Keeled Poems | Examples

A Story You'll Surely Adore

      ~ A Story You'll Surely Adore ~ 
              ('Suicide's a Pain')

     As I was about to enter the store
       I was smacked by a malfunctioning door
     Without so much as the slightest warning 
       or a perfunctory good morning 
     
     Astonished more than stunned
        I took off at a brisk run
     to inform the manager-on-duty
        of the door that had greeted me so rudely… 

     When I’d finished my story, to my utter surprise
        the manager muttered: “Lies, lies, nothing but lies”
      My jaw dropped and I exclaimed, “Why? Why? Why?”
        the manager replied, “We’ve an epidemic of spies”

     “Spies from our competitors,” he continued
         “that’s why we smacked you upside your head”
       In disbelief and rage, I said, “Well, I never” –
         pivoted right back into that door ~
                                      and keeled over dead

Seeds

in soddening tempest
and billowing gale
i stand and plead with God
for drought

feet rooted in scuttling sand
wind-swept grains thrash at my face
i stand and plead with God
for typhoons 

one day i wake up
keeled over in shallow puddles
brought to a boil 
by a horizon's line of sun 
a flower sprouts by my open palms 
and i ask God
for seeds

dancing to a different beat

she guards her feelings
represses them so deep
they'll never see the light of day

in a world not even-keeled
she gets by without a care
or so it seems
drama will not phase her

try as they may to reel her in
she nods politely
and carries on
choosing inner balance



AP: Honorable Mention 2024

Rainbow Twins Were Amazing

Rainbow twins were balancing a ball the first time I met them.
This seemed to be an effortless feat; and it amazed me.
I followed their careers, and they continued to be surprising.
They balanced life as easily as they balanced the ball.
Even-tempered, even-keeled, disciplined and responsible.
Many people tried to hire them, but they were particular.
Waiting for the right opportunity, looking for a company that was amazing.
They held off on careers until they each had a perfect “fit”.
And who could blame them?

Conversation With the Park Shaman

A woodhacker rattles like wolf-jaws, 
A dog's appetite has just died 
There's blood in those graphite-green curtains 
Duck Islanders howl of a homicide. 
There's a murder of crows in The Three Trees, 
Where the Sky's Ties are tethered away 
The water's been kissed for the first time 
And the sun's lips have no more to say.

But the Stormwood has hissed back to sleeping 
Gunpowder Grove murmurs, 'match'
The Twig-Ink is scrawling black symbols
Like Maggie Pie scratched on our latch.
Grandad William keeled like a lever,
Dug his heels sprung the Wheels in Giant's Back
And the Red Cave began to make music 
And the timber talked in Tumble-Down Shack. 

It means that the summer is humming
Its footpeople wait on my hands
The Silkwitch is building a ladder 
Rippling gold rungs through the grass. 
When the light's right, like now, you can climb it
Through Horruary's cheek to the sun
Til the Fat-Ranch and chewing of winter
Are just gold stuff below 
In the land of the How Far We've Come.

Before We'Re Born

Before we’re born, some things are set,
Like certain traits that we will get.
Will we take risks? Will we be shy?
Be even-keeled or quickly cry?

Will we excel in sports or art?
Will music bloom within our heart?
Will friends come or will we be prone
To spending lots of time alone?

So much of how we interact
And what we love or hate, in fact,
Is predetermined to be so
Way back when we’re in utero.

There's a Bloke In This Museum Dressed As a Cannonball

the kids are going nuts
one almost keeled over

one inquires about the whereabouts
of the large-caliber pipe pistol

one gives the spheroid
a handshake and hug

the arm like an tartarean
eclipse with a surreptitious

star-nosed mourning
mole on the end of it

one gives the projectile
a high five, invented by a

basketball player with
four fingers 

but what about him?
who is he under the 

cycloidal velvet? how did 
he get this gig?

did he expect models
draped over vintage tanks?

rubenesque ladies straddling
the missiles?

can he take the costume home?
who is responsible for it's wash?

does he put a cancer stick 
in his touch hole in the car park?

does his lady-indoors
own a rammer?

he wishes the day would end
go home for a grapeshot

that he could be elevated 
at forty-five degrees 

and sent airborne towards 
the automatic doors

Thanks

T There were days when I drowned my pain in a bottle

H Hailed void numbness oblivion as the only solution

A Absconded from life’s promise on a treacherous path

N Naked and bare to my bones coveted sweet demise

K Keeled over in darkness and snubbed good advice

S Safe in the knowledge that not even death would last


T Then pivotal blessings appeared in apparent disguise

H Her words became callous abusive hurtful and vile

A And my wife and drinking companion set out a trap

N No kindness and I drifted between anger and sorrow

K Kidnapped and slaughtered on tempting funeral pyres 

S Succumbed to a journey of grueling lonely reflections


T The signs had been obvious but my vision was blinded

H Hemlock would not give justice in my desperate cave

A Attacks on my vices shortcomings defeats and destruction

N Nurtured self respect and healing from bedlam and madness

K Killing my own demons left me with no choice but regrow

S Surrender to search for another version of my blighted Self



27th June 2020

Knock Knock I'M Not Dead

I was taking a nap
And some old chap
Closed the coffin as he heard angels sing
Knock knock who's there
It's me! I'm not dead
Now open the damn lid to this thing

He fell to his knees
Took off his cap
And uttered a few words for my soul
I was banging and shouting
Freaking him out 
He was fast losing total control

I managed somehow
To break open the lid
And sat up and glared at this chap
By now he was babbling
In a strange foreign language
Running around eating his cap

Leaped down to the floor
Dusted myself off
Got ready to get on with my day
Heard him gurgle
His face turning purple
He keeled over dead and I prayed

So I picked up this chap
Lifted him into the coffin
And closed the lid once again
But now it was me
Who heard banging inside
Must be a serious glitch in my brain  

Knock knock who's there
It's me! I'm not dead
Now open the damn lid and you'll see
The words that I heard
As I got on my horse
And galloped away from the scene

Mustard, Pepper and Custard

If you're harried, befuddled and flustered.
And your life tastes of pepper and mustard.
Don't abandon the field,
and remain even-keeled.
You will soon get a spoonful of custard.

Our Routine

"Its the little things we take for granted,
 Like when our routine is discombobulated

For there is comfort in the repetition,
Knowing exactly the steps of your redundant actions

Whether it is your morning routine,
Or how you order your caffeine

The morning chat with friends,
And the friendly replies you depend

Your “boat” is even keeled,
Void of any upheaval

Until you get thrown a wrench,
Then the routine up and went

Anxiety goes up,
Anxiousness is the result

The order of your way,
Is now in disarray

As if bucked from your saddle,
Yes....you are rattled

Take a deep breath,
Patience is your quest

To unwind the issues,
And balance you too

For this moment will pass,
It’s interference can’t last

For order overcomes chaos,
And our routine won’t betray us

Because this time YOU control,
And it’s world is all gold

Nuggets of satisfaction and peace of mind,
 Because inside the safety of our routine its sublime"

Pain All Gone Mr Dentist

I knocked tbe door hands were shaking
just come in ... my knees were quaking
keeled over in a huddle
looked up.... I need a cuddle
my dentist asked...teeth are aching

no I replied pain is no more
open wide let me just make sure
quickly he taps the molar
right out of chair i did soar
straight across room and out the door.


penned 12 January 2019

Sewing Machine

Sewing machine, long idle, gathers dust
Its graceful frame a filigree of rust
Needle, naked pointing to its resting place
A symbol of the toll all life will take

Sunshine streams surreal through silent space
Past the broken stone that was a window case
Beams of sunlight scatter wildly in their blame
Illuminating memories of pain

Love's last hallowed hiding place reviled
Beneath the jagged glass where once they keeled
To ask a witless god for sacred grace
And pray for revocation from this place

The battles ended long ago with no peace won
Lifeless soldiers buried neatly in the sun
Stars and crosses left to mark the empty space
Where lust consumed the last of love's embrace

Daylight sinks below the hollow gloom
Of lonesome darkness strewn across this room
The war years seemed like only yesterday
When history played out its terse cliché

Spirits stalk the dead to join in sin
'Till candles sputter, spent - now dark within
The stars give up a silent last cerise
And darkness fills the emptiness with peace

written 2018.10.22

Angry People Ain'T Nice

Angry people aren't nice, makes sense if you have  a big nose
Must be an even-keeled individual to stay on your toes
Play it cool like me
Be a more relaxed thee
But okay to be angry if you can't find your hose I suppose

My Yeti

MY YETI

I have a giant sized Yeti
I keep it quite well field
While searching for spaghetti
Instead, I found an orange

It was only halfway pealed
So I put it in a potato sack
With a possum I had keeled
I decided to invite my neighbor

To share a mill with me
He asked what we were having
I said, jest weight and sea
He declined my invitation

Said he had a lot to due
I mite have some left over
If sew, I'll make sum stew
He said, okay, I'll sea ewe

So I hung up the fawn
Cooked my possum quite well dun
And dined till it was gone
All my neighbor gets is jest a pile of bones

29 November 2017 for Viv Wigley's Food Fight contest

• Short Keeled Poems
• Famous Keeled Poems
• Best Keeled Poems
• Read Keeled Poems
• Long Keeled Poems
• Keeled Quotes