Killick Poetry Contest
Craig Cornish
The weight of his dog on his mind
There were no makeups, makeovers
… there was a makeshift as death was calling
One sacrifice that could save his family
Out of reach, out of breath, out of gas
The boat rocked with the crashing waves
With the regular anchor broken
He said his Hail Marys and passed
The rocky shoreline begged for prayer
It was low tide in the most figurative way
As the white crest of waves fought the jagged rocks
Father, mother, and three kids kneeled at the altar
As the family pet that stood vigilant earlier
... now gone along with a lifetime of tears
About 100 yards from doom, the dog came to rest
Seagulls flying above are disappointed
(“The Big Wave”, 2023, original encaustic)
Mayday, Mayday!
Mayday, mayday, Captain,
The ship is sinking
The ship has capsized
While everyone was sleeping.
As governments around the world are falling
A lack of confidence swells the tide
Those in power, corrupt and scheming
In panic stick their fingers in the dyke.
While on the streets the crazies crawling
The good and brave are tried for trying
To stem the swamp and sewers rising
As everyone just prays for rain
What was, can’t hold
On a ground that’s shifting
Once bitten, twice shy
The people learning
Awake, awake, the captain’s calling
As I roll in my bunk still dreaming,
Beam me up Scotty,
Quickly mate, I fear I'm drowning…
(12/8/24)
M'aider … Mayday, comes from French,
that word, with fright, I radio,
my engine dead, this nighttime glide,
vast sky and ocean black as ink,
waves rising, lapping, leaping up
until the splash, wings ditching in,
a frantic swim, inflating raft,
my sea-soaked struggle to climb in
then drift and bob through endless dark,
despair and chill a numbing pair
while drooping, dozing, nodding off …
then through his succor of weak sleep,
the sea's east edge grew limned with white
and stars lost vigor in dull sky,
its gray, faint light caressing him;
he gasped and jolted, jumped awake,
aware hope rises with pale glow,
that pastel-pink renews all life
and rescue, soon, will be at hand!
Oops! wrong planet. Stop the earth, I want to get off!
Almost died myself the 1st of May, 2 years ago,
Seizing as I had another death of my ego.
Flashing forwards to first 4 days of May just a year ago,
I lost a cousin all because of sins of "the ego."
Suddenly remembering my grandfather who passed 2 years ago,
I recall how he was born post-war on Cinco De Mayo.
That's almost as good as sex, heard someone say
Bite your tongue, you silly, there's absolutely no way
Sex sits at the top
How could you forget
Steam from your ears screaming “Mayday!”
MAYDAY! MADAY! MAYDAY!
Can anyone hear me!?! Over...
This is the USS American Liberty…
We have capsized in the sea of despair...
coordinates...21st century, 45th U.S. President...please send emergency hope, over...
MAYDAY! This is a MAYDAY!
We have but a few short weeks of rationale
before sinking into an uncharted abyss...please respond! Over....
PLEASE! SOMEBODY! MAYDAY!WHERE IS EVERYONE? The fabric of our identity was founded and built and broken and mended again on the frequency of a decent and lawful society, has the country left the whole band to follow one trumpet? Is it......over? Over….
~Jeannie Cronin
Mayday tomorrow,
but the pole has been toppled,
the good earth churned by munitions,
and then seeded with Claymore mines.
There will be no dancing on rubble ruins,
as we bury desecrated corpses,
this year’s harvest will be lean.
That's almost as good as sex, heard someone say
Bite your tongue, you silly, there's absolutely no way
Sex sits at the top
How could you forgot
The steam you emit from your ears screaming “Mayday!”
© Jack Ellison 2015
First day of May
When people gather in one circle
Workplaces become so quiet
But streets and junctions so noisy
Public facilities at stake
Also wives and kids
The aspirations come on behalf of God and human right
Labor right
Conveying to the authority and the power
The employer and rich men, being lose
As if lose
First day of May
The day people strive for being more human
Being richer, more powerful and recognized
May refreshes Nature once more,
awakening our taste for love.
With Spring's arrival, spirits soar
as high as the heavens above.
Wildflowers sprout into the bright,
rich, majestic colors of Spring.
And green replaces Winter's white:
while songbirds start to tweet and sing.
Gathering canes of wild roses,
we'd weave wreaths to hang on the door.
While girls in sensual poses
had all the boys begging for more.
Joy-filled sounds of laughter and play,
promoted Spring festivities.
And my memories of Mayday
include all such activities.
haiku
squirrel in my garden
roots for his acorns
mayday in April
Although today’s the first of May,
It’s not the Mayday! people say
When they are under great duress
With stress they really can’t suppress.
This is a day to smile and prance
And frolic in a Maypole dance.
The sun is up, the flowers out
And spring is what it’s all about.
The Mayday! message, from the French,
Makes furrowed brows and teeth that clench.
Do not confuse these Mayday twins –
One causes tears, the other grins.
And so today, on May the first,
In jubilation, be immersed.
The one-word Mayday! set aside
For when its use is justified…
Mayday
Mayday there's been a breach
of contract
Someones not who you think
they are
There putting on a right act
Did you see it comeing
No?
Me neither sir
Well it dosent mater now,
Either way it's causing a stir
Theres sharks amongst theese
waters
And the ships about to sink
Where do we go
It's hard to know
When your hearts pounding to
hard to think
And now there's silence in the
air
A deadly form of torcher
If they say life's an unforgiving
*****
Then this silence is her
daughter
I think that was the captin
'givin out his orders
But what dose he know?
He got us here!
And now we are drifting into
unsafe borders!
Shall we throw him overboard?
"and tie his 'ands and feet"
Or shall we give him the
greatest punishment
Make him accept defeat
You know he'll never do it
But now dose he have a choice
Because ..
Theres sharks amongst theese
waters
And the ships about to sink
Where do we go
Its hard to know
When your hearts pounding to
hard to think
As a child at play
In the merry month of May
Wallowing the hours away
As one would surely say
Lying neth old sweet gum tree…
sipping a glass of sassafras tea
A pork chop tied to my neck you see…
possibly the dog will play with me
The sky is my dominion galore…
Blue infinity of divinity and more
A thunder head rumbles with a roar
Childhood imaginations explore
Ole Brownie at my side
Constant companion abide
The heart of hog dog inside
Now roams heaven with pride
One day my own Adamantine
Will see again this dog of esteem
Many frayed earthly forms I’ve seen
And blossoms of May in beauty’s esteem
by John Moses Freeman
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