Long Staggered Poems
Long Staggered Poems. Below are the most popular long Staggered by PoetrySoup Members. You can search for long Staggered poems by poem length and keyword.
In nineteen eighteen there was an outbreak of flu
Caused little concern, only affected a few
But it returned with a vengeance later that year
And the world over it caused widespread fear.
First reported in Spain, and around the world spread
When it was over, fifty million people were dead
Hospitals were stretched and they struggled to cope
For both young and old, there wasn't much hope.
It affected the lungs and caused skin to turn blue
Only comfort was given it was all they could do
In effect it caused people to suffocate
And continued to spread at an alarming rate.
People advised to avoid crowds and to wear masks
They struggled to perform even basic daily tasks
Remote areas in the world were affected too
By this airborne killer virus, the great Spanish flu.
Effort's were made to slow down this disease
But slowly and surely it brought the world to its knees
Shops opening times were staggered all over the lands
People strongly advised not to shake hands.
Undertakers were struggling to cope with demands
Families' buried loved ones with their own hands
Healthy men and women and children too
Were all falling victim to the great Spanish flu.
Because of World War One, doctors were few
And those that were available, many fell sick too
Temporary hospital's set up in schools or church hall
With many brave volunteers answering the call.
They closed many schools, services were hit too
With workers struck down by this merciless flu
Late nineteen nineteen the virus reached its peak
Immunity grew stronger but it still struck the weak.
Sadly mankind had suffered and paid a great cost
To the great Spanish flu with millions of lives lost
The pandemic was now over, survivors started to thrive
But were mournful of the millions who did not survive.
Written 4th April 2018.
( Dedicated to the fifty million people who died
in the Spanish flu pandemic in the years 1918 to 1919. )
he entered the room as if rice was about to boil over,
seeing faces of those he didn't recognise look as though
they were reading the last line of a book they never read
before, staggered, asymmetrically pensive in times during
coffee servings and bites from donuts, but, given that it
was only midday, the flavour of the waitresses grumbled
in overlapping office lunch hours. little did our hero, who
entered with arched cat-back whiteness, know, his un-
expected audience, delivering blank verse in motor-
cycle and side-car loads, were systematically only there
to make up the numbers, merely propping up the inward
burst of off the street heart attacks, the last hope of ever
thwarted reasoning and too the waitresses were cardboard.
I went out in the sunshine
to feel a little glow~
but Texas cranked the thermostat
to way above “too low.”
My forehead felt like frying eggs,
my cheeks began to bake,
my brain said, “Girl, we’re melting,”
like a marshmallow on a stake.
I tried to walk with dignity,
but staggered like a mime~
the sun was doing the hokey-pokey
with my sense of space and time.
My vision wobbled sideways,
my thoughts turned into soup,
I swear I saw a tumbleweed
perform a hula-hoop, loop-de-loop.
And if you hear me muttering
about dancing sycamore trees~
just pat my arm and hand me
a cold drink, pretty please.
I wonder what the people thought
who did not know the prisoner's name;
so many men had staggered by
in public solitude and shame,
what was He more than other men
who had walked outside the walls to die,
and those with tears who followed Him--
do not most dead leave some who cry?
I wonder what the children thought,
who just a few short days before
had waved palm branches in the street,
crying, "Hosanna, to the Lord!"
Why was the kindest man they knew,
who understood their ways and needs,
bearing a cross through Jerusalem
like those who did unrighteous deeds.
I wonder what the soldiers thought
who rudely mocked a silent king;
how many flogged and tortured so
had never spoken anything?
Was only one of all who stood
on guard for Rome to watch Him die
able to say with contrite heart,
"This is God's Son; He did not lie."
I wonder what the women thought,
the ones who would not hide in fear
but followed even to the cross
to watch him die through veils of tears.
Did they not know that He could take
their dreams safely through death with Him
and on the third day rise again
triumphant over death and sin.
I wonder what we would have thought
in our self-righteous ignorance;
what role would you or I have played,
if we had known such circumstance?
Would I have been a Pharisee,
or just a stranger passing by,
Herod, Pilate, a Roman guard,
or a Mary on the day Christ died?
© Faye Lanham Gibson, 1987
VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH
Death blew his misty breath at me
And I trembled in the cold,
Feelings frozen, I stood affixed,
My heart encrusted with salty crystals...
At that point, the blanket of God's promises
Covered me, empowered me
And warmed my soul from within.
Death placed his heavy hand on me
And I crumbled under the load
Crushed and crestfallen, I staggered,
My being burdened with the deadweight...
At that moment, the strength of God's presence
Secured me, reassured me
And sustained my spirit with hope.
03.15.18
In a green meadow upon a Swiss hill
Was a shepherd looking after his sheep
A lone grey wolf came looking for a kill
Hans turned sharply and looked in disbelief .
Picking up his crook he charged at the grey
His flock were bleating and ran off in fear
It was now life or death, no other way
The wolf started howling as Hans drew near.
Swinging his crook hit the wolf on the head
With a loud yelp he staggered and fell down
Hans struck repeatedly till he was dead
Feared more would come ran to alert the town.
His swift action saved all the towns livestock
He's now known as the saviour of the flock.
Written June 27th 2019.
Pie Eyed (for The Night Before Contest)
Twas the night before Christmas and I’d lost me house
I had to get home and sneak past me spouse
She’d sent me to purchase a dozen mince pies
I never expected to meet with the guys
So kicking and screaming got dragged down the pub
And entered the draw for a hamper of grub
If I didn’t win, she’d find out my sin
And my Christmas dinner would be in the bin
Had a few beers and then a few more
The tannoy announced it was time for the draw
Yippee, I won it, but didn’t win big
I opened the basket and had a good dig
About as much use as a bucket of dung
Biscuits for cheese, soup, pilchards and tongue
Checked out the clock and resigned to my fate
I staggered off home in a right wobbly state
Not finding one’s house might seem rather bleak
Perhaps I should mention we’d lived there a week
And then there it was, front door open wide
I nipped up the stairs once I’d nipped inside
Then I found the bedroom door slightly ajar
My wife’s standing there in her panties and bra
But then I thought, ‘My wife ain’t got shapely thighs’
And that’s when her husband punched out me mince pies
So blackened and bruised, with my own doorbell rung
I suffered the wrath of my wife’s wicked tongue
28 November 2018
The Night Before Contest
Sponsor - Joseph May
AROUND THE WORLD IN ….
Phileas Fogg sought to amaze
And circle the world in eighty days
Long before the plane
One night, in an alcoholic state,
I bet I could do it in twenty-eight
Using boat and train
I didn’t give a lot of thought,
Just staggered to the nearest port
And sailed to Spain
When I recovered from the booze,
I found myself in Santa Cruz.
In future I’d abstain
I’d bitten more that I could chew.
If only I had Passepartout
To take the strain
Stone cold sober I was sure
I shouldn’t travel any more
My wager was insane
Who cared if people laughed at me?
The bet was only 50P.
I sailed back home again
4th May 2022
Tall Tales 2 poetry contest
Sponsor - Jeff Kyser
THE DUNMURRY INCIDENT
There’s a big row going on in Dunmurry
And the whole place has come to a stop
There’s a war going on with the girl who makes cakes
And the bird in the newspaper shop
They both fancy Taxi man Terry
Though Newspaper Nell saw him first
Yet it seems he’s enticed, by Puff pastry Pat
Now poor Nell is fearing the worst
Pat has been seen tempting Terry
With her big baps, and choice of cream cakes
Poor Nell can’t offer those fanciful things
But she’s willing to do what it takes
Then Pat hit Nell with a doughnut
So Nell thought she’d better give chase
She walloped poor Pat, with an old Sunday Life
Then rubbed newsprint all over her face
Pat staggered back to the bakery
And she brought out a large lemon pie
It went over Nell’s head, and into her ears
Some even went into her eye
Nell made a soft muted whimper
From the sting in her eye I suppose
She reached in her pocket, and that’s when aul Pat
Got a triple A, stuck up her nose
Well the cops, they arrived in a hurry
And they pulled the two ladies apart
So peace was restored to the village
And poor Terry, he had to depart
128 Words Poem
Ice Crystal Chimes
Staggered shapes of ice crystal chimes dripped pools on the concrete floor,
Cut of pink stones floating as castles in the air,
Drive on torrid wind, no stopping here, pour beneath the sea of din,
Passing through gated entranceways of marbled halls,
Echo soft slippers off steps between the walls,
Enchanted evenings roar when sun shines up the mist,
A forever garden in the courtyard with bushes of hibiscus,
Then sunsets ablaze, that’s bright and brazen,
If heaven could talk, this golden city is a haven,
Moon swept shadows illuminate night, Upon bold construction, up many flights,
The labyrinth occurs for time on repeat,
While porticos of shade escape the heat,
Voices call come down, homeward bound,
Salads and pot lucks bring them together,
Counting on sunshine pleasures!