Not a single crumbling house will remain.
People on the pavements, hawkers, garbage,
Only then, a city painted on a scroll, ding-dong.
For the household fish to be cut,
a ash-boti is needed,
not a knife or a dagger.
This city, you see, was once,
in primordial times,
a forest, where deer and tigers
also lived. Keep thinking about it.
Catwalks on the ramp,
soft, gentle feet, within the dreams
of sitting beside the lotus pond,
rural Bengal is becoming far too genteel,
chairs, tables, curtains,
birthday cakes,
Bhadra-month Bhadu Puja, people
dancing and singing, swaying their waists
in courtyards,
a little rice, a little money.
I keep gazing at the pond,
the afternoon pond.
I am an old-fashioned man.
Sparrows and mynas, walking in tiny steps,
squirrels racing past,
the inarticulate map of nature.
I don't know why I am so frightened,
I don't know why I am so delighted,
I don't know, the birthing room, the constellations,
I am thinking about the price of everyday things,
thinking about an ordinary life,
thinking about an ordinary world.
Just now, I had a cup of tea,
a cigarette
Her purr softer than the shadowed cloud
Conceals a message both strong and loud
And should you be one unaware
‘Tis that purr can catch you there
Then the claws, sheathed in fur
Can come darting forth, to belay that purr
And what you thought so genteel
May seal your fate with an ordeal
Of words selected carefully
To bring you to reality:
Tis’ not YOUR world on which she lives
And she cares not for your missives
You may observe, perhaps caress,
But it’s doubtful that you’ll possess
The Cat who purrs so skillfully,
But not JUST for you: She’s here for - - - WE.
Respect her words; respect her skill
Or your Life’s Journey may be all … uphill.
There once was a seal named Neil
Whose antics did greatly appeal
Some called him fat
But don't be like that
He's not what you'd call genteel.
* The real Neil is a 1,000 kg southern elephant seal who frequents a small town in Tasmania, Australia.
Mardi gras Allie from New Orleans
Flipped his tail and showed his greens
the decorator was thrilled and dressed him up
in purple waistcoat, so he could go to sup
at a genteel lady’s house, her name was Kat
He wore a flower in his lapel and a tall top hat
He is debonair and handsome too, she bragged
Her compliments for Allie never lagged
highbred
genteel, cosmopolitan
enchanting, winning, prospering
aristocrat, royalty, drudge, ragamuffin
suffering, laboring, struggling
destitute, deprived
lowborn
.
beaming 'bout
edvard'z genteel see
sway'n
lean'nin
daffodilz
petuniaz
hern glister 'bout
Yahweh
When life from the stars comes a calling,
Be suave and genteel, not appalling.
One's first words should be:
'Would you like some tea?'
With diction correct, and no drawling.
.
i found mine lips
softly step'n 'long
hern sheath
thuh short length
her neck
'long her shoulderz
down hern
gently trembling arm
'to her mitt's digits
mine grateful lips
with genteel
kiss'd
'til hern
(((latch'd)))
mine dome'z mane
with both hern
grips
command'n mine attention
'twixt hern hip's limbz
hern frenetic
coapt
..
.
i
yesss i
whom you know
am not lustful
i
yesss he
who you know
i am decorous
yet
not so genteel whilst
mine mind mulls
beauty
i
yesss i
whom you know
titillates
for
your
please
and yesss
oh how please'd i become
when heavy
yourn breathe
tap
A veil of lace on summer’s face,
the sky a sketch of shifting grace,
Where light’s bold hand meets cloud’s soft sigh,
a brief dance for the watchful eye.
No full eclipse, no perfect blue,
just moments borrowed, old and new.
The sun may hide, then peek below,
a coy performance, airy flow.
A patchwork quilt on blue’s expanse,
where clement light leads genteel dance,
Beyond blaze peels, a break of day,
midst rainbow’s colors fade away.
A silver fleece, of soft, veiled sheets,
A passing wink of calm caprice.
the world speckled in cool relief,
a breath that’s instant sweet and lief.
sponsor : Constance La France
29.9.25
Placed : 3rd Standard Contest
_____________________
“Love is the Supreme Artist Unseen” Poet
with a silent kiss does sperm enter egg
butterfly fondle pollen in morning dew
starling swallow caterpillar askew
with silent kiss does sunbeam caress window sill
spoon dips shallot soup with gentle will
waves ripple shelly shoreline in thrill ~
with a silent kiss does newborn lick nipple
cloud embraces cloud, fluff huffed ripple
bud petal unfurls to air in dare
wrinkled stranded beggar’s knobby hand
smooch offered seeded loaf, prime brand
hands warm curl steering wheel, feel genteel
anchor lands on jewelled ocean floor
with silent kiss does sewing needle pierce
linen white, knife smear butter delight
dolphin fin rouse whale tail, ship returns lipping
the silent kiss but Love in polar need
destined to meet in embosom’s clasp
receiver with giver unmasked grasp
~~~~~
When beauty’s gone bye bye and slack flesh becks
Jowls, crow’s feet, graveled voice and turkey necks
Too old to be a narcissist
what’s left is a pacifist
*Tender genteel haters do not make good peaceniks!
With an ingenuine saccharine la-di-da
The hoity toity woman said “hi” to ma
A want to be royal, an aristocrat
stated poser, false Sheila name of Pat
My brother was smitten right away
He gave her his best times of day
Pat could have been a clock tower shooter
He did not see this at all, my brother Tooter
She is so refined and fashionable!
I thought a narcist too and really dull
She is so pretty and genteel
I did not think so, and here’s the deal…
I knew William, her ex, a wonderful man
She stole all his stuff except for a fan
At her sale she refused to sell to him
He was escorted out by her new friend Tim
Will’s dog was sad, she had him staked out mean
Putting on airs like a Victorian Queen
Pat married my brother Tooter of course
Arrived in a carriage with a rented horse
We may have lost him I said to my ma
Just like your daddy, she said, referring to Pa
For Pa had run away with a scoundrel too
She took all his money and possessions in ’82.
Adventure brewed crowded dreams,
endlessly fairs genteel habit,
instilled jargons,
kidnapped laurels minted- naively,
oscillating power quickly,
rendering sweeten treasures universal voice,
warrior xysts zoologically.
When Mr Darcy brought my hand to his lips
Drenched in sweet longing before the scale tips
I, fraught with naivety and desire
Held trust cast into the furnace of mire
Dear friend, two offspring, a dog and a cat
In our fineries we waltzed to 'Take That'
Unbeknown to me, alas we were three
Lipstick etched upon my fine filigree
Teeth gnashing, I challenged indiscretion
He dismissed my genteel inquisition
Contact made with a bedpan appliance
Hence, now divorced in act of defiance
Dear reader, this ends with no tale of woe
On the dating app, I curtsey and go
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