The sorrows we borrow,
the sorrows we keep—
are debts of the dead,
replayed in our sleep.
Blood writes the tally,
blood writes it in red;
tomorrow collects
what yesterday bled.
The sun drags its shadow.
The sun drags its shroud—
darkness advancing
cowering aloud.
Dry eyes at dawn.
Ashes inbred;
a prayer in the dust,
a prayer for the dead.
The sun flares faintly,
a wound in the sky.
The clouds part briefly,
yet cold will not die.
What was served yesterday
lies rotting today;
a banquet of abstinence,
a plate of decay.
Tears must be borrowed.
Tears must be sown;
the covenant is endless,
the debt as ever has grown.
I am summoned.
I am again sworn—
to gather the blood,
to nourish the thorn,
to water dead flowers,
for sorrow's reborn.
A LITANY OF TODAY'S FROTHING POETIC WAVES
GLORY BE TO GOD
Healing thanks to God,
sun risings, and sun settings;
Each day, a blessing:-
OF PARADISE LOST
Apple fell from tree,
Teasing snake tricked she and he,
Leaving you and me,
Evicted from paradise,
Where all was peace, love, and nice:-
HALTING EVIL WINDS
Horror winds blowing,
Breezing political grief;
God’s halting coming:-
GLORIOUS SUNSHINE
His sunshine lights up
The spirit of each day’s heart;
Come God, light up mine’s too,
Always reflecting your light
In daily labors of love:-
OF ANY AND EVERYTHING
What can God not do?!
Not a question, an answer;
Glory be to God!
There is nothing God can’t do!
Thus, be today’s awareness:-
In tattered stacks I sought my way, through dusty tomes of lore
To trace the steps of yesterday, reflections of a time afore
Where apparitions haunt the mist and tarry for a while
To sadly rue the curs'd path of follies artful guile
A shadowed figure paused paying heed to my regard
And from the silent mien I collected my reward
Oh how the heart in hopeless grip doth dwell upon the fear
Reflected in those empty eyes afar and yet so near
They told of tales aplenty, grim in ways unmatched
Of fated days to come in distant memories past
Of portents and of omens, of misgivings dour repast
In ancient times afore those held in futures grasp
There I marked the warning in somber tides of woe
There I gained in mourning the tears of sorrow left unsown
With heavy heart and troubled mind I went upon my way
From tattered stacks and dusty tomes to seek the light of day
With weary steps I trod the paths so many trod before
Of follies dark and artful guile from curs'd days of yore
Oh Lord, sin has found me on my knees
My hands hold my face to hide me
tears drop slowly from my eyes,
filled with my hearts burden of lies.
He knows where to find me,
and sees the problem here,
He begins his teaching to make it clear.
My fault shone brightly, spiritual eyes open to see
His pain and suffering in Golgotha, nailed to a tree
He took upon the sins of the world,
He did not forget about me,
My burden was taken...........and I was set free.
Live for life
Live for love
Love for keeps
Love for all
All is well
All is good
Good confesses all
Good resides in truth
Truth or consequence
Truth or dare
Dare to win
Dare to conquer
Conquer hate
Conquer fear
Fear no evil
Fear God
God is love
God is peace
Peace rejoices in you
Peace be with you
You hate
You lose
Lose your hatred
Lose your sadness
Sadness drains
Sadness drops rains
Rains are fears
Rains are tears
Tears of joy
Tears of victory
Victory is not for quitter
Victory is for the strong
Strong survives in truth
Strong reaps in strength
Strength is power
Strength is justice
Justice for all
Justice for freedom
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Speech delivers peace
Speech propagates harmony
Harmony is order
Harmony is growth
Growth is multiplication
Growth is addition
Addition is operation
Addition is accumulation
Assimilation is accumulation
Standard of operation
Buzz, buzz, buzzing our work is never done;
gathering the nectar kissed by the sun.
Buzz, buzz, buzzing a familiar tune;
We sing in harmony, throughout the afternoon.
Buzz, buzz, buzzing in a magical ballet;
Our pockets filled with beads of gold, then we fly away.
May 28, 2022
For: Bee Creative Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Matt Caliri
Rhymes validated on Rhymezone.com
Litany
“Please.” “Thank you.” and “Excuse me.” in exile
Replaced by “Give me.” “I’m entitled.” blindness
And, “Just get out of my way.” No style
Rudeness leaves scars. No price tag on kindness.
“I’m sorry.” Never loses honor – face –
A smile won’t overdraw your bank account.
Courtesy costs you nothing – priceless grace
Turn that simmering road rage upside down
Ridicule makes you look just like the fool
Blue words spewed like dirt garner no respect
Put that finger in a pocket – be cool -
Avalanche of mercy in retrospect.
These words my tantrum for today
Try to follow as I stumble on my way.
6-23-21
Contest: Contemporary Sonnet
Sponsor: Charlotte Puddifoot
My soul winks
The place the order of time blinks
Seemingly battered dragging on my Peaceful limbs
I crumble my heart subtle
Subjected to plain ruins
Smoothly rough guild of tiny mischief
O' spare me realisation
The lessons I've learned
That be that not a matter punishment
Click stick to my picture
The blur focus on my face
I pace the disgrace grace my gaze
O' spare me the realisation
Heck brilliant bright
Away from light a near slight
The ray I carry
My soul winks
Splatter or what
The future gains no light
The shrilled tenor
Silences in terror
This me or
A feature of my greedy error
I swallow the shredded grandeur
So lost my end is my endeavour
Sunken I saw the sun came
You were all I've waited for
My darling bright yellow
Your brilliance i wish to burrow
Again am in the middle
But can't decide where to go
My fate is not in my hands
Cometh the hour
Cometh the man,
So came the hour,
His fiasco began.
A litany of lies
Spew from his mouth,
Any leadership qualities
Swiftly went south.
Hubris in spades
But cannot comprehend,
What his people need
He seems quite round the bend.
So what to do
Well we do what we must,
Move forward with hope
For in God we trust.
The truth was revealed…
He knew of Covid-19;
Lying Devil’s son…
She gave fair warning,
Arrogance ignored her name;
She…Covid-19
It’s 2020
Confirmation was last year;
Named, Covid-19
You lying bastard,
Name given…Covid-19
You smirked at her name…
She, Covid-19,
Announced that she was coming;
You said, “no way……”
It’s 2020
Confirmation was last year;
Named, Covid-19
We rebuke your lie,
Truth was in her given name;
Miss Covid-19…
It’s 2020…
Covid-19 arrived last year;
You kept her secret…
Pandemic lying,
Testing November’s waters;
Truth’s tidal wave waits…
Sick pea-cock brained fool…
Scared mean-spirited coward;
Meet lion-hearted truth…
It’s 2020…
Confirmation was last year;
Named, Covid-19
2019 came;
Left dirty baggage behind
A Pandora box…
We will remember,
You ignored Pandora’s box;
We will not forget…
It’s 2020…
Confirmation was last year;
Named, Covid-19…
Pandora’s anger,
Idiot’s audacity;
Pandemonium
It’s 2020
Confirmation was last year;
Named, Covid-19
Pandemonium…
Retribution is coming;
God is on the throne…
Update of "A Litany in Time of Plague"
by Michael R. Burch
THE PLAGUE has come again
To darken lives of men
and women, girls and boys;
Death proves their bodies toys
Too frail to even cry.
I am sick, I must die.
Lord, have mercy on us!
Tycoons, what use is wealth?
You cannot buy good health!
Physicians cannot heal
Themselves, to Death must kneel.
Nuns’ prayers mount to the sky.
I am sick, I must die.
Lord, have mercy on us!
Beauty’s brightest flower?
Devoured in an hour.
Kings, Queens and Presidents
Are fearful residents
Of manors boarded high.
I am sick, I must die.
Lord, have mercy on us!
We have no means to save
Our children from the grave.
Though cure-alls line our shelves,
We cannot save ourselves.
"Come, come!" the sad bells cry.
I am sick, I must die.
Lord, have mercy on us!
HALLELUJAH
Praise be-
God made me
Praise be-
Jesus set me free
Praise be-
Holy Spirit helps me,free-to-be
Praise be-
with new eyes I see
Praise be-
a kingdom child,I,yours,truly
Praise be-
ever,only,Thee
As in worship,these hands I raise
from this mouth,these words in praise
An albertine goodbye
a delicate petalled rose
flutters slowly from on high,
upon the green sward,to lie-
dying without a sigh
Lighthouse Litany
Statuesque and stalwart in your seaward gaze
There's such comfort in your beauty, you amaze!
Seafaring ships lost in wayward windswept seas
Conjures fears of drowning in crews prayerful pleas
As sailors catch sight of your luminous light,
You guide them to safety on a moonless night.
Your gift of guidance upon this rocky shore
Lends soulagement to nightmares of mystic lore.
To many you’re deemed an angel with Lord's light
With your elevated beam into the night.
So beloved also by those upon the earth...
You've earned the honors bestowed upon your worth.
12-23-18
Lighthouse Poetry Contest~Third Place~
Sponsor Eve Roper
The truthful liar mesmerized no one
Even his most fervent followers fell short.
We watched his interchanges which seemed crazy,
And his bragging and grandiose plans abort.
His love seemed wrapped up in his loving buck,
Stealthy snake-like purport with enemies he would consort.
Boom! He was on the TV. Crash! He threw out a tweet.
Snorting, chortling, boredom ripe for a big red port.
We watched him boast and brag, some disgusted be.
Formative finance foreman finds a forever fort.
Political dissonance turning our country upside down.
Misogynist buffoon yelling fake news as a new sport.
Thy vileness and thy nastiness befouls thyself,
Thy fantasticalselfishness flamboyantly galantort,
Reinforces our mindfulness that being President is just a sport.
Lines 1 oxymoron 2 enjambment 3 homographs 4 inversion 5 homonyms
Lines 6 internal rhyme 7 onomatopoeia 8 consonance 9 hyperbaton 10 alliteration
Lines 11 metaphor 12 allusion 13 archaism 14 neologism 15 dissonance
Written 8-19-2018 Contest: A Litany of Poetic Devices
Sponsor: Line Gauthier
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