Transparency is like a graduated cylinder
that exposes its contents to view;
When the liquid of clarity shows no obscurity,
the measure marks of sincerity stay true.
Transparency is like a window
that lets the truth beyond the glass be clearly seen;
When the curtain dances across the pane,
it turns into doubt's hanging screen.
Transparency is like a flashlight
that unmasks what darkness tries to hide;
When the hand of power turns the switch off,
though the battery of bureaus stays charged, facts feel denied.
Transparency is like an official receipt
that documents a record for authentication;
When the culprit leaves no certificate of traceability,
no item, amount, or date will show the transaction.
Transparency is like an open book
whose text declares what all have rights to see;
When the crook closes the pages of public awareness,
it covers the volume of its dark secrecy.
VISIONS
influence
in
retrospect
posterity
dilapidated
ambivalent
with
fascinations
captivated
engraved
inspired
graduated
collaborations
engaged
in
the
prolific
durability
developed
stylised
&
adapted
distinct
&
synonymous
with
tantalising
symbols
I'd do it if I could. I'd commit that awful crime.
I'd murder my worst enemy. I would kill time.
I had lovingly honored him and all of his rites -,
the sunrise to start mornings, and sunset to start nights.
I worked every weekday. On the weekend, I played.
At the end of the month, I'd paid bills and I got paid.
I waited for my birthday and vacations in summer,
I kept rhythm with time, that steady drummer.
At first, that cruel tyrant would slyly pretend
to help me, masquerading as a faithful friend.
He made me grow tall, graduated me from school,
gave me a wife, a child, and a swimming pool.
That was before he turned nasty - so vile, and so mean,
sending two wives down the road, with a space in between.
He performed evil magic, strange and still stranger.
One time he turned a sweet kid into a teenager.
He brittled up my bones, and he bent up my back.
He took my hair and memory and won't give them back.
While, I've decided to fight my enemy to the end,
we must all remember - time is undefeated, my friend.
Written August 14, 2026
For The Contest, “Epiphany”
Sponsor, Constance La France
I entered the room and saw them all there-
those twenty-six who were able to show
at our not quite a class reunion, but
a simple luncheon for those who could come.
Our nineteen fifty-seven high school class
graduated sixty-nine years ago!
My heart was pounding to see many friends-
greet them as if it were just yesterday.
While we settled down, waiting to be served,
I glanced around at these faces I knew,
which years had re-sculpted as aging does,
and so pleased to be among them today.
How I and the rest were blessed all these years,
while some passed too young, others, middle-aged,
along with our seniors in nursing homes.
A wave of thankfulness filled up my heart.
This epiphany touched me so that day
as I did recall our class membership-
some two-hundred plus, now all that are left
these twenty-six, and some too far to come.
It curdled.
The landscape.
Goop.
The notion the I might get that degree?
Whoosh.
Revving up to a wasteland.
And live in downed wires.
I really might have graduated.
If my organs didn’t curdle.
People look at me like I have eyes that care.
Or gratitude.
So I wailed at notions and old sticky notes.
And my soul that didn’t study enough.
It becomes like a pine smell.
Maybe jugs of orange juice shimmer.
Why fireflies don’t have lungs.
Yet they still harmonize something we can’t see.
I like the wallpaper growing in my head.
Surreal climbing age.
I graduated from nothingness and croaked out a sore sound.
That scholarship all those years ago?
Feels tacky.
538.
The 4x4 Year
2016…Myself is done with CapSU…Sayonara, Encapsudia!
2016…My sister graduated from college…Adios, Purisima!
2016…My father still works…in the government!
2016…My mother still serves…the church & convent!
2016…I became…MiJoRdGr!
2016…I campaigned for…MiJoRdGr!
2016…I had kittens named…MiJoRdGr!
2016…I conceived dream business called…MiJoRdGr!
2016…My country has a new President…Du30!
2016…My country has a new Force…Supermajority!
2016…My country has another Olympic Medalist…Heidilyn!
2016…My country has Kylie Verzosa as…Ms. International 2016!
2016…I realized the remnants of Encantadia & Capsu-Dumarao…4!
2016…I realized the divisions of Hogwarts & Panay…4!
2016…I realized the Faces of Azrael & Math Operations…4!
2016…I realized the Apocalypse Horsemen & MiJoRdGr Presidentiables…4!
-12/31/2016
(Dumarao)
tell me are you proud of me? I've graduated now and ended the school year with straight A's.
Are you proud of me? why do I have to question everything I do?
Do I really make you proud or is that just something you're saying to me now so I can feel better about myself?
i just want the truth.
The strong current twisted and turned,
So much so surely no man dare enter.
However newly inhabited in this devilish stream:
A school of ridged rocks tumbled by.
Among this school, rolled the most honed of them all.
As he rolled he noticed the dulling of his fellow rocks.
they tossed and turned as the river quickened their erosion,
However,
Different from the rest.
This rock was adamant on maintaining his unique edges.
Finally,
After seasons of resistance,
The school graduated to the shore.
Upon arrival the young rock looked to his mates,
To find that they had smoothed their irregularities,
And he was secluded from their congruence.
TRIPTYCH EXPERIENCES
portrayed
surrounded
now
repotoire
recited
recalls
questioning
the formulae
to
stimulate
subjectivity
delicious
luminous
dialogue
in
bizarre
graduated
contrasts
with unbridled
shades
predominantly
prevailing
afresh
in sensitive
hesitant
scenarios
passionate
unreachable
role-play
studies
of
facial
splendour
in
lavish
concept
a
formulated
process
to
conveys
a
quiet relaxed
series
carefully
fronted
emphasis
balanced
precise
awareness
with
vital
counterparts
in
closely
occasioned
devices
CHARLES MADILANA MOOKWA
“AKA” THE DANCING MAD MAN
Who is this mad dancing man?
If you knew his story, you’d be shocked to the core.
Charles graduated cum laude in Arts — the highest honour.
The wonderful Charles. The magnificent Charles.
He studied abroad, interned abroad, played the lead in a theatre series.
The centre stage was what he was born for.
Then came December.
He went home for the holidays and bought his mother a car.
That car took her life.
After that, Charles was never the same.
He never went back abroad.
The director tried to reach him. No luck.
He fell into a web of mental problems, roaming the streets he once performed on.
They call him the Dancing Mad Man now.
But 4 weeks felt like 4 years of misfortune.
One December trip home left him scarred for life.
The wonderful Charles.
The magnificent Charles.
A man without wings, who fell to the ground he came from.
She was shy, quiet, unassuming
pretty with red hair and freckles
she had just graduated from high school
made no extra noise
He was thirty-one
had never been married
also quiet
maybe had never had a date
no one is sure who asked whom out
her friends were askance “That old man! He’ll die way before you do!”
He and she dated for six months
Then they married
Had two children
A good life together
Three grandchildren
She got cancer and passed away a few years ago.
He is still around, still sad.
A THING PERCEIVED-:-
colour
distanced
perceived
remains
visible
in a STRUCTUAL ANALYSIS
practical
pictorial
composition
phenomena
inscribed
with GRADUATED COLOURED
drawn
notations
exemplified
perspectives
particularised
Standard and Poors illicit gamble
Targeted reductions of broadcast frequency
Thousand Oaks California confine signatures origin. Note to local population your activity is criminal. Hide is visible moment by retreat as advanced is drawn
Tamper is intent.
All speech enters the vacuum
Pinning lines have zero liberty
Liberty given in communication must be guarded not objected into
Equity is shelter
Inherent is observation of intent to withdraw
Grandfather clause that he worked and only assisted others with walking upright. Job has not been acquired. Foreclosure is being graduated from
California accounts
My work trades international value by index
#vcpublicdefender #venturapolice #vcsheriff #sbcpubdef #lapdhq #lapdcentral #nypd #nyfd #cagovernor #realdonaldtrump
Time cannot lessen the joy from fun and family vacations
that ended in September for a new year of education.
At each age, September meant I would get pretty new clothes.
I would shop with Mama who had me try them on and pose.
I liked school's first day until high school fueled a need to preen.
September’s meanings ended when I graduated at seventeen.
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.