The Chosen
People say not being the chosen one is the worst.
But what if it isn’t?
What if you’re chosen—
but for all the wrong reasons?
Yes, I was chosen,
just to be a measuring tool—
something to compare,
against unfinished things,
just to feel better about yourself.
Like a trophy,
kept in plain sight,
on a neatly managed shelf.
Only ever looked at
from a distance—
always just a glance,
never long enough to notice.
Perhaps if they had,
they would have seen the rust.
Yes, I was chosen—
as the permanent wrong choice,
the one that reminds you
of what you could have had.
Like a roll of dice—
“if only I had thrown it differently,
if only I got another number…”
If only.
I was always the what if.
I was chosen—
but only to blame,
like how you blame the corner
when you stub your toe.
Never atleast a deserving blame.
There’s a difference
between being chosen
and being wanted.
What’s the point of being chosen
if all you hear
is the echo
of the one who wasn’t?
Who is truly chosen?
And how do you even define it?
What’s the point of being chosen
if wanting never follows?
Youthful airs come and gone
turning heads for all the wrong reasons
painfully desperate to attract attention
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Someone
lost in a meandering season
Somebody
crying for all the wrong reasons
Somehow
married to a new in between
Someway
missing what others have seen
Someplace
the meaning stays hidden and waits
Sometimes
my wishes both early and late
Something
infused in the moments I’ve lost
Somewhere
abandoned — the ultimate cost
(Dreamsleep: October, 2024)
Seeking the right answers
to all the wrong questions
The knife edge resharpens
the danger rehoned
Seeking the right answers
for all the wrong reasons
The rumors refester
—all truth unatoned
(Dreamsleep: December, 2022)
TERMINATION
I never imagined that I’d be back at school
Retired from work, yet I’m no longer a kid
But all modern media has caught me out
That flicking and tapping makes me pout
For all the wrong reasons I’m off the grid
Some youths think a dumb phone is cool
I signed up for an evening new media class
You’d think there would be many like me
But the tutor could still be in her late teens
Pupils all young, one old, no in-betweens
But at least this course is offered for free
Although my techie competence is a farce
It’s start of the term in early September
I’m sticking out here like a sore thumb
I guess for these kids it is extra curricular
I want to learn to send texts in particular
And all this tech makes me look so dumb
But hope some of this stuff I will remember
You see I come from an older generation
Binary code and the odd punched card
Giant mainframes and spinning tapes
Regular backups, so nothing escapes
But which way to swipe for me is hard
Until that bright day I’m on probation
there is the running
but there's no hiding
the vultures have us
in their crosshairs
the lucky ones will get away
and crawl in empty nooks
under some random rocks
no pride just shame
their dignity belittled
till rendered null and void
sad little men stripped of their pride
self-respect lost in a ditch
somewhere along the way
hearts racing
for all the wrong reasons
in the rubble of mankind
AP: Honorable Mention 2022
I gave my all to thee
then fell to my knees
feeling robbed.
I was given Risperdal
that released me of rage
against my foolish ways
floating on cloud nine
that held my self-centered ways at bay.
I had to have thee
loving little old me
as if tulips held the power and smell of love.
I was not alone; and
clamored to your kindness
yes, the number of times you arrived
dressing me anew
driving me to banquets
my heart was in it for all the wrong reasons:
the loss of my eldest brother
the loss of my eldest sister
the shedding of addiction skin.
I gave my all to thee, and
I feared you left me dangling.
I threw lemon merengue pie in your face, and
learned a lot about love, and spiritual maturity.
It's true you drove from New York to big sky country
seeing for yourself I was fully wedded.
*
You tell me i am loud
So much so i could restart the pulse of the dead
So what if i am ?
I am what is says on the tin
Would you rather me dead ?
What if i was only a voice in your head ?
Dangling your heart on a thread
Because God wasn't willing to share
Would you be willing to put up with me then ?
And stare at me back like the very
first time that we met
So you tell me i am loud
And it passes right over my head
As currently i listen to you as you do to i
With a microwave burning a hole in our laps
In fits and pieces over the din of our
black and white television set
Till i can't even remember the last time
it took me more than a minute to make
up our bed
Or you made me feel anything at all
Let's call this what it is
Two lonely people who happend to fall in love
Once upon a time
For all the wrong reasons
And now blame each other for it
Do not disturb me in the shifting sand
I am not adequate to give you any footing
You walk quite heavy and I might collapse under the load of your tentative fable
I chose ego on my path of this forgery of solid ground
To wear the crown of your desire
But being a Movie God portraying your passion, leaves me too unstable
Glittering bling is a mesmerizing thing to tantalize the beholder
It grabs and takes hold of the promises it makes so appealing
While it blinds all the faith and hope it so willfully declares
In the gardens of every delight throughout each day and night
The falsehood and myth creates the applause
For all the wrong reasons and where in dreamland makes us all care
You say my name with the breath of smooth bourbon
Intoxicating your counterfeit words embellished with lost meaning
Walking the walk and talking the talk while all the while you were deceiving
So, I'll will bid adieu to you while the grass grows on your roof
This masquerade is over as I am spent and fleeing
Good bye dear fool, best go do what you do - I'll best be leaving!
July 12, 2019
Tri-Con Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Emile Pinet
We're in the foothills of Revolution Mountain
sharpening swords, packing black and white powder
everybody thinks they're getting the short end
the middle class clinging tight to what they have
the rich and powerful laughing from the high crag
the poor scrambling for just a chance at the scraps
religions colliding in a kaleidoscope of supremacy
cherry-stained hands praying for all the wrong reasons
an octopus of radicals tearing at the robe of democracy
Academia behind a snotty pedestal, igniting dissension
everybody plucking the eagle and stealing her eggs
all the while waving death banners in front of her face
condemning and demanding all in one selfish breath
let's get it on then and begin this filthy cleanse.
What does Christmas mean to a child
who has more than he needs,
receiving new toys throughout the year
in response to whenever he pleads.
How special can a Christmas gift be,
when it’s one of many under the tree
that’s bought from a list of wishes made
with little regard to necessity.
Materialism’s child cannot understand
the meaning of Christmas and giving.
With excess possessions and no discipline
his character is built by distorted living.
Decorations, music, alcohol and greed
dominate modern Christmas seasons,
and fail to bring cheer or uplift spirits,
when celebrated for all the wrong reasons.
In the scheme of things I want to believe that everything is gonna be alright, nosferatu has his hand on the switch and he's about to turn out the lights. That evil grin, the stagnant sin of letting life pass you by because the fear of your future which is looking more bleak than bright
Where do you step off from here when the stones beneath your feet are falling further into the abyss and the monster churns the screams. Sucking you into its gullet, we are nutrients to the machine, metal spokes and sulfuric smoke constantly needing to feed
Hand in hand we take our stand like sloppy spaghetti strings, fighting for all the wrong reasons and needing a spotlight just to see
But the appendage we clasp is cold as ice when we melt into the fray, waiting for the only feeling you get from the burn of a razor blade
Ignorance is bliss and sealed with a kiss then silently tucked away, the fear we feel in darkness, unjustified I must say
What you can't see won't hurt you or is that what I want you to believe? Take a moment to make your decision, it's the only way out, you see?
The world we fight to much, for all the wrong reasons.
We dont stand together at the right times, none of us are believing.
That if we did, we could really bring the change to this earth.
Together if we're united, it is us that have the real worth.
But instead we rip each other apart with racism, with hate, and with statements of war.
We do exactly the opposite of everything we were put on this earth for.
We fight the wrong battles, we choose the wrong paths.
We make our loved ones cry now nobody laughs.
Yet still only a few decide they want to try and make a change.
While others sit back at home and complain, they sit back and rage.
But why do they do this, is it because they are scared.
Or is it because there is no one to make them aware.
Aware that the world is ****, and is only getting worse.
That this life that we all live, just feels like a curse.
Or maybe there just comfortable, and only care for what they want, and what they have.
I think thats the honest truth, i think thats why the world today is so sad.
I can't believe all the outrage for all the wrong reasons,
regarding this Trump wall to keep out of my country all immigrants.
This wall will not be erected to keep immigrants out of my country,
this wall will be built to prevent Americans from being able to leave.
Trump's wall is no different than that former wall in Berlin, Germany.
This wall will evolve a new people of a most unfortunate breed,
a walking contradiction, American refugees,
people once free who no longer have a country.
Once this wall get's built what will follow will be marshal law,
then all of us, most sadly our children will be truly screwed for sure.
I was barricaded by destruction and liberated by loss….
.....there you were…
One stare at you has broken through my wretchedness and distress,
one touch from you redirected my fierceness and turned off my loneliness.
I used to wake up in gloom and because of you I sleep in contentedness,
your fire killed all my fumes and I keep walking inside your completeness.
After all my dreaded seasons I buried my demons in your kindliness,
for all the wrong reasons I enjoyed my grievance within my consciousness.
My longing for your hunger resides in between your purity of liveliness,
I used to have an appetite with lies and fearing routines towards my childishness.
Now I am reborn because you crave my desire within your attentiveness,
I have sworn my fidelity turning my lonely sapphires into diamonds of tenderness.
Written By: Laura Loo
Date Written: April 7, 2016
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