each dawn, in the kingdom of skeletons,
bones knock together—
shins clatter,
ribs get a quick shine
as the kings rise with the sun.
the velvet robes
they've discarded moons ago.
their old souls
rest quietly in wooden beds.
no itching skin, no hair to comb
or run fingers through,
the steady clack of hollow heels
echo with each step.
the Duchess
gleefully spins around
all teeth and bone, barefoot.
they raise empty cups
and celebrate
breath that’s long gone,
dining on nothing but
the glow of moonlight.
you have to chuckle, right?
the afterlife has its own peculiar perks;
beauty be damned,
no one dresses to impress
since when do dead folks care about hair?
in this rattling land, joy endures.
the only thing broken?
funny bones, and truthfully,
no one cares to doctor them.
The stories I could tell,
Of Eeling days,
And nature's ways,
Of friendships formed in those days,
Of secrets shared,
And lessons learned,
When eels swam freely.
Times when mums and dads could breathe easily
With children shouting gleefully,
While the eels swam freely.
Thoughts of of a future without eels
swimming freely,
And the young ones making friendships
In dark alleyways,
Out of reach of nature and her ways,
Not something I contemplated during my eeling days.
Yet it came to pass that the eels swam less freely,
And mums and dads were breathing less easily,
With the young forming friendships in dark alleyways,
Out of reach of nature and her ways.
Yet, there are signs that if we care to look more closely,
For eels swimming again freely,
We will find them in numbers that will let mums and dads,
once again breathe easily,
Allowing for children eeling, down by the river,
to once again become a common sight,
With friendships formed in ways that are right
Under nature's eye.
Away from places where friendships often lie.
I lingered by the seaside on a cold and frosty morning,
The dark clouds overhead were billowing out a warning
Feeling them calling to me in a manner of some gloom.
That I would be better off watching them from my room.
I aimed to linger longer so took no notice of the clouds.
An imposing storm would surely keep away the crowds.
I gleefully watched the tiny sand crabs scurry to and fro,
Sensing the storm coming, weren’t sure which way to go.
I casually lingered up the stairs that led to the main street,
There I spied the ice-cream shop, decided to have a treat.
Flavour would me a momentous decision. It took a while.
Now which, Banana Rama or Choc Cherry made me smile.
Enjoying my cone, I lingered on, watching folk all scatter.
Rain by now was pouring down, to me it didn’t matter.
Many were in the little café, no doubt they took refuge.
Looking over to the sea, the waves now were really huge.
Thunder crashed and lightning flashed, the rain fell down.
I lingered slowly under awnings to the other side of town.
Watched cars slowing down and splash in a puddle or two.
I lingered further, might as well I had nothing better to do.
I am
the password you created
in a moment of delusional confidence,
the one you swore you’d never forget
and immediately did.
I am
the self-appointed sentinel of your sanity,
a smug little gremlin
gleefully watching you guess wrong
with theatrical disappointment.
I am
the reason your coffee gets cold,
the cause of your clenched jaw,
the villain in your otherwise peaceful morning.
I am
the cryptic code you cobbled in haste
strewn with symbols you cannot recall
crowned with capital letters
and numbered hints that once made sense
now mercilessly mocking you
from the digital void.
I am
the digital deity
who denies you entry
with a single icy phrase:
“Incorrect. Try again.”
And when you finally crack me
sweaty, triumphant, trembling~
I will rise once more and decree,
with all the arrogance of a tiny tyrant:
“Your password has expired.
Create a new one.”
I am
the password you created
in a moment of delusional confidence,
the one you swore you’d never forget
and immediately did.
I am
the self-appointed sentinel of your sanity,
a smug little gremlin
gleefully watching you guess wrong
with theatrical disappointment.
I am
the reason your coffee gets cold,
the cause of your clenched jaw,
the villain in your otherwise peaceful morning.
I am
the cryptic code you cobbled in haste
strewn with symbols you cannot recall
crowned with capital letters
and numbered hints that once made sense
now mercilessly mocking you
from the digital void.
I am
the digital deity
who denies you entry
with a single icy phrase:
“Incorrect. Try again.”
And when you finally crack me
sweaty, triumphant, trembling~
I will rise once more and decree,
with all the arrogance of a tiny tyrant:
“Your password has expired.
Create a new one.”
Over there where the sun don’t shine
The ghosts and the spirits dwell quite fine
They plan sneakily
Then laugh gleefully
When they jump and you run like a swine.
deer bounded over the fence and slid down the slide
graceful in one huge leap – almost a glide
my dogs are barking disapprovingly
deer runs back up the slide coughing gleefully
you’ll let anyone on the slide says my husband Jim
This is cause for war, so now I won’t let him.
Walk with me holding hands in forest green
Breathing in the jasmine wind
Like blue jay’s song soul sings
Psalm that lift hearts to heaven where love mends
Curing cabin fever mountain a fountain free
Flowing glowing where love and nature blend
Together united so peacefully
Butterflies dotting blue sky
Living fulfilling wildest dreams gleefully
Making memories to treasure for life
Keeping us warm even when cold
On one knee asking to be my wife
For you complete my longing soul
Anywhere you are I want to go
A hundred philosophies echoing through the stone halls,
Watching from the shadow, a gold coin looks on with manic smile
Looking at the opulent feast
I approach the poisoned wine with worries on my thoughts.
The red appearance like sweet dreams and toxic hopes.
Watching me gleefully the gold coin grins eyes manic and wide
I fearfully fret until tears unbidened fell,
As the gleaming promise pointed sharp dangers, at my family hiding in the corners
One sip his shine promised, one drop and your mine, your family freedom, your tongue unbind.
I look at the gold adorned devil whispering to my silent courage for the strength to fight the poisons of temptations.
I take the Chalice to my lips, my mouth closes on the ebony rim, until my tears fall into the unknown
Maytime sun pampers budding flowers
Garden faeries gleefully go about their business
Naughty gnomes gearing for mischief
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Gourdgeous, fairytale-scrumptious.
Not the pumpkin,
you were hoping for.
I liked the squid, unsquishy cephalopod,
the supermarket was selling.
Pumpkins through the roof; stems
and leafy vines. Cinderella’s carriage
must have arrived in October.
Princes and princesses ordering
theirs, or gleefully dancing through
gourdgeous fields-a-plenty.
Whether a pumpkin or a country bump-kin,
teeny or child-sized, whether white,
orange, yellow or cat-black,
those lovely orbs or misshapen gourds
are sweet and earthy; in fact, adored.
It’s easy to be happy in La La Land
As time goes by in warped perspective
Billy Bass singing “Don’t worry be happy”
And meerkats and warthogs gleefully
Reminding us to “Hakuna Matata…”.
In fact it’s everywhere you look
When you’ve turned inward.
While the real world outside swirls
In veritable chaos,
Everyone can understand the need for a little break,
But as the world turns
It’s clearly the place to be
If you want to be alive.
After all, Life is often under appreciated
While happiness is usually overrated.
But happiness is the result of a life well lived
Not its cause, and when we forget that
We end up chasing our tail round and round
Like those tigers Little Black Sambo
Brought home to his mother in a cup of ghee.
(10/4/25)
(“Enemy of the State Merit Badge”, 2011, original oil)
In The Morning
In the morning the house smells
Of the sandalwood scented candle
I burned all night
In honor of a slain patriot.
I wake heart still heavy
And it just gets heavier
When the news keeps coming in
Of how much his enemies despised him
And how they gleefully celebrate now.
It’s odd to think of sane people celebrating
The murder of a kind and just and righteous,
And may I say, pure soul.
It just goes to show where their hearts are
And where they are not.
Morning dawns on a new day
As hundreds of millions of Americans wake up
To what is now an openly declared war
Between good and evil, liberty and tyranny.
And somehow it feels like 1775
All over again.
(9/11/25)
perception sees beyond reality
interprets to the best of its ability
optimism keeps fire burning in one’s heart
while pessimism gleefully tears everything apart
instead of being boggled with the mundane
romance fills our days with wonder and champagne
a dusting of fantasy does wonders to cast a spell
kicks life up a notch and that’s no bagatelle
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Submitted on July 5, 2025 for contest 1394 sponsored by BRIAN STRAND - Honorable Mention
Gleaming glassy glistening glazed globs
Glittering gleefully, gloriously glossy
Glowing with glimmers and glimpses of glorification
Generating generous gentlewoman’s grateful glances
Gallivanting gallery’s gleaming gazebo’s grateful celebration of G.
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