousness was also in my view
when just as suddenly came the answer to
the question I’d been pondering before my nap.
It came as if the sunset had the sound of a snap!
Gamboge, tangerine and raspberry sorbet
drizzled into sea at the end of that day.
Mesmerized and well-pleased, I lingered there.
Dusk turned into night with the hush of a prayer.
A young lady, quite fancy-free,
Was seeking romance by the sea.
She hoped some young man
Might have the same plan.
Que Sera, what will be will be.
The third day a man caught her eye
And she smiled as he passed her by.
At breakfast they talked
And later they walked.
He seemed to be her sort of guy.
After lunch she dozed on the sand
And woke to a wandering hand.
The scene that ensued
Was really quite rude.
So the last line had to be banned.
That guy with a head like an orange melon
is once and for all a convicted felon.
The verdict, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
was guilty on not one but thirty-four counts.
Judging from that chump's expression,
he might go into a deep depression.
We certainly won't hear any confession.
He'll claim that he's a victim of oppression.
For him, it's all about deniability.
Never has he taken responsibility.
His lawyers, we know, were clearly outsmarted,
while he just sat and dozed and farted.
And as America and the world clearly saw,
in a democracy NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
Over eight hundred Palestinian women and children held hostage by Israel
no charges, no crimes, an IOF soldier confessed, intimidation the goal
IOF using children as human shields
on Oct 7th IOF helicopters shot their own, as documented by Haaretz
at the exact same time, Palestinians were having their homes bull dozed
their land stolen
seventy fives years of de humanization
National geographic has a map of 1947
please have a look
then go read
Jimmy Carters books
the IOF snipers shot a woman and child in a church
think about that
life has no value, they care not who they kill
aid workers and reporters
fodder for their guns
Hannibal's directive you can not make this up
the Israeli Supreme court has spoken many times
a people who welcomed the European as refugees
soon to regret their kindness
Israel formed by terrorists, so lets condemn this terror
the true Semites of the land, Jews and rabbis
stand by their Palestinian brothers and sisters
holocaust families handing tissues, they saw it once before
now thousands of children slaughtered
you are witnessing evil first hand
seventy five years or horror and crimes
While strolling in the woods one hot day, she
felt tired, but then she saw a willow tree.
She lay down underneath it in its shade
while listening to whispers its leaves made.
She dozed off dreaming that the tree caressed
her body with its limbs, and she felt blessed.
Was it a dream? She knew the willow’s soul,
and being one with it became her goal.
She woke to find her arms were branches, and
her legs were dark like bark. Ah, she felt grand!
She’d melded with the tree, and yet she still
could move about. She had not lost her will.
As if by instinct, she could comprehend
that she was linked now to her newfound friend.
Though joined to the tree, still she had control
to leave her friend. She had a brand new role.
She was the wood’s protector, yet she could roam
a beautiful, free nymph in her woodland home.
But in the night, she’d cling to her tree’s bark,
dissolving into willow in the dark.
Those overly particular judges
Give me a halt when I see their contests
Asking to write what I feel
In hard form plus a kyrielle
I better go and take my long bed rests.
At first, I did once, spending my whole night
Started from the topic I needed to write
Half of pantoum, I dozed off
Felt like floated with the roof
My poem was posted after a week, fight!
All entries were judged after some few months
My poem moved to next page, new poems in front
Mine wasn’t found on the list
After passing judges’ wrist
Whose strictness lied on perfect rhymes and fonts.
Those overly particular judges
Give me a halt when I see their contests
Asking to write what I feel
In hard form plus a kyrielle
I better go and take my long bed rests.
Sitting beside the pond
Enjoying the peace and quiet,
Listening to the sound of trees
Swaying gently in the warm wind,
And the trickle of water tickling the lily pads,
As it fell from above.
The shade from the trees was welcome
And sheltered me from the scorching sun.
I closed my eyes and nodded off once or twice
As I rested my weary legs,
Happily tired by hiking in the heat of the day.
The croak of a frog roused me from my slumber,
I looked around but it wasn’t to be seen,
And I dozed again relishing the serenity.
A moment or two later I woke with a start
As the frog rasped loudly.
Just a metre or two away, I could see the frog
Sitting on a lily pad, looking directly at me.
I stared at him as he gazed at me.
He rasped once more, still gazing at me, so I thought.
He was telling all the lady frogs just where he was.
He thought that at the bark of his calling
All the ladies would come leaping.
But not a single one came near.
He was left alone
To contemplate his solitude,
While I was enjoying mine.
A virtual image is formed in the mirror
It's another you
One morning after long hours of sleep
You saw the bright sunlight
Which suddenly caused a daze
One evening you're forced to tell a fictitious story
To attract people's attention
One night you dozed off
And suddenly lapsed into dreaminess
Everywhere of the world is more or less the same
But we don't understand
Why come suddenly
All these natural disasters, mishaps and conspiracies
Where's the main control
Maybe there's one
Just inside a man's heart and soul
There was a gallant Santa, a Viking
Reindeer driving his sleigh started limping
They got stuck in stack of snow
How his horns broke he didn’t know
He dozed off after a bout of drinking.
_______________
December 18, 2022
Syllable count : 10/10/7/7/10 (HMS)
Contest : A Funny Santa Limerick
Sponsored by : Tania Kitchin
Tale of desire and captivation
That turned to doze of deep devotion
She was a spark - my fervent passion
For when she’s near, I felt a friction
It was a day I miss, so true
I was sixteen, she was thirty two
Her gaze was like a kiss of snow
But her charm made my heart glow
I was so young, she was old
But my fondness for her was gold
Even though she was so frigid
My love for her was keen and rigid
Like a love in lightning motion
Sparked by drowse of rousing potion
A forbidden flame, hidden from sight
Sparked the glow of love, unright
Her eyes were like the light of dawn
Her frown made my craving spawn
Like a delight riddled with kiss
Her glance for me was rain of bliss
Her voice was like a rhapsody
That rang like heaven’s melody
She was a nature’s harmony
She’s both a song and symphony
Her beauty was a poetry
That dozed me to serenity
The flames of her sweet memory
Spark me till eternity
October 10, 2022
Captivation Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Julia Ward
My eyes are green, but dimmer than they used to be.
I'm Caucasian, but my skin's stained dirty.
I used to be only four foot three
with ten extra pounds, but now I'm too skinny.
Have you seen me?
With shaky knees, a camera records me
at a far-from-home gas station lobby
as a stranger holds my hand so I can't flee.
I pray to God that someone will save me!
Have YOU seen me!?
What I've had to experience no eyes should see.
Blood-curdling screams were my helpless plea,
as utterances received more cruelty.
I used to be unsuppressed and free.
Have you seen me??
I'd plot my breakaway to no avail daily,
but one day he dozed off while watching TV.
Intoxicated, he unguarded the key.
Scantily clat and hungry, I fled frantically.
HAVE you seen me?
I ran like that dream when my legs are like jelly,
lacking muscle tone and stability,
but I wasn't far from the public library...
Now I'm re-united with my family.
Have you SEEN me?
It's difficult to live with my reality.
I visit a therapist regularly.
Friends took a while to recognize me...
...now five foot four, once four foot three.
Have you seen ME?
8-7-2022
I Drove my Bugatti,
to my Buddy's "G's party.
I didn't know many there,
at my Buddy "G's party.
Poet's day Trader's,
The Movers and Shakers.
Some Star Movie Makers,
The Cruisers and fakers,
Dancer's and Sailor's.
Rock Music Player's,
With "G's" Party favors.
Classic Hip and Arty
One Crazy Party.
I dozed off in My Bugatti.
I drove My Roll's Canardly,
To "Ole" Fuzy's party,
I knew everybody,
at "Ole Fuzy's" party.
Boones Farm in glass,
And some smoking Grass.
Foaming Miller's Frothy.
With Pocket Rocket Poly.
Led Zeppelin to Hollie's,
A classic Hippy Party.
So, Party Hardy.
And follow Your Dreams
to Your New Bugatti.
Yeah.
A Rolls Canardly.
is a Vehicle that Rolls Down
One Hill, and Can Hardly
Roll up the Next.
A Muse bewitched one gloomy night
Dozed off to sleep ‘midst a write
A letter to her dearest friend
Perhaps, she penned, I near my end
Ensconced in dreams, the Muse cried out
But no one there could hear her shout
Muffled by three layers of down
From quaking fear, about to drown
When of a sudden a light went on
A beacon from a nearby town
Her wits restored, the Muse sighed deep
Dashed off a tale of fretful sleep
Forgot about her dearest friend
For thus is how night terrors end
~ Iambic Tetrameter (mostly) ~
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