I sit in a meditative mood under a canopy
the sun tries in vain above to pierce through.
A playful light breeze cajoles the senses
while life delightfully carries on about.
Summer lingers and we strive to enjoy
every graceful afternoon as it stretches
longingly and mercifully into that magic hour
where the sun sets to retire in its flamboyant glory.
AP: 3rd place 2026
It didn't begin, abruptly
Like a thwack in silence
It began as determination
To rid myself of all violence
Yes, I hated those sounds
Of tether smacking skin
The deep layers of hurt
That resides within
Satan was never my enemy
All evil is shelled up in fear
Once the egg is cracked
The yolk is orange smear
I'm no baker, I'm a cook
One who dumps and stirs
Taking the storm of the moment
Making a dish out of whatever occurs
I find myself in quite a pickle
My peace has taken over my kitchen
The dwindling down to non matter
Has left me nothing worth fixin'
...so, I begin again
Written by Trudy Schrader on 05-11-2026
Those who are tough lived long enough
(from puerile juvenile to senile immobile)
to become on the world's bum a boil
in the very end my good friend old chum
will finally shuffle off their mortal coil
go to the dogs then pop their clogs
come to some harm and buy the farm
get a leg out check out peg out
or as bad luck would have it kick the bucket
when they give up the ghost and they're toast
if they were an eskimo
we'd sit them out on the ice and snow
but we're humane we do maintain
ne'er more to roam we condemn them
for life to an old folks' home
where the infirm may wither and dither
hanging around dwindling down
until the day they f-fade away
The rural church closed....
cemetery still receives the dead
Time tracking quickly, dwindling days
now gently golden- but yielding yearnings.
Fast fleeting years slide swiftly
leasing lesser time for loving life.
God grant me hopeful hows
to still share life's remnant roses
in blissfully blessed pending peace.
April 30, 2023
Contest: Alliterisen Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Joseph May
Syllables per line: 8, 10, 7, 9, 6, 8, 8
RZ HMS
Hyacinths in a trance, bewitched by hysteria,
Amid the shadows of a mythological eclipse.
Elixir of roseate red oozing out loose progeria,
In islands where the sea weeps azure breaks.
Amid the shadows of a mythological eclipse,
Daunting me subtly with its crimson smell.
In islands where the sea weeps azure breaks,
From golden dust to smooth bristly as well.
Daunting me subtly with its crimson smell,
The fading breaths of sinister falsehood.
From golden dust to smooth bristly as well,
On black graveyards to azure seas, we stood.
The fading breaths of sinister falsehood,
In the sunken bronze halls of antique disease.
On black graveyards to azure seas, we stood,
Teals are being tormented by nightly noise.
In the sunken bronze halls of antique disease,
Elixir of roseate red oozing out loose progeria.
Teals are being tormented by nightly noise,
Hyacinths in a trance, bewitched by hysteria.
Written: May 22, 2022
Steeply, a mingling of the breaths occurring,
With ashes of raw pearls that were burned,
Preciseness is masked by contrasts of shading,
Pallid and toxic myths reap the rot observed.
With ashes of raw pearls that were burned,
After the ecstasy spell, the disillusion dwindling,
Pallid and toxic myths reap the rot observed,
Is it true that we are completely cognizing?
After an ecstasy spell, the disillusion dwindling,
Nirvana signs the deal for the crux forum,
Is it true that we are completely cognizing?
Being a slice of the universe's delve is awesome.
Nirvana signs the deal for the crux forum,
Preciseness is masked by contrasts of shading,
Being a slice of the universe's delve is awesome,
Steeply, a mingling of the breaths occurring.
Written: May 15, 2022
I was hovering across a brook that echoed slump.
I was inspiring a hoary praxis out of camp.
The river, with its vibrant species, reflects my pain.
It flows but never dwindles, unseen to our brain.
Somebody is endlessly esteeming in glances to you.
Living in this shining world is lenient with such subdue.
You utterly reach a staggering ability that we bear.
Grasp, you merely racked a seemly time spare.
This onslaught of life rebukes is not for your tastiness.
It is the most momentous implement in the universe.
His opulence is being bequeathed to you powerfully.
There is something you recognize bearing out swiftly.
When may I reckon to heed the ring doves whistling?
Rivers have burrowed their way into my soul pursuing.
Written; December 23, 2021
A group of odd birds took off from me as of late.
Hovering over my sleek head, gazing persistently.
I was feeling depressed and desolate.
Same as a purple bit afar away on a swingletree.
I swore angrily they wouldn't turn dark.
Farmers no longer dread local herds.
From then on, I returned to lark.
I'm excited to watch the vile birds.
Soaring and tweeting over the azure sky.
Simultaneously, I hung tight for his reply.
The birds were mysteriously gone absent.
I notified them, which made me upset.
In no instance to return, I swore I would.
I've never depended on an endless word.
Impressed by its color I went to chase it,
Taking small steps towards the direction it flew.
Those white stripes on its wings seem to reflect the sun rays,
The yellow border on its body was the color of sun itself.
Wandering after some time, it sat on a blossom,
Without being noticed, I caught its wings between my fingers.
The color I admired most, now slowly started to wane,
In no time, a part of its color was on my finger, and it flew away.
Blaming myself for that act, I asked my dad why it happened?
Lifting me in his arms he said, "This is all the work of nature.
When we try to know someone and get close to them,
They are bound to show their true hue."
I held the hands that were lifting me, there was no color dwindling from him,
Maybe I was too naive to notice, he was his true self in front of me.
As I combed your hair so fair,
It glistened strawberry red,
We embraced nature’s bounty
Through the stories that I read
Content, tranquil, restful
As you laid upon your bed
Crisp sheets, below your chest,
I tracked your every breath
Palm cross beneath your pillow,
Same place it's always kept
Your elegant, fine eyelashes
Curtsied graceful as you slept,
I took a million photographs
Through the lenses of my eyes
As legend Frank, sang us out —
Reminisced memories, joy and lies
As I combed your hair so fair,
It glistened strawberry red,
Stitched my heart back together
With your loving, golden threads
Apple cheeked autumn eyes bashful skies, as
Yellow frocked summer says her goodbyes to fragrant
Earth's seeded spring, to wild bouquets
Arranged by careless care, for the
Roses and daffodils to compare
Dandelion sprinkles of buoyant cheer on
Windswept wishes from children's magic, landing
In water lilies and long looping lanes, woven in
Nests of chirping, fragile hope
Delicate shadows of feather and wing
Lingering through flickering whiplash steam where
Ice caves lost to reckless flame
Northern flocks under southern stars to map
Greener seasons slipped through graying rain
Drowsy flutters the pale sun's
Oscillating gusts of sleeted night as
Wan, wanting branches undone by
November's surrender to darkling winter.
10/09/20
Assured by the Almighty’s grace abounding…
Yearning for contentment is settled today and yon
Exuding hope, expressing bright future’s expectation
Affirming moving-on pursuits toward aspiration-ascent
Reminding good days ahead with revival replenishment.
Despite threatening dearth causing despair
Whispering angst, obscuring wishes with worries
Indefatigable spirit overcomes inconveniences
Never surrendering; advancing nonetheless
Depending on God, the sovereign Defender
Learning life lessons while liberated by His love
Illumined to move on with divine inspiration
Nourished with grace and compassion’s nurture
Growing stronger, geared by faith, glowing.
Drawing nigh* to the Lord Who to me reaches down
Offering blessings’ opportunities for service opulence
Welcoming my heart for revival against weariness
Now, I bid adieu to months dwindling down, toward year’s newness.
*James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…
October 9, 2020
1st place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol 23 - Seasonal Acrostic" Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 10/12/2020.
A
Year set stained by grief from invisible foe,
Enraged in anxiety’s malicious chains.
Accosting not only a nation but world,
Reaching the farthest, secluded parts,
Devilishly leaving no stone unturned.
Withholding grandpa from grandson,
Idly stripping people’s livelihoods,
Needlessly voiding human liberties,
Disabling dictators from their seats.
Looking now,
I see chains now fastened to skin,
New normals of ill compensation.
Grief that forms the setting of each day,
Daily death tolls alike to weather.
Only when
We are free of this eerie foe, shall
Normal be fit again to reside.
Contest: Pick-A-Title, Vol 23 - Seasonal Acrostic - Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Edward Ibeh
Date: 10/07/2020
A turn and tilt from earth to sun
Your hot desire for summer fun
Eases into autumn’s tempering mood
A mellow scene of colorful cool
Restful, contemplative soothe.
Dangling leaves restless to descend
With bright flare, a path to transcend
In metamorphosis from living to dying
Needing a break from ever striving
Decomposing after its release
Life’s dizzy cycle, thus to repeat
Idle summer gives way to fall
Now ancient pulse of season’s call
Gathers its own to its beckoning bosom.
Daze of heat wanes within the valleys
O’re the hillsides rich crops rally
Waking harvests to reap in peak prime
Nearing nirvana with abundance sublime.
Written on 9/27/2020
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