I walked the shape of a square
Inside of a circle.
I brought shrimp to a lobster fest.
This morning I woke up
With someone else's nose.
My niece is stuck in an elevator
With no shoes or sox.
The leaves need to be raked.
No one can find the rake.
My brother loves to talk on the phone
But he has strep throat.
I can't pick up the roll of paper towels,
I'm holding this baby.
I'm driving home
And there's not even ginger ale.
I can see the words but can't read them.
I can hear the sounds but can't put meaning to them.
I can feel the feelings but not know how to process them.
My toaster of a heart can't tell when the toast is burnt.
A roaring beach campfire
Waiting for reflective faces
That never show up.
The body as the asylum.
Choices that further enchain us.
You, please, you entertain us.
You will entertain us.
I will entertain us.
***
3/30/23
Writing Challenge "Q" Words Contest
Sponsor: Me, I'm sponsoring myself
Categories:
enchain, life,
Form: Free verse
All the words these you don't say
All the words these I keep
Make me pay if I don't pay
Punish me make me weep.
There is nothing just sorrow
I can not seize the pain
And my heart's within horror
I don't want to enchain
I do not want to threaten
Among forests and fields
I am burning I'm eaten
With the fire, it builds
Frail mount of cinder
It is calling my grieves
There's no pity in winter,
But my memory lives.
Categories:
enchain, emotions, feelings, how i
Form: Lyric
Let not thy soul wander through the dark of night.
A wandering soul finds no rest from the mundane.
Go forth, instead, firmly fixed on Heaven’s light.
Clothe thyself in marvelous spiritual delight.
Steadfastly seek the Savior; let faith ascertain.
Let not thy soul wander through the dark of night.
When the world whirls its pains, God gives great insight.
Sink not into sorrows that can drive the mind insane.
Go forth, instead, firmly fixed on Heaven’s light.
Let delight overpower darkness and fright.
Trust in the Lord; from wicked choices abstain.
Let not thy soul wander through the dark of night.
It is not easy to always choose the right.
Let not the stains of sin and darkness enchain.
Go forth, instead, firmly fixed on Heaven’s light.
Forgive, all, even yourself; let hope reignite.
Eternal happiness is a good goal; obtain.
Let not thy spirit wander through the dark of night.
Go forth, instead, firmly fixed on Heaven’s light.
Copyright March 14, 2015
Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen
Written for Poetry Soup Member Contest: Repeat After Me
Sponsor: Rachael Firman
Also written to encourage myself and others...as needed.
Categories:
enchain, encouraging, life, religion,
Form: Villanelle
Not content with just penurious loaves
Wretched pauper for richer diet strove
Seeking treasure from a wealthier trove
Delicate crumbs from hearty stoves;
Pungent fruit from well-stocked groves
Poached sustenance frail body did gladly receive
Yet of better fare covetous mind did conceive
Then with guile from gullible hearts lucrative profits deceive
'Til stitched threads a fine, seamless tapestry did weave
O'er time malfeasance with cankering anger did twain
With licentious craft bartered for wanton gain
Still, embittered spirit did all the world ruefully disdain
Tethered to earthly mammon; eternal soul did enchain
Moral, be content with the goods you have
A shriveled piece of bread better than a poached calf
With tendered tissue your festering wants salve
Lest infectious greed spread to heart's valve
Categories:
enchain, christian,
Form: Rhyme
Faulty compass of drifting swain
Freelancing on arid, desert plain
Passion fires mind of careening train
Burning loins long each satin sheath to stain
Sculpted dunes seductive beauty do feign
Smooth, silky curves do the froward eye entertain
But the silted grains proffer momentary gain
Entrancing mirages with frothy water holes detain
Anon, overwhelming desires the burgeoning libido enchain
Strained limbs long the rite of passage to explain
Scrubby growth shrouds the perimeter of fragile domain
Pubescent psyche with confusing, hormonal signals overlain
The overheated circuits a disoriented path ordain
As eroding winds of doubt doth the surface disdain
Insecure conduits more and more inward shame drain
Seething shadow flutters in constantly changing terrain
Each step on serpentine course causes more growing pain
Until stumbling on rational plateau containing deep, emotive vein
Conquering the debilitating elements that immaturity did restrain
Categories:
enchain, childhood, confusion, growing up,
Form: Rhyme
Quintain of: sorrow, despair, agony, misery, lament scoring
pain
Dolesome drum o'er jaded psyche taps a dark, palling
refrain
Hamstrung harp bridled soul with dissonant chords
enchain
Shrill flute a dreary, eerie melody wafts o'er drifting
swain
Melancholy tenor of wailing violin doth all availing hope
drain
Categories:
enchain, depression
Form: Quintain (Sicilian)
The Soul art in poems is the wordsmiths
With sun or lamp, in light or dark awake
The chore of a doom word master locksmith
Is to capture, enchain all lone heartache
Conjure through words and sounds, magic, a spell
Images of honour, beauty and love
Or hate on the hooks of Satan from hell
Tempting unfallen lone Angels above
To write of love should we not have grieved it?
And so our world forlorn is plagued with loss
But hark take heed do not loose heart or quit
Within ourselves faith will take us across
We must choose to see with our eyes open
Or to close them with risk of old Eden
Categories:
enchain, on writing and words
Form: Couplet