Season of violet grief
A day of navy oaths
The weather a dim pink hush—
ghosts of past, my muse.
I accidentally wrote a letter
scrawled on pale paper—
Guess, my June, what spills forth
when your blade slips through—
—not me, the envelope.
Perhaps a carol, yes—
or an oration (how proud I was!)—
or—
no, not that—
—perhaps just a thin red thread,
words sealed in failing breath.
Ruins of
all I dared offer.
Don’t blame me, love—
and oh, don’t fear me,
for all is said
as the letter burns—
in its pyre of regret.
Line of inquiry:
“as we passed her she did wilt
which caused in us sense of guilt
since our stance perhaps did cause
to put her heart’s joy on pause
though we’re gentle, not hostile
we diminished her soul’s smile
since our aura as she viewed
scent of love did not exude”
Poem:
We walked by, unaware,
and in our wake, her smile faltered—
no harsh word, no glance too cruel,
but something in our silence
touched her like a shadow.
We weren’t unkind, yet we diminished,
as though absence could speak louder
than the warmth we never gave.
In the pause, we left her heart adrift.
Line of inquiry:
“as we passed her she did wilt
which caused in us sense of guilt
since our stance perhaps did cause
to put her heart’s joy on pause
though we’re gentle, not hostile
we diminished her soul’s smile
since our aura as she viewed
scent of love did not exude” - Unseeking Seeker
A person’s true emotions we cannot know,
but sometimes by a frown their feelings show.
With awareness, we learn to recognize
the pain reflected in a person’s eyes.
There is a girl that we had somehow hurt.
She lost her glow. As if left in the dirt,
she seemed to wither, dying like a rose,
so compassion was the path we chose.
We talked with her to find out what had made
her beautiful countenance and smile fade.
Apologies we offered in hopes to please
this friend of ours, who now seems much at ease!
“as we passed her she did wilt
which caused in us sense of guilt
since our stance perhaps did cause
to put her heart’s joy on pause
though we’re gentle, not hostile
we diminished her soul’s smile
since our aura as she viewed
scent of love did not exude”
We did not mean to bring a winter wind
into her garden, nor did we intend
our shadows to stretch and smother bloom--
but silence, it seems, wore the shape of doom.
Her petals trembled, not from scorn,
but from the ache of being unseen.
A smile is a fragile thing--like frost
it vanishes at the cost of pause.
Next time, we will carry light in our walk,
learn to speak warmth without talk,
and sow gentleness not just in word,
but in every space where love is heard.
We will not stand--
we will kneel when beauty bends,
so no heart must shrink
beneath the weight of our unawareness again.
Line of inquiry:
“as we passed her she did wilt
which caused in us sense of guilt
since our stance perhaps did cause
to put her heart’s joy on pause
though we’re gentle, not hostile
we diminished her soul’s smile
since our aura as she viewed
scent of love did not exude”
- by Unseeking Seeker
Amidst our laughter and great fun
She calmed down with a frown
As if a ghost was climbing down
To turn her back, leave and shun.
Did we express things harshly or rude?
Which word has implied something broad
We only meant just one thing
So kindly from our heart that morning.
Do we need to clarify, rewind or rephrase?
We’ll do with sincere apology and embrace
Unintended innuendo comes fortuitously
As abrupt blow while playing smoothly.
Extra cautiousness cries all the time
To make our lines go on perfect rhymes
Words must be melodious to all ears and heart
Well thought with love and care from the start.
Line of inquiry:
“as we passed her she did wilt
which caused in us sense of guilt
since our stance perhaps did cause
to put her heart’s joy on pause
though we’re gentle, not hostile
we diminished her soul’s smile
since our aura as she viewed
scent of love did not exude”
-----------------------------------------
captivating my every illusive thought.
I detected sadness in her lovely eyes.
the silent glances between us sought.
her gaze was directly at me, I realize.
I imagined the scent of her perfume.
all other sound completely faded.
she softly smiled across the room.
my soul, she had blissfully invaded.
my heart beat reached a crescendo.
gladly I would be her slave for life.
a result of her innocent inuendo.
I could imagine her becoming my wife.
from so far, looking down at her hand.
her wedding ring shone to my dismay.
her beguiling look made me understand.
she smiled, turned and walked away.
vanished from sight, never to be seen again.
into my loving mind she often sneaks.
wishing to see her, have no idea when.
its louder than words, when silence speaks.
She flew, unattended, innuendo, left through an unopened door.
So many ways to convey one's intentions -
word choices, actions, intonations -
what do I project?
Others have their own perceptions,
leading to unfortunate misconceptions
as, on me, they too, project.
Human communication is so hard.
What to take to heart, what to discard?
Who knows?
What do you think it would mean,
do you think it is obscene,
as I take off my clothes?
The only reason you see me in my skin
is that I am gladly trading in
my humanity.
No more voice box, brain case, opposable thumbs -
I'm joining with my animal chums.
Goodbye, insanity!
We spoke in semaphore of smirks,
A dialect of sideways quirks—
Our mouths full up with mirage and pun,
Unconscious artists come undone.
She, a flower in a field of noise,
Parsed our pose as preening boys—
Not cruel, but tuned to frequencies
That echo long through apologies.
Our verbs wore vests too tight with charm,
Syntax stitched with latent harm.
We hadn’t meant to start a war—
Yet metaphors, once launched, implore.
Intent becomes the alibi
Of those who never learned to pry
Beneath the comfort of a jest—
A laugh can undress all the rest.
She read our pause, our sideways glance,
Not as a walk, but a strange dance
In which the lead was vague, and yet
Each footstep left a silhouette.
As a slip of tongue whip-lashed a pun,
The hurt begun, could not be undone.
The room hushed, smiles withdrew,
As sarcastic pathos turned its screw.
A simple phrase — at first glace plain,
Was en-wrapped in a double-meaning chain,
It landed soft, then bit deep to crush.
Its brush on cheeks, drew a crimson flush.
Though we laughed at the unintended.
The joke offended, the defiled lay un-mended.
With any apology and explanation upended,
By what was clearly needlessly intended.
Your smile and laughter were betrayed
By eyes that glanced away and strayed
To look down, downcast at the ground.
The joy, once flowing to astound, drowned.
She’s fast, faster than you can handle,
sculpted curves, flawless skin,
deceptive power beneath,
and that look…sexy, predatory,
frightening, but I still want it.
I want to be inside her,
feel her wrapped around me, unleashed,
she’s fast,
and I know it’ll cost me in the end…
But I’ve never seen a cooler car.
Honesty is… ripping out the tongue of a liar
Truth… setting an arsonist on fire
Kindness… executing a serial killer
Innuendo… Michael Jackson's ‘Thriller’
1st base is kissing, non stop.
2nd base, is getting felt up.
3rd base refers to activity in the lower region,
and of course, Home Run equals penetration.
Warm nights I sit drawing innuendo,
kicking my feet I hold a white sketch pad;
How in the world are you oblivious
to the soft strokes I indulge with my pen?
Look at my hands realize how they flow,
this feeling is more than a passing fad;
Honey, you take yourself too serious;
Grab me and take advantage now and then;
Oh how I long for your spontaneous;
For you see we are just bound to happen.
Why must it always be this way
sending and receiving mixed messages
it’s simple yet so complicated
We can spend endless time
avoiding the object of obsession
then wonder why the world
seems to be turning upside down
Nothing’s clear other than
realizing it’s complicated
and there’s no attempt to
unravel its ball of knots
As long as the sun comes up
with every morning
there’s still hope
We can still hang on to hope
AP: Honorable Mention 2022, Honorable Mention 2022
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