celestial octopus glided down from star to star
heaven warned him of proximity, do not go too far
he had a range of which he was to be confined
ultimate goal was to teach the sharks to be a bit more kind.
I gave up years ago
I just never quit.
Y’know, as in stopped
Being who I am.
I had an early revelation
That not everyone would like me
When I realized that I didn’t like everybody.
Thus, I endeavored to solve the dilemma
By just being me with all of them
It worked, well….a little anyway
As some who didn’t like me
Began to like me
That forever “equal and opposite” rule
Evened things out.
I believe I am a funny guy
Alas, not all agree with this assessment
Some say that I go too far
Others hope I never return
As I said “I gave up years ago”
But I never quit.
Y’know…blowing bubbles in my chocolate milk
Licking my ice cream bowl
Building things with my mashed potatoes
Splashing in rainy day puddles
she lets me braid silence into her hair
twisting comfort between my fingers,
as if stillness itself could be made soft
if only touched gently enough
she thinks I’ll grow tired
that some part of her will dull in my eyes—
but I’ve seen the way she looks at a sunrise
like it’s never repeated itself
and that’s how I see her,
every time
her grip on my arm isn’t for balance
but for anchoring—
a quiet plea that says,
"don’t go too far, not even in thought"
as though love could be unintentional
as though I could ever un-want her
I’ve known beauty in mirrors
in moonlight
in melody—
but none of it held a candle
to the way she exists
without trying
Too many Worlds collide when
(street echoes)
Too many dancers appear
yet she moves fair to show
Shes just a fallen Angel
with a certain spark
Too many people have
tried to change her
Shes not a Saint Joan
they have failed
Shes tries to keep the moment flowing
for the man who would be King
She likes to go too far
Don't blame her for turning out the night
The wound is for real
What a rotten seed
you went to plant
under the soil
of my inner land
your empty deeds
left roots in the sand
of the lonely beach
where I now stand.
Did I chose wrong?
did I do this to myself?
did I dig the hole
of my own grave?
did I finally destroy
the only chance
of having in this life
what I deserve?
Did I say what needed to be said
did I do what was right?
did I take the right turn
in the traffic light?
did I go too far
just to realize
love wasn't as I thought
it'd be like?
Jessica
A light glimmers. Dim at first but light can’t be hidden for long. Darkness cannot overcome the light. Your light, yes, that light burst out of me even when the darkness seeks to consume. Darkness that rolls like thunder coming in from the north. Seems unstoppable. But you are unstoppable. You tell the darkness no more and it ceases. My mind takes me back. The tricks it plays when I forget. When I go too far in and the light seems dim. Did light ever exist? I cannot remember the day but only night.
A light glimmers. Dim at first but light can’t be hidden for long.
Some like to vote, some others don’t
But what is really missed
The voted in would never want
To know if you exist
Some like to read, some like to ride
Some others never run
They walk under the trees to hide
Their faces from the sun
Some like to go to piano bar
And while they hang around
Some other people go too far
In aim not to be found
So what’s the point to mention it
Don’t ask, for I don’t know
Some strangers passed, in second split
It was their final show.
Setting: A parlor with money hanging on a wall becomes the topic.
Characters:
Teen, short boy like to talk down on adult's
Woman, passion for hanging money
Dialogue:
Teen: You've not been in this part of the house, huh?
Woman: I'm not nosey or bottled-up--up on the daily's!
Teen: Nonsense, silly-willy. Yes-no-not you who me?
Woman: Never in a day it'd be you, can't fathom it, aw!
Woman: OMgosh! That cannot be money, on your wall?
Teen: Of course not, it's where we hang funny money.
Woman: Your family, with that money, oh, you go too far.
Teen: Okay, it is the real McCoy, kinda bit like you doll!
Woman: You lie! Me a doll? Really, Money like legal tender?
Teen: A flat board with a couple of cherries on top, hehe!
Woman: Money will paint me up. I'm a real dish-o-licious!
Think of rental car?
Don't go too far, come inquire
No settle require.
Fantasies glisten. Wealth untold.
Dimly clear; seen near and afar.
Wee men; chase around pots of gold.
Missed heaven. Prospecting a star.
She wishes; he’d only listen.
When lovers drift. They drift bizarre.
Act out; miscue the rendition.
Missed heaven. Prospecting a star.
He utters “turn the other cheek.”
Sneakers; lacing up the crossbar.
I pray he makes it through the weak.
Missed heaven. Prospecting a star.
Don’t let distractions go too far…
Missed heaven. Prospecting a star.
Being a pedestrian
walking with a mixed-up, on the go
purposeful pack of other walkers
and me being aimless,
having no set destination,
yet not wanting to go too far,
because then it would be a long way
back to get back.
I the odd one in,
stop in my invisible tracks,
taking stock,
while the crowd,
(some going, some coming back),
urgently shove their way past me,
and I now know,
what a business meeting feels like
when there is nobody there.
"If forever is true, make it true, don't give it a second thought," ... by The Poet
"Okay kids, this is December's first day
so let's go in and see what it could be,"
[Oh my goodness ..., I thought she moved away]
"Kids, don't go too far." "Dad, I need to pee."
"Okay son, the bathroom's right over here."
"Go on inside, I'll be right here." [She looks
just the same, never aged a bit ... then, we're
young and in love ... me carrying her books
walking with her to our class ... and her laugh
... I can't get over that ... Ha, and her hair
still gets in the way ... we spent nearly half
of ... oh, she sees me ... (both smiling) then there
gone again ... we thought forever was true]
"Okay Dad, who's that?" "Thought someone I knew."
I thought I’d go too far away with you
Where our dream will be true
But one bullet shatters the flower
Which spreads the scent of love in the air
I thought I’d win one day the throne of God
Where our prayers are compiled a lot
But one bullet stabs the hands of the praying
Which embraces you as a true human being
I thought I’d spend thousands of autumnal fair
Where our unity will be a divine pair
But one bullet incarnates the pair a corpse flood
Which drives away the innocent fresh blood
I thought the rose would be our commutable heart
But the inhuman bullet makes it an imperialist dart
© Mahtab Bangalee
October 21, 2023
Chattogram
Oh my dear, let me
clarify
The difference between the
lefties, let's give it a try
First, we have the liberals,
quite moderate they are
They believe in rights, but
won't go too far.
Next, we have leftists, a bit
more extreme
They want to tear the system down at its seams,
Revolution is what they seek
to bring about change
Their radical views might be
hard to arrange.
And then there's the
left-winger, they're the wild
child
They'll stand on the street
corner and they'll go wild
They'll yell and they'll scream, demanding their due,
And you'll wanna tear
your ears off before they're through.
So, whether it's 1…2…
or even 3,
Fact is, they're all still
crazy to me,
For I choose to stand
on the right,
Where truth, and
God's Word still count
for something in this world
that's lost its sight!
the choice to see the right
oh my dear, let me
clarify
the difference between the
lefties, let's give it a try
first, we have the liberals,
quite moderate they are
they believe in rights, but
won't go too far.
next, we have leftists, a bit
more extreme
they want to tear the system down at its seams,
revolution is what they seek
to bring about change
their radical views might be
hard to arrange.
and then there's the
left-winger, they're the wild
child
they'll stand on the street
corner and they'll go wild
they'll yell and they'll scream, demanding their due,
and you'll wanna tear
your ears off before they're through.
So, whether it's 1…2…
or even 3,
Fact is, they're all still
crazy to me,
for i choose to stand
on the right,
where truth, and
God's word still count
for something in this world
that's lost its sight!
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