Long Backtracking Poems

Long Backtracking Poems. Below are the most popular long Backtracking by PoetrySoup Members. You can search for long Backtracking poems by poem length and keyword.


Iron Cafe - Part 1 of 2 Parts

Minuette flew over cobblestones much faster than herself, moving swifter than her thoughts could carry her, to reach their obvious conclusions up ahead. Metal cleated tap shoes made an awful racket racing through the labyrinthine of alleyways.  Sidewalks drew too much attention to themselves with the noise and did not add to the solution she was looking for. 
No one must see her at this hour as she travels down the streets.  Her dark green dress lifted in the wind, just above her ankles, like a mask on open oceans as she sailed in it.  A hint of pure white skirt was barely visible in the dim light. It was night. No. It was day. No. It must be afternoon. No. There is too much dark. It was daytime. I'm sure of that. The sun is simply hidden by the clouds as fog rolls in.
Was it the library or the café that made her frantic?  Longberry is illusive, an easy place to get lost in, along with memories which plays odd tricks that come back to her in circles.

She was heading in the wrong direction.  Minuette must pivot on the moment to rectify that and so desired to run faster than her feet could take her, backtracking from her origins.   Time was running up behind her.  There remained significant ground to cover and to master in mere seconds.  
Archeologists must also eat.  She was famished. The café will have to wait. Her mind is dead set on the library, which had by coincidence just opened up before her sleepy eyes.  It is more important to feed her head.  New books on rocks had just arrived. She was happy and dove right in to read each one, each savory line. 
A crusty old man sat next to her for conversation. He will remain anonymous for the time being. There are many reasons why but moving right along and not to place such a fine point on the matter; she caught her breath somewhere between his bad breath and a smile and the color red, which welled up inside of her like fire.  

An angry index finger came up to touch her cherry lips which parted with a simple "Shh." "We are in the library." She signaled to him to gaze upon the SILENCE sign, prominently on display, Pointed at it confidently to add to his enlightenment.  Such evidence was hoped to change his behavior and his manners.  Enlightenment was not his claim to fame. Not much could be done to change his odor either.
Form: Prose


Anxiety To Me

Isolation, confined, suffocating,

Life's unbearable silence constricting,

You scream but not a sound escapes,

The struggle is real but no one relates,

Not progressing, but not backtracking,

The stillness violating, movement lacking,

Life's burdens weigh heavy on ones heart,

So much so you beg for yours to depart,

The sunshine dances across the sky,

It's something that always passes me by,

Then the moon rises ablaze in the dark,

It's beauty soon ended by the singing lark,

The brakes of dawn marks a new day,

You pray its less grey than yesterday,

Disappointment lingers in the the air as a foul stench,

I thirst for happiness that I'm unable to quench,

Depression, anxiety, heart ache its all pain,

Dark thoughts lurk inside my insane brain,

Only cold blood pumps through each vein,

Is it to late, am i dead inside, from such pain.

Poetry is good for the soul.
© Sarah Cope  Create an image from this poem.
Form: Rhyme

Elected Rejected

Discrediting plausibility 
by shredding their humility 
to a place of vulnerability 
devoured by inabilities 
cowardice incompetence 
showered into consciousness 
empowered causing confidence 
validation found in compliments 
a false sense of accomplishment 
resort to intense punishment 
to knock down their competitors 
who speak of truth not metaphors 
that could reverse their actual course 
see them falling through floorboards 
far from craved credited applause 
a status low as though blackballed 
on salaries always needing more 
survival gifting no rewards 
a personality to be ignored 
social skills which leave them bored 
testing humans to their core 
needing a win but cannot score 
electrical without a cord 
no plug socket or power source 
as management you were assured 
entitlement had power stored 
defensive walls they reinforced 
the canon fire rains then pours 
constant drainage of resource
when liars reign without remorse 
demonstrate through acts of war 
axing allies no friends of yours 
switching sides ending support 
backtracking and invasions fall 
forward thinking backward thoughts 
two faced fronts fights are fought
defend positions within the fort 
saving supply routes to the port 
lowered standards poor results 
lose respect face the onslaught 
enclosing can’t escape assaults
laced with disgrace of dense insults
unsatisfactory falling short 
the cost of power steeply soars 
run out of bullets fight with swords 
sticks and stones not canon balls 
back to basics of infant schools 
learning how the mighty fall 
turns out you might be a fool 
from the authority you adore 
to unemployed and lost it all 
from big and powerful to small 
once important not anymore 
once arrogant above the law 
apparently now unloveable
a tyrant silenced by rivals 
the outlaw downfall locked indoors 
freedom within the prison walls 
abusing boundaries horribly 
so far beyond authority 
explicitly and vicously 
fully of inefficiency 
faults and inability 
soulless animosity 
dethroned without the sovereignty 
lost lonely in unpopularity.
© Nick Trim  Create an image from this poem.
Form: Rhyme

Perfection

“Practice makes Perfect”
It‘s we’re all told.
That if you work on one thing consistently and for long enough
You will have such a solid hold that you cannot get it wrong.
So by that logic, pretty soon, I should be a master at poetry.
As long as I perfect it.
It’s ironic.
While I was writing this poem about perfection
I kept deleting
No, backtracking
No, erasing 
The work I wrote down
like the message I want to convey
Doesn’t want to live on the page I put it on.
It’s like what I think
Won’t put
No, place
No, inscribe
Itself onto the document I'm using to write this.
The letters don’t seem to string themselves 
Together like they usually do.
My mind continues to blank
Even though my thoughts were planned out 
Even though I knew what I wanted to say
Even though this topic
No, idea
No, dilemma 
Is so controversial.
Because we can all agree
Perfection is harder to come by than we first thought.
The definition of perfection is
“The state, condition, or quality of being free or as free as possible from any and all flaws or defects.”
Many people compare themselves to what they believe is perfect 
But that’s the thing,
Perfection is different for everybody.
Yes, the word perfection has a definition.
But that was one of dozens of variants
I could choose from.
So if the word perfection can’t even perfect itself
Then how are we meant to dissect the infection
Of perfect perfection.

Premium Member Random Travel Notes

Booking assumptions and travelling

Be aware that when changing flights you may not get your checked luggage and it may just travel on without you when stopping over. Australia to Dubai, to Africa, the stop over kept our luggage and we were stranded in Dubai with only our carry on. It was unclear where our luggage was being stored or whether it had abandoned its handlers for its own adventure - jet setting off to Africa for a 24 hour carousel ride by itself. Like stray animals escaping the ringmasters and navigating the globe alone. Mostly my friends were put out. Yet I always travel with a spare pair of undies, toothbrush and personal items just in case and this trip was no different. Hygiene habits of the weekend camper who lives on the road and by the guise of 'ya just never know', paid off well. Luggage was not sent on, just stored for our flight the next day. But I had fun giggling about random suitcases, the world of terrorists and lone bag drops and other peoples fear of stray luggage while we sat by the pool. 

Paid off again as I left my bag behind in Nairobi, as we travelled 6 hours to our next destination. Realisation, and a bit embarrassed, but Sisto offered to share clothes - best driver ever. But luggage was organised to be picked up and delivered to some random midway, backtracking location the next day. So all was good. Not really used to people picking up after me, carrying bags and loading the car, so I didn't think to check when I pointed out where my bag was. Lesson learned and all supplies returned without too much of a hitch or personal inconvenience for the man.
Form: Narrative


Premium Member I'Ll Follow His Tracks

I'll Follow His Tracks
By: Tom Wright
11/23/98  

Upon my door a but faint knock,
came late one night.
With door ajar, glancing at the clock,
there stood no one in sight.

But on the ground for me to see,
were footprints, in fresh snow.
They were as if compelling me,
to quickly dress and go.

I sensed at first some childhood game,
but seeing clearly their one way flight.
Whose they were and whence they'd came,
had me curious on that night.

They led me to a distant place,
which was likened unto a cave.
Causing me anxiety and my heart to race,
having the appearance of someone's grave.

I hurriedly left, backtracking still,
through the nights cold breeze.
The tracks appeared going toward a rocky hill,
where I found standing three lone trees.

The tracks seeming now to be smaller,
as farther along I went.
It was as if someone taller,
was somehow being spent.

Following the tracks beyond light of day,
to a lowly stable nearby.
I knew not what I'd have to say,
where I had came, or why.

While feeling quite lost and undone,
and being somewhat cold and worn.
I was told by others of a Son,
who was born this Christmas morn.

Those tracks were left for me to see,
that when this life I depart.
Heavens road will wind through Calvary,
it began with a change of heart.
© Tom Wright  Create an image from this poem.
Form: Lyric

Backtracking

Tunnels cut through a mountain chain,
an unending chain,
a chain that binds;
that twists and turns on itself again,
delivering pain
and darkness that blinds.

At the end of each there is a hope,
a ray of light to which you grope.
When you reach it at tunnel’s end
the next begins as if to portend
the coming of others, unending nights.
The mouth of one the other bites.
As you slip into this endless void
you turn right back trying to avoid
the pitch of blackness and faster than fast,
your wheels turn and pistons thrust,
until the image of the turning wheel
first slows down and then stands still.
It starts again, but spinning back
taking you deeper into the black.
Your whole life becomes this blur,
past, present, future become a slur
and the yearn for eternal rest
becomes a fantasy, a dream at best.

Tunnels cut through a mountain chain,
an unending chain,
a chain that binds,
that twists and turns through another plain
through the living brain
of unsound minds.
Form: Rhyme

Quiet on Silhouette

Florid banshees recoiled, neck and hankering sneer.

A succinctly exuberant suggestion when selective.

Came on, fell flat with laconic ornamentation.

A miniature jaunt, interment; glove comparted.

Pin-striped foxtails attuned tune maddening clairvoyants.

Precisely predisposed, wine-flavored latten tobaccos.

A wooden-tipped juxtaposition, stilling waisted.

Bygone midge nonguarded, slunk olive drabbing on bayou.

Thicken handkerchief lightly dabbing brow.

Darkness entrapment, fiat practice gymnastics.

Money management, coinage magnet, honored in mathematics.

Backflipping,

Backtracking,

Backpacking.

Super-Soaker moisture, quickie; quickly, socks on prickly.

Sloped incline, inside Mount Saint Helens' Slip 'n Slide.
Form: Imagism

Serendipity



Society getting worse cracking due to stupidity

Impropriety online so terse lacking any civility

Notoriety as attacking the diverse with hostility

Perverse aloof piety sacking truths no humility 

 
Climate crisis averse backing fossil fuel futility

Oligarchs ransacking coerce with total impunity

Fracking to fill their purse another commodity

Snacking on the universe… despite its fragility


Hijacking but won’t reimburse any community

Whacking any protest…disperse in perpetuity

As hacking bots traverse at every opportunity

Migrants a curse sent packing as no immunity


No backtracking won’t reverse just absurdity

Won’t converse smacking those in impecunity

Kayaking above while immerse us in toxicity

Stacking Mother Nature on a hearse duplicity

BUT

Democracy averse just gerontocracy senility 

Sacking due to perverse hilarity over polarity

Chapter & verse stop the slop no complicity

Won’t let curse of divinity go on for infinity


Clarity only charity ends gravity of depravity 

Be a friend and nurse so can end the sterility

Go on rehearse and then will find tranquility

Don’t be adverse beyond lies some serenity


Intersperse with small wins…such simplicity

Happiness love & kindness is the holy trinity

Don’t hate frivolity has ability to create jollity 

Does enhance...Americans say happenstance


Generosity and lovely luminosity of curiosity 

A delightful dance of chance I call Serendipity
Form: Rhyme

Fifty Years Ago This December

Fifty years ago this December, I was taken to the nearby foothills, by the scout leader and his right hand helper, to complete part of the tenderfoot test.  It involved successfully tracking the two of them, as I would have studied that part of the scout manual.  It included the elements of backtracking, animal print recognition, and other tracking basics.  Similar to the childhood game of, "hide and seek", I had to close my eyes and count to a hundred.  After the allotted time,  I looked around and saw their tracks heading off into the newly snow dusted landscape.  Thankful for the white stuff that made it easy to see their footprints, I easily followed along, even through the heavier made backtracking tracks.  When the tracks took me under a large evergreen tree, the footprints suddenly ended.  I searched carefully every direction, and scratching my head I was completely confused, until I heard their muffled laughter... just above my head!


pictures of Sherlock
show him inspecting the ground
never looking up  

date:12/18/19
contest:December Haibun 
sponsor: Caren Krutsinger
© Meru Groen  Create an image from this poem.
Form: Haibun

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