It was hefted upon a breeze -
As in a warm, flowing current
Through a sea of palo verdes -
To search for an embankment.
That seed of promise -
An implicit aster -
Was sent to broken gneiss
To become one with nature -
A golden bloom to come
To an expectant glen -
Not knowing how it found home
Except that it did.
Categories:
hefted, flower, inspiration, mountains,
Form: Rhyme
Thud
This thing born of breath and bone,
Seated on its secret throne,
A harbinger of ignition,
Pulling us from our perdition.
Thud
By the dream and the waking,
Anger ripe for the taking;
It reaps the spite from our minds.
By moon and star, flesh it grinds.
Thud
Distortion: its holy blade.
Singing songs of pain and rage
Wrought of mortal blood and steel,
Hefted high with fervent zeal.
Thud
The power of death endowed
While the thunder rolls throughout
This keen five-minute crusade.
In finale, the sin fades
Thud
The Metal cannot be stopped.
Born from those who rolled and rocked
It’s darkness: a warm embrace.
Rage released, a swift escape.
Thud
Thud.
And pounding, my heart feels the pull of the music, and it knows that it is free.
Categories:
hefted, 11th grade, anger, dark,
Form: Rhyme
last Friday
My English class just ended and everyone’s packing up (18 students). The class is held outdoors under a tent due to COVID. My professor says, “Ms Vionet, may I speak with you for a moment?”
I froze, Oh, my God, I thought, is he about to tell me to quit - has he already identified some fundamental inadequacy in my work? The world seemed to go silent as I hefted my backpack and approached him.
“Ms Vionet,” he began.
“Anais,” I interjected.
“Anais,” he patiently started again, “We have a small professor’s choice (invitation only) writing group that meets every two weeks, 7 to 8 PM on Wednesdays - would you be interested in joining us?”
It was hard to hold back a pterodactyl screech of delight. “Yes sir, I’ll be there”
“Here”, he said, motioning to the tent classroom “weather permitting.” He had packed up, he turned and headed for some nearby stairs.
I did a twirl of joy.
.
.
.
ps, I write short stories too
Categories:
hefted, appreciation, celebration, confidence, encouraging,
Form: Free verse
There is urgency in their flight
a scurrying haste to the search
each twig chosen by the eye of experience
balanced, hefted, delivered.
Ah, the nesting process
endless anticipation and preparation
old string, discarded ribbons,
a tuft from freshly groomed pooch.
The settling in, sitting, and waiting
an avian time share plan
a squawk, a peep, a chirp
spring chicks arrive.
Shielded by soft leaf sprouts
rocked by gentle breezes
lulled to sleep by spring rain patter
awaiting a beak to beak breakfast.
2/25/2021
Spring Birds Poetry Contest
Categories:
hefted, bird, spring,
Form: Free verse
Coach Alan Brown was incredibly unique
At eighty he had an athlete's physique.
A fullback mocked his years,
Brown hefted him by his ears.
Since then mouthy jocks have squelched every squeak.
Categories:
hefted, humor, sports,
Form: Limerick
Just a Woman
She stood in the cold, bitter salt spray
masquerading as tears stinging her cheeks.
North winds had come early, rough seas,
maddened surf, no sight of sails in two weeks.
She stood, leaning into the wind, just a woman.
She stood in the warmth of spring sunshine
hanging clothes on the sagging rope line,
children using her as part of their game,
dog barking at the approach of the mail truck.
She stood, gazing into the empty mailbox, just a woman.
She stood in the midst of dust dry fields
watching a dream carried off on the arid winds
nurtured the essence of their hope
hefted the weight of fates harsh habits.
She stood, hungry and tired, just a woman.
She stood in the lush fields of happiness
smiling on the future of her love,
watching youth grow to man and womanhood
move on toward their ever vague futures.
She stood, teary eyed, waving goodbye, just a woman.
She watched him slow in the achiness of age
eyes dimming in the shadow of tomorrows,
held his hand and walked the narrow corn rows
rekindling the joy of youthful lovers.
She stood, in loving’s dream, just a woman.
John G. Lawless
5/30/2015
2019 Marathon Poetry Contest #4
Categories:
hefted, beauty, family, love, strength,
Form: Quintain (English)
Arrogant autocratic Ahab
Sails set seaward
Heartless harpoon high
Wind wracked Waves
Revenge rage regret
Wretched white whale
Opaque Ocean oblivious
Deep dark dangerous
Titanic terrors traversing
Captain callous cold
Blood bought bonds
Obsidian oaths ordured
Foreboding fears fester
Sacrosanct silent seas
Motionless midst moonset
Dim daylight dawned
Spray shot skyward
Lithe Longboats launched
Barnacled Behemoth Breaching
Heartless harpoons hefted
Destruction death defeat
Ahab alone as Achilles did battle
Poised proud purposeful in battle
Long lance light in hand for battle
White whale welcomes the battle
Dives deep deep to rise to the battle
Man monster meet to do battle
The sea is still, it has no tale to tell
Categories:
hefted, death, pride,
Form: Alliteration
He hand-hefted garbage cans,
Dumping the debris onto a truck.
He was one of life's "also rans"—
A boozer, a loser, absent of luck.
His name was George, some say.
But "Wino" was his "given" name.
Gulped a gallon-plus every day,
Yet he seemed reasonably sane.
Years without protein did him in—
Bones were as brittle as glass.
He fell one day when drunk as sin
And collapsed into a mangled mass.
I wonder who picked up the pieces
Of a life that had gone all askew.
No brothers, no aunts, no nieces
No one to claim George's residue.
That fact should not come as news.
While he lived, none came to his aid.
It wasn't for the absence of clues;
They marched in the "me" parade.
Categories:
hefted, addiction,
Form: Rhyme
‘NO ENTRY HERE’ the notice read
It’s ‘MEMBERS ONLY’ here
Access for the other class
is sited at the rear
That door ‘STAFF ONLY’ stated
Confused I turned away
When another sign accosted me
NO HAWKERS go away
In state of some perplexity
I headed for the gate
When on a pole I noticed
Another sign, PLEASE WAIT
Confused and sad I used my case
To ease my heavy load
My eyes fell on those fateful words
Written on the road
‘YIELD’ it said in letters white
My hands shot up in fear
As frantically my eyes searched
For, why must I do it here
‘NO WAITING’ then assailed my eye
I stood and hefted case
And left the place of many words
As though it were a race
I guess I would be home by now
If it wasn’t for the cop
Who didn’t understand how I
Got ran over at ‘BUS STOP’
Categories:
hefted, funny
Form: Rhyme