Sitting here with the wind,
as it swats at my hair.
The sun dancing with clouds,
with them our part will share.
The interplay of light,
that decries nature's sway.
Holds too the lost secrets,
of a more godly day.
From afar came the gods,
to plant the seeds of time.
Where desire can be king,
and a common man shine.
History will point out,
the man with iron will.
Who comes with a mission,
for a god to fulfill.
The ancient dark drama,
where a man has to choose.
from having everything,
when his life he must lose!
Pick-A-Title, Vol 54 Poetry Contest // Sponsored by: Edward Ibeh
( 2nd Place )
Written: August 13, 2025
It stalks in silent corners of the mind.
A whisper, jagged, dark, and undefined.
Its claws creeps walls we dare not show,
eyes ecstatic where our hearts should glow.
It scoff on mistrust, on every hidden fear,
gnawing at the edges of what we hold dear,
A silent growl underneath the laughing sound.
A truth too fierce to face the day unbound.
Yet deep down inside the marrow of this fight.
A spark ignites a flutter of quiet light.
We don’t meet the beast with sword or shield
but with the quiet courage the heart alone can hold
It howls, it rampage, yet we will not fall,
it's shadow recoils before our inner call.
The beast is vicious, but we are more vicious still--
Adepts of the darkness by our iron will.
Not Judas alone has sold the Lord,
We all have bartered flesh for sword.
Not Pilate alone has washed his hands,
We all have turned from burning lands.
Not spears alone have pierced the side,
But tongues of fire where lies abide.
Not nails alone have fixed the pain,
But hearts like doors that won't remain.
For when the orphan sought our bread,
We fed him dust and turned our head.
For when the mother screamed in flame,
We bowed our eyes and praised God’s name.
Not Judas alone shall bear the blame,
The world is crucified the same;
And till the stone rolls from the tomb,
War plants its seed, love finds no room.
Not crowns of thorn alone still sting,
But crowns of gold that curse their king.
Not wooden cross alone can kill,
But laws unjust, and iron will.
Not blood alone upon the ground,
But silent debts that still abound.
Not only one betrayed with kiss:
We trade the truth for war’s abyss.
So let no heart claim it is pure,
While bombs fall far, yet we endure;
For every soul that turns away
Adds nails to Calvary today.
Hire the Hood 1
I know you want to hire the hood.
To give them work, like you said you would.
To lift them up, and make life good,
To see success spread through the neighborhood.
But hire those with drive and skill,
With passion, purpose, and iron will.
People who can play their part,
With sharp minds and loyal hearts.
They must align with what you do,
Share the vision and see it through.
Because business needs more than love alone,
It takes talent, and smart moves to build your throne.
If you hire the hood, or not, get the best—do it right,
Choose the ones who bring the fight and the light.
Help each other grow, help each other thrive.
That’s how you keep the dream alive.
It’s always good to give people a chance
But, it takes the right people to make your job enhance.
The same time you’re giving people equality
Make sure your getting people who can put out good quality.
A withered hand,his body frail
Where once formidable strength
had been,
He still had a cast iron will,
but there was so much
that stroke had stolen
By: J.N.R Dutton
If only time could turn around,
To days where love, like rivers, found,
The laughter shared in sunlit haze,
Where hearts would dance in joy's embrace.
If only I could grasp once more,
The fleeting moments we adore,
To steal a glance, to hold you near,
And quiet all the creeping fear.
I'd turn the hands of time in flight,
To bask in warmth of sweet delight,
No shadows of regret to trace,
Just memories in a warm embrace.
Yet time, it flows; it won't relent,
And leaves behind what we lament,
But still, in dreams, you linger near,
In whispers soft, I hold you dear.
If only time could go back still,
I'd weave our hopes with iron will;
In every heartbeat, love would grow,
Together bound, forever flow
Yesterday’s Wishes 6-25-24
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday’s Wishes
Yesterday’s wishes never grow stale,
Immortal dream walkers glint in platinum.
Fresh hope with wings, like moonbeams in a mason jar,
Nudges wrinkled wishing stars
To capture a prayer implored on the first star,
Slipping through starlight on a chivalrous quest
Determined to take destiny outside the ephemeral.
One fluttering penny never scarred by disbelief
Lives in moments of perpetual could.
A breath, ever new, kisses Heaven
On a still pond without wrinkles
With a heartbeat that shakes time and astronomy
By blasting beyond algorithms and black holes
Into the unexamined fantastical.
Ever youthful wishes charge past the iron will of probabilities
When heartbeats flutter outside of mortality.
Possible stomps on the impossible in resurrection
Grabbing Eden’s fragments, fancies of faith,
As yesterday’s wishes belong to eternity
And live in a forever dawn waiting to bloom.
In halls of our reluctant destiny.
We fight through hell to be free.
Imbued with the Iron will of steel.
Realty of horrors becomes real.
Broken into many anguish shards.
As bloody darkness tries to tear us apart.
Slowly hells echoes fade from the light.
A gentle cool wind blows away this fright.
Shards of pain are knitted into one.
To never be the same, forever gone.
The trees sway as dawn breeze breaks.
Horror of evil atrocities lies at our feet.
We bow in sorrow hearing mournful cries.
Painful truth reveals their treacherous lies.
Warm compassionate Love are here to heal.
The oppressed cannot believe salvation is real.
Wars of many sorrows will end.
As one, Love and peace will begin.
Prepare
Stretch
Then lift
Dumbells and Barbells
Up and Down
Focus and Concentrate
Let a Personal Trainer illustrate
Pain and Gain
Results will show and remain
The mirror will show the proof through the efforts
Your clothes might become loose
Body Chemistry in effect
The better you
Exercise in follow through
This is what pumping iron is all about
You probably doubt
Pumping iron will work it out.
He has ventured the deadly avenues unscathed,
the look on his face rivals the bronze heroes.
The drape of his clothes displays a straight back,
fit for the iron will of a righteous man.
Passerbys stop and notice his commitment,
a laserlike focus of deadly intent.
The villain can see he has no chance to win,
yet thinks he can turn the ending around.
Depending on the power of textbook tricks,
he employs his final underhanded strike.
But the moment cries for long-awaited fate,
when evil receives the golden gift of loss!
If only I had the will to fight it
a sword to smite it
an injustice to right it
a famous quote to cite it...
But of late I teeter and totter
bumble and stumble
creak, 'cos I'm weak
drop the ball or fumble...
If only I could take a pill
to restore my iron will
to bring back the thrill
to leap for joy with verve and skill...
But we both know there's no such pill
not in valley low or high on hill
So what to do? I guess I will
capture lost glory with a quill
No more to fight it!! ~ Just to write it!
June 13, 2023
Entry in John Lawless'
DON'T FIGHT IT - WRITE IT
Poetry Contest
The swordsman stood with pride and grace,
A glint of steel upon his face,
His sword, the finest ever made,
A thing of beauty, none could evade.
The blade, so sharp, it cut the air,
A sight to see, so rare and fair,
Its edge, so keen, it could slice through,
Anything that came into view.
The hilt, adorned with gems and gold,
A masterpiece, for all to behold,
Its elegance, divine and true,
A work of art, it shone anew.
The swordsman wielded it with skill,
A master of the blade, with iron will,
His sword, the envy of all around,
A treasure, so fine and renowned.
No foe could stand against his might,
For with his sword, he won the fight,
The most elegant, beautiful, divine and sharp,
A true masterpiece, the swordsman's harp.
Amidst the trials of history's flow,
Two leaders rise, with strength aglow,
Their nations' fate upon their back,
They stood, steadfast, with unwavering tact.
One, a name that echoes still,
FDR, the man with the iron will,
Through Great Depression and World War strife,
He led his nation, gave it life.
The other, a man of more recent days,
Joe Biden, with his own unique ways,
A steady hand in uncertain times,
A leader with heart, and with reason that chimes.
Like FDR, he bears a weighty load,
A pandemic, a nation, a world to uphold,
And through his actions, his words, his deeds,
He offers hope, and helps to meet our needs.
Though time may yet obscure their mark,
Both leaders share a vital spark,
A spirit of service, a drive to lead,
That sets them apart, in thought and deed.
So here's to FDR, and here's to Joe,
May their legacies forever glow,
For in their leadership, we see
The promise of what we can be.
Bold King Leonidas and his band of brave men,
Marched forth to meet their fate at Thermopylae's glen.
The Persian army, vast and fierce,
Hailed arrows down with deadly pierce.
But Leonidas stood tall and firm,
A Spartan king with a heart that burned.
He fought with might and with great skill,
And led his men with iron will.
Their shields held strong against the foe,
As they struck back with a mighty blow.
For three long days they held the line,
Against the odds, they fought divine.
Though outnumbered and outmatched,
The Spartans fought with valour unmatched.
Their bravery and sacrifice,
Became a legend that would never die.
ask for steel
iron will be there
like an old socket
new socket
brand new
getting used to
a God granted
steel socket
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