Written: September 21, 2026, Week's Poetry Challenge: The Last Word
I walk through silence, flame.
I breathe through sorrow, flame.
I trudge through sludge, flame.
I rise through ruin, flame.
I woo the void, flame.
I stall the scourge, flame.
I stipple the sky, flame.
I indite my hymnody, flame.
I christen the dawn, flame.
I herald horizons, flame.
I nictate through night, flame.
I transmogrify fear, flame.
I outshine the shadows, flame.
I outpace the silence, flame.
I outfly the distance, flame.
I end in endless, flame.
The Question Is
By Frank Daub
How could I have doubted
in that sky-colored look of yours
any
words spilled in the air between us.
With the melting honey fragrance of
your hair
and the litany of intentions filling
the pale luster of your face.
How could I have questioned anything.
Or would it have been less fruitful
if I had not said
that I was not certain.
To give you stronger opportunity to speak
assurance.
It is a young game
that keeps us young and close --
the question is.
And the answer comes from the sky-color
of your eyes –
in a soothing torrent of yes.
Written: July 12, 2026, for a contest sponsored by Karen Jones
Sun spits,
Skin quits.
Heat schemes,
Ice screams.
Bugs rise,
Peace dies.
Sweat wins,
Shade thins.
Air sags,
Grass drags.
Storm broods,
Mood skews.
Clouds glare,
No air.
Fans fail,
Nerves frail.
Nights burn,
I churn.
Days swell,
No quell.
Sky looms,
Room blooms.
Sun mocks,
Time shocks.
I am a child of testimony
A chosen vessel of God
Fashioned to bring Him honor and glory
In my sojourn on this sinful Earth
My birth heralded a testimony of greatness
Growing up was a litany of testimonies
Today I stand as testimony personified
Beautifully and wonderfully made
Sometimes I am troubled
But never crushed
Sometimes I am badly hurt but not destroyed
Sometimes I am plagued by doubt but never in despair
Handle me with care for I am the apple of His eyes
He is with me always and so
You can only be against me at your own peril
For whom God has blessed no man can curse
Let the child of testimony move on
For his mission has been divinely ordained
And woe betide any detractors
Engaged to bring to nought his divine mission!
Litany
A television plays in the background
while a housemate sits on the couch.
The sun through the window
promises another day.
My basketball team lost in the round
of the Sweet Sixteen, a disappointment.
Afterwards I nursed a drink and sang
a Paul McCartney song.
This morning when I walk barefoot
in my office space words stir inside my head.
When in high school I told my dad
writing was all I wanted to do.
Then I laughed when reading Walter Mitty
while sitting on my parents’ couch. Mitty
was a quiet man who wanted life
to be something more.
Now the cat leaps onto my desk
as I write. Is it so crazy to have another
life, I ask. He blinks his eyes.
Today, a day off from a part-time job
after working four-years traveling
for a flagger job for construction crews.
People in writers’ groups know me
for roads I travelled.
Trees at the end of the street
reach for wispy clouds.
I saw a friend last night as she sat
at an art walk and displayed
the stickers she made.
In college, I studied hard
to become a psychotherapist
but through a litany of poems
and songs my life is found.
CHRISTMAS’S GREATEST GIFE
(A Flowing Tanka Litany)
Come, lend me eyes' ears
As I share the truth of Love’s
Real celebration:
The glorification of
God’s greatest gift giving:-
With waters of love,
Let us rainbow our lives:
Reflecting oneness:-
Like the onement of night’s sky,
Let’s glow in onderfulness:-
Like the moon reflects
The shining light of the sun,
Let's reflect God’s Son:
Blessed Love brightly glowing;
Its Trinity enlightening:-
This allegory,
Must become reality’s
Earthly way of life:-
And let us be the parents
Of such glorious birthing:-
Nourishing this birth,
Let’s raise up equality,
And balanced justice:-
Indeed, let’s be grandparents
Of Divine Wisdom’s guidance:-
Gift wrapped and cradled;
God’s gift of humanized Love:
His Spirit—in Christ—Born:-
This Christmas, let us reflect
God’s gift of true birthing love:-
Give God’s Greatest Gift:
Love, wrapped and bow-tied in peace;
Cradled in our hearts:-
Merry Christmas, my love ones;
Thank God for His greatest gift:-
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.
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