Knapsack Poems | Examples

pretty brick a brack on the old shack

Pretty brick-a-brack on the old shack
across the porch all the way to the back
delighting Zack who has a design knack
next to the door was a fire place plaque

I looks like rickrack said my cousin Mack
There was no slack, or any décor lack
The fine snack served seemed a bit out of whack
I kept one of these chocolate cakes in my knapsack

Panoramic

He said ‘Saving the world’s in your hands.
Look how you sparkle, see how you shine?
So crucial the poet understands,
what pours out of your pores is so fine.’

Upon hearing those words I fell back,
I never believed that I was seen.
That focus on writing’s a fast track.

Sweet and salty breeze so dynamic,
transports you to any place you pick;

Nearby towns extend to far off lands,
you connect through a web so divine;
Across an endless sea to white sands,
harness the power of your coastline.

With a pen and towel in a knapsack 
soak in the ocean’s aquamarine;
Step in the shallows make chaos crack.

Stanzas filled with lines so eccentric,
the Muse tends to be panoramic.

Pre-Determined Donkeys

Donkeys are known for their sheer stubborness;
determination beyond compare.
I see three "saints" for donkeys, nonetheless -
Mary's transport to Bethlehem's square
and Balaam's unique donkey, quite rare.

Mary's donkey is not mentioned per se
in God’s Word, but I don’t think she walked.
Balaam’s donkey saw an angel guarding the way.
After two beatings, he sat down and balked;
and in self-defense that poor donkey talked.

Balaam had not seen the angel’s drawn sword
warning him not to return to Balak.
Now he was told to speak only God’s words. 
And what of the donkey? now on a sidetrack -
I hope Balaam had some treats in his knapsack. 

There IS one more donkey, I should mention,
the one who carried Christ to Jerusalem
near the end of His salvation mission.
The foal of a donkey, a colt bore Him
to His venue of death and human mayhem.

Our Civilization Collapsed

A new day
Without the sonorous 
Songs of songbirds 
And the bustle 
Of busy humans and animals.

The sun struggled to rise,
Struggled to shine,
Weighed down
By the dark couds of July.

The clouds unleashed rain, 
The rain drenched and drained 
Our knapsack of knowledge.

The iron birds 
Could no longer fly,
The medicine men,
The medicine women
No longer know 
The cure for our illnesses,
Our civilization collapsed.

The rain 
Rained in torrents
And drenched our earth
Devoid now
Of our knapsack of knowledge.

Ted wants a Knapsack not a Backpack

Mommy, I do not want a backpack
I want a polka-dotted red knapsack
this annoyed Ted’s father, big Max
All kinds of conformity this child lacks

Knapsacks do not have zippers Ted said.
I don’t want a backpack, he yelled from his bed.
Little compartments are marvelous said Uncle Ed.
I will take a knapsack or nothing, screamed little Ted.

You have a problem, Grandma Martin said to Big Max.
He makes such a big deal about a backpack!
If it’s a knapsack he wants we can do that, Grandma Martin.
We only have a day and a half until he goes to kindergarten.

Irish Farewell

O'Rourke has left Ireland with all he owns in a knapsack.
He is going to America with sunshine at his back.
The Irish soil is dotted with potatoes now turned black.
O'Rourke has left Ireland and he is never coming back.

Amongst the rotting potatoes, a seed has begun to sprout.
On the stem shall a four leaf clover grow, surely there's no doubt.
Soon the rot will disappear. Ireland's luck will turn about.
But O'Rourke is gone for good. Raise a mug and give a shout.

Iselder Ysbryd

So to the waterfront I go,
Heart heavy with the weight of feeling alone,
And there's  all Mcculloch & crew can do, I find,
To settle my soul, to ease my mind.

The world is at peace but my mind is hectic,
I wish
My mind were as copacetic
As the waves.
Still. Ordered. Beatific.

They have paved their place in the world
And I have paved mine.
What is it? You tell me.

My innocence forgone.
It left me long ago;
It packed up its memories, its sentimentality,
In a knapsack of stars,
Pulled on the cozy coat of childhood,
And escaped in the daylight.

At nineteen, I have hit middle age;
No prospects for the future but an early death.
I wish I had the will to thrive,
To shuffle on past the age of twenty-five.

And some days I do, and some days I don't.
The bad outweighs the good, you see,
No motivation to live left in me.

Perhaps if I were a Manic Street Preacher,
(And with a cynical heart I'm halfway there),
I'd turn these thoughts into a song -
But for that gift, my mind is bare.

Two Sorrows and a Lie

You cannot charm away the grim reapers;
No matter how beautiful your slick tongue
Bathes your bottom lip; to give air lippers
‘til oxygen craves your depleting lung,

Because I saw you but once every year,
I forget to acknowledge your grave— mourn.
I keep this anger in my knapsack near;
Moment the next I laugh like a newborn.

I hear of some place north of the blue day
That takes smiles like yours and paints eternal,
With joy of cattle in vast fields of hay
And hearts like the footnotes in your journal.

Knapsack

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9 of the King James Bible

With knapsack of God’s provisions
let’s press toward divine summit
surmounting challenges
of spiritual trek
always!

Carrying knapsack for well-doing* pursuits
let’s strive to reach the promised land
seizing reaching-out opportunities
offered by the Lord
now!

Blest with faith-packed knapsack along heavenly journey
let’s optimize power from the Holy Spirit
fulfilling sovereign great commission 
while sharing the Gospel with love
ceaselessly!

Thankful to the Saviour for blessings’ knapsack
let’s constantly advance kingdom of Christ
marching upward despite hardships
by faith, accomplishing 
quitting never!

Sharing kindness with others from grace-filled knapsack
let’s triumphantly ascend to higher ground
wasting no time midst slothfulness’ bait
seeking for the Almighty’s help
today! 

March 12, 2023
1st place, "Writing Challenge - 'K' Words" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Constance La France; judged on 3/13/2023.

Blind As a Bat

Blind as a bat they used to say as she rode her bike this way and that. I  did 
Love her thick coke bottle glasses and the way she hunched her back when she  
Incited to drive down a one lane street with her head up and her eyes fixed.
No one could have guessed that she was really biking it by memory, as they  
Drove by her, they would honk and say " get out of the street" ....

A lady with very little money, five children and a knapsack full of apples for  
Snacks.  She would drive to school at recess and dole out the fruit to her kids. 

Annabelle Kor was her name and she was my mother, this I say with pride.   

Born a survivor, who had survived the Jewish camps , she knew how to live free
Answer to none but God, she would tell us as they sent her strange looks  
Truth be told I wouldn't have wanted any other mother, she was my hero... 
 
August 11 2022

Dreams Abroad

Dreams run wild 
Can reach outside your home 
Your view and your heart
Anything outside your home 
May be full of expectations 
And possibilities
Anything not in view 
May be full of hopes
Anything outside your heart 
May be more heartening
So you travel with your dreams
And your knapsack on your back
One day you may be back home
With extra happiness
Or with extra sadness
Of course no more dreams
You're back home once more
Once more you're your own self
Dreams abroad are always 
For the young guys
But a home is always a dream land 
For the oldies
Ruling out the old folks home
You will gradually understand
So, please hurry back home love
"They" miss you so

Filled With Hoboism Glee

My heart is filled with hoboism glee
I want to be a vagabond you see
If you want adventure then follow me
Let’s start by climbing this fifty-two foot tree
Pack a knapsack and enough food for three
I am bringing my cat Mrs. Tweedle Dee Dee

Pearl

Strolling along a country road in March
I saw a little kitten, bedraggled, all alone
It hesitated to come to me, back in an arch,
I took from my knapsack an old stale scone.

With a little coaxing it slowly crept toward
And soon I was petting it while it fed,
After a bit, I began to softly whisper a word
Then, it started cuddling into my lap bed.

That was sixteen years ago, Pearl arrived
To spend the rest of her days in my care,
I cannot fully express the joys I’ve derived
With Pearl snuggled against me in my chair.

I knew the day would come when she’d leave
I dreaded it, for we fared as simple mates, 
So, today, as I sit here in my chair and grieve,
At the Rainbow Bridge, I know sweet Pearl awaits.

written March 1, 2022

So I May Dream

Let us curry favor in dog star's
splendid laughing light 
bring the crash of passion's waves
through two arms held tight. 

I carry your wishes in love's
knapsack, strapped close
in tomorrow's hope 
fashioned in new dawn's 
golden charms. 

Bring empathy in touch
understanding where 
once was none, gone 
in sorrow's parting. 

Grant me true sight
unbridled, like a child's 
reaching song.. 
your gleam in smile.

Rein in gallop of 
heartbeat hooves 
grant me sleep
so I may dream.

Peaburger Prairie Dog

There was no activity at all in the prairie on this marvelous day.
Peaburger was happy to be off on his journey, on his sweet way.
Had a knapsack on his back, and warm ideas in his adventurous heart.
He could hardly wait to get away from his ex-wife and make a new start.

Ex-wife had moved back in with her new husband and their kids five.
He did not care if he ever again saw any of these prairie dogs alive.
His ex-wife came to the mouth of the hole and yelled “happy be!”
He rolled his eyes, not caring about her, or her new husband Gree.

I am just too generous, too giving, the always-will-finish-last kind of guy,
He lamented as he walked, talking himself into being meaner with try.
Around noon he got out a peanut, and started to eat with his crackers.
He was promptly surrounded by five hungry spotted nutcrackers.

He rolled his eyes to the sky and asked “Why God? Why me?”
He had given those nutcrackers all his food by a quarter until three.
I'm doomed to always be that kind of guy he lamented to angels above.
Young frisky prairie dog who had been watching promptly fell in love.

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