My girl grew up in a tank
I didn’t
Victoria, you are more constant
than the reliability of air
You hold me tighter
than true love at its best
my mouth has a mind of her own
she is not assertive, she is aggressive
It is her way or the freeway
She is opinionated beyond the norm
I am well aware of the danger she puts me in
Broken teeth are proof I have gone to extreme measures
Trying to keep her clamped down
and under wraps
Sarcastic and loud, she can get me into all kinds of trouble
Which is why I no longer drink
another explanation for the broken teeth
Too hot.
outside.
Fry egg,
sidewalk.
Big hawk,
dry mouth.
Yes rains
coming.
How hot,
too hot.
Fall is,
waiting.
Hooray!!!
My innocent crimes transcend into sinful mistakes,
While yours roam in circles to stay the same,
Pangs of conscience rip my melting ventricles apart,
When metal-cold claws depart out of your mouth,
And my viscera learns to keep itself together,
When you say your metallic jaggedness was ‘as light as a feather’,
And now, the claw that mauled my heart,roams about my body,
Sometimes in my throat, otherwise in my eyes,
And changes their colour into a red gaudery,
Watery tears flush from my eyes,
While you only notice how fast they sublime,
And so, I wish my tears were of blood instead,
Just so you could see the guilt that relentlessly stabs my head,
But I know it’s of no use,
And I know my efforts are futile,
For my innocent crimes transcend into sinful mistakes,
While yours roam in circles to stay the same.
Peanut butter stuck tight to
the roof of my mouth,
Jelly dripped out and went
traveling south,
Smack went my lips as I tried
hard to chew,
A stuck- together mess that
was purple and blue,
Wisdom says use a fork, but
a sticky hand will do!
Spoke to my mind when my mouth forgot to move.
Said some words and tried to actually understand them, because actually understanding would change something.
Not me, not the person in front of me, but what we are to each other.
But each time, it felt harder to say them out.
The person sitting in front of me, looking for an answer, eyes moving like breeze, cooling me down.
The given flower, held tightly in my hand, making me more drenched than ever.
And still, those eyes looked for an answer.
I tried to get rid of the flower, while it got stuck to my palm as her hands were open.
And I realized I was the one stuck, and I spoke to my mind when my mouth forgot to move.
Grandpa, is that fur in your ears?
AP: 3rd place 2026, Honorable Mention 2026
Sometimes it’s better to open your mouth
But on other occasions, it’s not,
For declaring opinions may often go south,
So decide if you’re taking that shot.
There’s a certain relief when your views are expressed,
Yet it could lead to some confrontation
And you might then regret not just letting it rest,
Thus avoiding a bad situation.
How to know what to do is a balancing act -
Neither spewing nor stewing’s ideal –
Though perhaps, with finesse and a sprinkle of tact,
You can calmly explain how you feel.
“. . .” My mouth tried to say
what had happened to my body
Why hadn't the words
come out of my mouth?
“Hey I need to tell you something”
I said that to my friend
“What is it?”
They replied to me.
“I-I can't remember. . .”
my voice started to shake
“Why can't I remember!”
I yelled
thinking someone. . .
anyone
would know the answer
Months go by. . .
No one can hear me.
Because. . .
I stitched away the mouth
Who couldn't remember
Even if my body could.
Fool a very powerful word,
with four unassuming letters.
Young and dumb in school,
we said we would be best friends forever.
Then came your wedding,
I took you to find your pretty dress.
Your mom and sister were no where in sight.
As your maid of honor,
I stand tall and proud watching over you both.
Your sister came as a guest,
her husband never bothered to show up.
You asked me to keep your lies,
and I did.
My mouth was glued shut,
not a word to be spoken.
Your letter came,
as I read my heart broke into a million pieces,
my fingers were burned from the paper and words.
How could you say these things to me?
Over the many long years,
had I been a fool dressed as a friend to you?
Dear February they say you are all about love but
you make my head swim , letting my own words make a martyr of me
Im terrified of how they sound rolling off my tounge , so I decide not to speak
I dont know how to be loud enough to be loved
I gave you flowers and you return my gifts with madness
while the devil makes a fool of me hiding under my blankets , painting my face red with shame
He knows I'll never make peace with my own desires , but I'll pretend to be brave anyway
I should prefer the truth to emptiness
I dont know how to explain this to you
the reflection that feels nothing
I turn off the light and close the door
God Himself wiped out some Jews.' Moses
Called it.' Before and God carried it through.'
Not all who call Him Lord, will be blessed.)
Each minute from the earth, He does many divest.' Its in Numbers sixteen if you care to
Read? Verses thirty one through to thirty three, educate your self.. Let your Conciousness have a feed.'
Mouths should come with zippers
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
Poem Form: the Vesper Step
"The dust is dancing slow,"
"I caught a heavy sigh,"
"We have nowhere else to go,"
"And learned the way to fly."
"Your velvet coat is heavy, dark, and deep,"
"I promise I will watch you while you sleep."
"I love the way you steal the breath away,"
"I love the way you beg for me to stay."
"But why are you erasing every sound?"
"To keep the secret that we keep."
"I'm buried under ground."
"Go back to sleep."
Oh.
To the one who runs off points with puzzle,
Who never give head to a racing mind,
At the silence of a night but guzzle
Words... more than check could balance doubting kind.
To the one who feel sad after words' treats,
Who never make legs strong to walk boldly...
At the faces of buzzing yet calm streets,
Words can not champion through deceit coldly.
To the one who fear defeating words' chants,
Who never was built for one to man lot...
At the peace of reigning beast's loyal grants,
Words- foaming up sheep to kill raging plot.
I gave silence to a mouth jogger's tongue;
Old refilled blank words of swollen loud lung.
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