Espied Poems | Examples

Horatio Nelson 1758-1805

Years ago I did so choose, to go on a Caribbean clipper ship cruise,
and, in addition to several other islands,
anchored off Nevis, northwest of Saint Kitts,
where, in the late 1780's, Nelson had lived,
and still bears traces of his presence today,
in various parts, pieces and bits.
When our windjammer Skipper informed us,
'Shopping here's good, snorkeling is bad,'
I avoided the former, sought out the latter,
and, as a matter of fact, a good time was had,
for no sooner had I ducked under,
two feet from the waterline,
in about one foot deep (shallow) water,
tho' visibility was, in inches, no more than nine,
I espied a white clay churchwarden pipe,
which I retrieved, broken, not whole,
with one third of the stem, and most of the tobacco-burned bowl.
1787, Nelson married the widow Fanny Nisbet on Nevis,
and, as the island he was about to depart,
'Desist smoking or else!'
Horatio may have heard her insist or impart,
and that which I found, I've a mind to say,
was his very last pipe, he'd reluctantly tossed overboard,
on that sunny day, when, as Captain of Boreas, he sailed away.

Ribbit

Froggy went a courtin',
"Ribbit," he did sing,
altho' singing weren't his thing,
more like the punchline to a joke,
'Please don't smoke or I might croak.'
In the deep end of the pond
true love was his goal,
and by the dawn help to spawn
a few more tadpole souls.
Hopped on to a water lily
where he espied
a fine-looking froggy filly,
and in her mouth a red, red rose,
but wait, something's amiss,
one quick kiss and he froze...
just when he had it in the bag,
oh what a shame, ain't it silly,
our frogly friend hit a snag —
for the she was a he dressed in drag.

For My River Friend

I do admire the peaceful, mighty river, deep.
My seething soul does not disturb its steady flow.
On days where my lax conscience seems to be asleep,
quietly and surely, it shows the way to go.
In desperate times, I want to give up and weep,
but following its banks, time passes, and I grow.
And I'm so glad that by my side I'll always keep
you, since I first espied your beauty long ago.
Like a waterway flowing fin'lly to the sea,
your unending patience has seen a change in me.

Let's Go Away

Come for me my sweetheart true
Let me go away with you
To someplace warm with climate fair
Pink coral sand, fresh ocean air
Where music plays all day and night 
Where sunset's rays are colored bright
And last for hours while you and me
On a yellow blanket by the sea
Drink a toast of Veuve Clicquot
While somewhere far away there's snow
Should I care? Would you? Not I
I'll be looking at the sky
And getting lost inside the thought
We're here! My dream's no longer sought 
This wanting heart received its cure
I'll pinch myself just to be sure
For every teardrop that I cried
For every glimpse of you espied
For every love song that I heard
For every time unspoken word
Recordings for you I had done
Telling you that you're the one
I love, and have for many years 
I'll cry again, but happy tears

Pest Control

   Mysogynous Mouse
  
      espied a cat in the house
 
        ~ exterminated the louse

What A Brutal Sun That Assaults The Cliffs

What a brutal sun that assaults the cliffs
   Where cacti and mescals dare to abide!
Here and there, dozens of petroglyphs
   Decorating the canyon may be espied.

In large nesting circles neatly drawn
   In evaporating wisps and bold squares
In a sun to give thanks for every dawn
   In little starbursts and stick figures

In a deer, in an eagle looking strong
   In a war scene kept by the ancients –
It remains unsaid – time is not long
   But to a murky end, everything drifts.

A Brief Shaggy Dog Story that actually Ends

   A shaggy dog espied a graceful cat
     She arched her back, he fell flat
   on his jowls, she pivoted - nose up
     His paws akimbo, Shaggy arfed
         Wait, dear cat, I can explain that  

   But Graceful didn't miss a stride
     After all, she had her pride
   Who needs a mangy mutt who falls
     she thought, a dame like me must be bought

   Now Shaggy may be clumsy, but he's not deaf
     He heard Graceful mewing under her breath
   She loves me sure, Shaggy felt
     His tender heart, her icy exterior would melt

   So Shaggy scrambled after her, closing in fast
     When he drew close, she turned around at last
   It was then that he saw Graceful's face up close
     "Adios," he cried
                       ~ Her whiskers were caespitose

Your Ardour

Who adjourns me
in this backlight story
Who will call the wolf
to dance in her captivity ?
Willow wisp dispensing hollowness
espied on fields of grey

The World's a stage
disembark at your own peril
Pontificate
your ardour
anoints us well

She Dances

She dances she glances pirouettes in the rain 
beyond her shoulder a turtle dove sits posed  
She peers inside the water, a reflection of the self 
looking back into time, for it is then that she espied  
her beautiful smile intact upon a baby bird who couldn't fly  
She poses in the mirrored lake, its a looking glass of sort.

A Losing Country

The fate of a losing country
One first observes in her gentry.
Parents lock kitchens, mount sentry;
The food-craving child bared entry.

Yep, the fate of such a country
I have espied in her pantry:
A family in quandary,
From soap men withholding laundry,
The neatly washed not primary
The well-ironed secondary...

On the roads of losing country
Often, unauthorized sentry:
Rich cars stopped soon after entry:
You won't want jobs sedentary...

In every damned losing country
Economic weather: wintry;
Foreign investors slow entry.

It Was An Eastern Red Columbine

With his long narrow beak he drank
drawing out nectar from a flower 
it was an Eastern Red Columbine,  
an Aquilegia wild desire ...

Nature was singing a sweet refrain 
sending sunshine to my visitor 
with wings spread he extracted,  
using a tubular beak and tongue;

He was a welcome guest 
inside this beautiful garden  
From a latticed gazebo I espied 
as he took delight, in every sip

This Risen Churlish Cold

This risen churlish cold
all cove like
lost in the rigging
crying out the humour
to dance the green lithe of light
as a figment of your mind
The inconsolables retain
lost memories flight
Winters club  bastioned to the driving winds
Daffodils espied amongst the houseflies
once prudent pierce their aching hearts

Banging An Empty Drum

Didn't know where she was going
    or remember where she came from

  Standing around on street corners
    banging an empty drum

  A gent in a tux espied her
    She thought, 'How could I be so dumb?'

  'I was supposed to become a grown-up'
    She never ate cake ~ now stuck with crumbs

The Broken Locket

I espied her regard and deemed her depth. 
She requested that I "Hold this for me."
I dare you, do not let it fall on earth. 
It's gotten loose to point at agony.  

The locket to my meek heart was broken.
Stomped upon, as such dealt using disdain.
Used amiss and bared to prime misspoken.
Spoiled, as well as swindled of money gain.

I flashed the largely adorable grin. 
She looked into my eyes and smiled softly.
Her charming grin belied her truth within.
"I'm different from those," said utterly. 

I'm a slack ocean rolling sea to sea.
Now in your arms, I'll never roam again free.

4th Place Contest Winner

Written: June 21, 2022

Forth Place Contest winner.
One In Five Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Joseph May

Chosen Theme: The Broken Locket
Checked by HMS.COM / 10 Syllables per line

Those Who Drink Bound To Sink

I met a man in pink,
Who chose to freely think
That those who often drink
Are bound to sadly sink:
“No braving it to a brink;
With no sure shores a link!”  
But while just this saying
Made with his glass a clink
And for a day graying
Did not quite snatch the wink
I’d espied in his look
But still stung then The Crook:
The Detective in me
My nose sure of odd Tea …

“Heh! Together we sink
For together we drink …

Both of us in a boat
You just in Liar’s Coat.

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