Hard Lesson Poems | Examples

List of Member Poems

Premium Member trees try to reason

winds betrayal 
treachery of broken limbs 
life's hard lesson

A hard lesson

2015.03.09@13:13:13
As the V-Line Coach approached the Apollo Bay,
Along the sand line, what did I find?
The splashing waves rushed in to reach the beach.
The scent of the trees and plants,  
Triggered some ideas in my brain.
I planned to throw your book into the sea,
Let the salty water washed all your printed words.
Hopefully, it also cleaned your soul and sins,
Changed you into a better person,
Who would have some considerations,
And be kind and nice to others,
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
I learned an important lesson today.
On 2024.08.12@12:44pm, BB wrote
>> "you do and feel what you like"
Yes, because doing what others like
Always results in disappointment. 
I do what I believe in.
> 
Well. I did what I felt like
And it also resulted in disappointment.

Premium Member It's Greek To Me

Aeschylus: "Agamemnon"

A man in exile
Feeds himself on barren hope
Yields to fate in time

Aeschylus: "Prometheus Unbound"

Life's hard lesson
Wrong is shameful in the old
Time instructs us all

Sophocles: "Philoctetes"

Words not deeds rule men
Shaped to meet the moment's need
Waging war with fate

Sophocles: "Antigone"

Courage to choose right
And 'gainst harsh reality
Make no compromise

Aristophanes: "Lysistrata"

Poet's plea for peace
Fair breezes speed us onward
Making love not war

Euripides: "Alcestis"

Time will console you
Walk to the end of old age
The dead are nothing


Premium Member Growing Pains


Every family has them
These unsettling times these misunderstandings
Times when many things come into play
In most cases these wee spats are soon over and forgotten
But sometimes differences run deeper
Because of other factors
Such as jealousy, middle child syndrome personality
It's only human nature at play
The necessity for all to find our place
In the overall scheme of life
To establish one's self in the pecking order
And accepting it without malice, without jealousy
A hard lesson to learn when we're brand new at he game
Always suspecting that siblings
Are the ones receiving preferential treatment
In reality, they are reacting in exactly the same matter
Trying their best to learn the ropes
To understand what life means what life is all about
But we never do have all the answers
Even if we survive those uncertain early years
And live to the ripe old age of thirty
Well that is what old age is when you're a teenager
Please be assured, you WILL get through
And be a well adjusted adult

Pills Jailed You

You used to be a gentle lover
Memories of that now just hover
Over a cold dark jail cell
You created from the hell
Pills you took broke your spirit
It so hard to try and clear it
Once you start this filthy habit
You are hooked, each day you grab it
Addiction is now your friend
Your whole world comes to an end
Wrecked by a habit you can't break
Each day trying hard to fake
Your love for me was stronger than
The bottles you bought from a "friend"
But the proof is in a file
The damaged you caused its really vile
Abusing me with fists so hard
Always catching me off guard
The black and blue that I now wear
Will soon slowly disappear
But the scars that will soon show
Are staying with me as I grow
Being more cautious the next time
Not falling for another "crime"
Of passion that isn't true
A hard lesson I learned from you

Learn From My Mistakes

Please forgive the things I do
I'm just looking out for you
To do good I have to lie
Giving it just one more try
Going for a ride today
I'm sneaking you to AA
Where I hope they can fix you
If not I'm gonna see it through
And admit you to a bed
An in house program that has led
To a miracle recovery
From a battle won by me
I see you going down a path
Leading to an aftermath
Its so hard to come back from
I used to be just as dumb
Thinking a drink or even two
Wont be addiction for you
Then it leads to something harder
Pushing you farther and farther
To the brink of no return
Till a hard lesson you will learn
Then you will have to face
What your past can not erase
Burning memories in your mind
Of a sad and tragic time
Listen to my story friend
This doesn't have to be the end
Help is always there if you
Hold out your hand--I'll see you through


Premium Member Aunt June

Aunt June

My aunt taught me... 
how to be; a sewer, a grower, 
a knower of "things" important. 
She taught me to watch the pot, 
until it boiled and never look away. 

Canning strawberry jelly, 
and making sweet marmalade pie
were the easy lessons
in believing in tomorrow.  
Blankets made from scraps
to keep the family warm in winter,
kept "devotions" for another year.  
Dresses made of flour sacks, 
with corn mill colored ribbon... 
They were for spring.
Summer was all about the garden, 
and planting... "seeds to fling".   

We had chicks for a while, 
until my uncle lost his job. 
Then we had to eat them. 
That was a hard lesson in cooking, 
"things" you keep close to the heart, 
Sacrifice... 
beyond dry tears
to feed the ones you love. 

My uncle got sick, 
and then he died. 

June went to work, 
ironed for others, 
sewed and cooked and made 
their lives easy, 
as her's was hard. 
My aunt never complained.

My aunt was amazing... 
a farm woman, 
from the mid-west. 
She could rope and ride, 
and she would never hide
even from 
cancer.
 
My Aunt was a warrior.

Premium Member Saigon Times

Why have we not opened our heart borders to the truly desperate,
To the men and women of Afghanistan
Who've fought long and hard for basic human rights,
Now we're leaving them behind in the shadows of wicked knives.

We've known for some time that Kabul would fall.
So why haven't we emptied our embassy yet?
Have we forgotten the hard lesson from Hillary's Benghazi?

Again, we've tried in jest to lipstick the bride of Frankenstein.
In vain we tried making her into a runway model. 
The devil wins yet again.

Joe, if you have one last flicker of light left. 
Don't leave our loyal friends and war dogs behind.
Like we did back in those bloody Saigon times.

Premium Member Brass Knuckled Friendship

After a baker's dozen years 
a hummingbird friend 
suddenly appears
a bit wing-weary
still stunning
flashing killer wares.

A thousand adventures
a million petals sipped,
I'm just an old twist
on her lengthy 
ice cream cone list.

She takes a nibble-lick  
just for old time's sake.
Then away she flits
to the next gilded glade
that no longer exists...

Into a maelstrom of thorns, she fled
never to return.   
I'll miss our brass-knuckled friendship
another rock-hard lesson learned.

Premium Member Who Goes There, Friend Or Foe

Some folks like to think the worst,
'Cause it's more entertaining;
And they spread those thoughts about,
Your reputation staining;

Because you happened to be seen,
In one place or another,
And not knowing 'bout your busness there,
They began to wonder.

What were you doing there and then,
And who was that you're with,
And rush to put the question out,
Telling kin and kith.

Next thing you know you're on the outs.
Your character's in question.
No one wants to tell you why,
And you learn a hard lesson.

Old friends you thought you knew so well,
And were as thick as theives,
Their friendship now grows icey cold,
And fall as Autumn leaves;

Because someone said they saw you here,
Or there or some such other,
And questioned what you were about,
For some reason or another.

Be careful what you do and say,
And pick your friends with care,
'Cause people make assumptions,
And they just love to share,

The things they think are going on,
Most oft just in their minds.
A real friend just won't listen.
A real friend's hard to find.

Premium Member Every Family Has Them

Every family has them
These unsettling times, these misunderstandings
Times when many things come into play
In most cases these wee spats are soon over and forgotten
But sometimes differences run deeper
Because of other factors
Such as jealousy, middle child syndrome, personality
It's only human nature at play
The necessity for all to find our place
In the overall scheme of life
To establish one's self in the pecking order
And accepting it without malice, without jealousy
A hard lesson to learn when we're brand new at he game
Always suspecting that siblings
Are the ones receiving preferential treatment
In reality, they are reacting in exactly the same matter
Trying their best to learn the ropes
To understand what life means, what life is all about
But we never do have all the answers
Even if we survive those uncertain early years
And live to the ripe old age of thirty...
Well that is what old age is when you're a teenager
Please be assured, you WILL get through
And be a well adjusted adult

When Playing With Fire

Be proud my girl, but be humble. Be strong as well as gentle. Be courageous but never reckless. Do no harm, but take no crap. You are wild and fierce, determined and strong. I don’t aim to tame you, but guide you. To hopefully pass along hard lesson learned. I know all to well what ups and downs this life will bring. A fire burns inside you, ready to set the world on fire, but remember my girl, you too, are part of the world.

Premium Member Red Menace

A red snake licked freedom's sun and smiled.
Spiraling its way up the precious tree of life. 
In the nest a half dozen naïve pinkish babes.
Through pin feathers went two poison fangs.
It started to devour them quite methodically.
Kept munching though it was no longer hungry.
When it was through, there was only one left.
It was spared to be an example for the rest.

Mother returned with fury, laid open the snake.
The future spilled out but it was already too late.
The remaining babe was never quite the same.
A serpent gives a hard lesson-and leaves a stain.

Premium Member Never Give Out Your Password

Never give out your locker combination.
Word of warning to sixth graders who do not listen.
They trust their best friends, right, and their best friends’ buddies.
They only gave it out to two or three people.

They sometimes learn a hard lesson 
Someone has sabotages them – taking out or putting in.
No idea who. Too many people gave out the number to others.
Never give out your computer password, they are told.

They have not learned yet.
Still want to trust everybody.
Give out their social media password also.
Finding out the hard way that others have character flaws.

Premium Member A Hard Lesson

I once had a friend, Elmer Fudder

Who had an obsession with butter

Could not tell bull from cow

But he soon found out how

Milking what he thought ... was an udder!







(Syllables = 9, 9, 6, 6, 9, counted at HowManySyllables.com)

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