We
were bright
small fireflies
gleaming at nights
with soft silver wings,
alas bombs rained on us
with poisoned plains our harsh grave,
our magic gone, our show complete
for ever lost to darkness of night
with no prayers, no funeral for us.
By the sea we met,
Sparkling waves that ebbed and flowed,
Music for our love.
Under the roof of sky
Filled in lights of star's
Beneath the shades of moon
Along the sounds of breeze
I made my place
On an edgy cliff.
While listening to the tales
Narrated by grass
Upon the lonely wind
While watching the stars
Gossip upon
The falling meteors
And hearing the songs
Sung by mites
Upon the lovely nights
Made me realize that,
Beauty lies in those darkest times.
I remember when the sun would set,
And before long, workers took their rest.
I recall when the heat would decline
And hush, but not by much.
I recollect those southern summer nights,
Especially in the rural where there was so
Little light and where kids thrilled themselves
With the sight of lightning bugs.
There are things I wish that I could forget.
We never forgot to stay close to home to
Avoid the southern summer fright, because
Some sad souls were not very bright.
Trepidation rumbles beneath my skin ~
A)P: Honorable Mention 2026
Day breaks and days ends
And days spends, away ahh!
Quiet nights depends
Lonely hearts in vain
There's a shadow of doubt
Behind, this world of pain
A light of love all about
Lonely hearts in vain
Quiet nights, lonely hearts
Silent.\nDays of morning souls
Had to come see the start
The quiet nights , those whispers with the wind
And when I think of all the lonely heart in the world within
I say to myself God , I love him
I think the world of him
Pear trees blossoming from farm to farm
I stand here alone , but awaiting his embrace arm to arm
Quiet nights and lonely heart
Bring past memory of days we've part
Quiet nights and lonely hearts
Depended on love my friend
There is a shadow of doubt
Behind the world of pain
A light of love all about
Lonely hearts in vain
Day breaks and days ends
And days spend away
Quiet nights depends
On lonely hearts at bay
7/12/26
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr 2026
I hope the night goes on like this forever
The day never comes nearer
It feels like I have been bound in a cage
Though the keys are in my privilege
It feels good to be alone
In this night me and my phone
I never want to wake up
Never do that stuff and dress up
In my PJs I want to roam around
In the city, in the surround
I do not want to go into the crowd
They are so noisy and so loud
They stare at me while I am in the dark
Let me once fix this and I will spark
I can't face them everyday
Like they gossip and talk about me
They should mind their own
While I grow and work on me
Enjoy solitude,
the best blooms in quiet nights,
stars ignite within.
May, 2002
for the first time in a decade
Sierra Leone slept
without fear.
The night was strange
almost unfamiliar.
Silence returned
like a forgotten friend.
No cities burning
No parents running
No children crying
for names lost in smoke.
Just deep stillness
so pure and sacred
even the stars
seemed to fall asleep.
i remember those nights at my mother's home
when and her brother would team up
and play a ghost game with me and my sister
by wearing the devil's horn that lights up and scare us
the cold breeze at night on rooftop
and there was just silence in the distance
as we were hiding in the dark
not trying to get caught as they were trying to scare us
stuck questioning if someone has feelings for you
unrequited love: I smiled never amazed by what
happens. I doubt if she has feelings for me, I'd question
why. It's probably because she can easily say what she
thinks in such clearity, and do to such affordability's
it can be justified as me being the right guy for her.
I felt the pressure of being pressured into a situation.
I knew for one she is temporay and those
eorminat fixtures in my life
wouldn't understand why I allowed her to position me.
" One of her friends told me a story about her brother
she said when they were small, she put cookie crumbs on
his face while he was sleeping and told there father he
took the cookies' See that kinda stuff just speak
about a person."I aint in know kinda love for real man!"
-------------------------limerence------------------------------------
--------- manipulators who used deceit, flattery, and--------------------------------------------- -----------------emotional pressure to achieve their goals-------------------------------------
She is A-1 singing and all but as a wife I'd think about it.
at night,
i escape to the roof
and count the stars that are present
and match them to a count when my lover was here
every summer brings back memories
when i saw the yearn in those eyes,
begging me to not leave
and promised to the stars in the sky
the sky is same
constellations decorating my night
and moon is still hanging around
except my love has become foreign
On caffeine nights when I study late
And drink for concentration,
I lie awake with open eyes
Dreaming of peaceful sleep.
It’s quiet here now
Except for the cars in the street
Zooming back and forth;
Lions chasing a pack of gazelles.
When the cars don’t zoom past my window,
And the gazelles are silent,
I hear a different sort of quiet,
And can hear myself think.
I lie awake, and my thoughts turn to you,
Images of running with you in fields of heather
Or wet sand between our toes as the tide rolls over our feet.
I listen for your heart and your breathing.
But you are not here.
I think of lying in bed holding you in my arms
Sharing love to Quincy Jones.
The gazelles return – I lose my focus on you.
Sometimes we cry for sleep
Where we can be alone in our beds
Without companionship we don’t know if we want,
But we know we sometimes need.
Poem originally published in All Your Poems Anthology Magazine Summer 2026, The Writers Publishing Company 2026 all rights reserved, ISSN 2977-3822
"What I have learned is peace is priceless." By Poet
S=Stress will
E=Evaporate quickly as one
R=Rests and slows down.
E=Everyone needs a peaceful
N=Nights sleep to recharge.
I=I for one want mental tranquility
T=To give me the freedom I need.
Y=You can also have peace and serenity.
I immigrated to myself
From the land of brave
Left my old life on the shelf
Gave it a long wave
If you ask me how it goes
In my new sweet home -
Life is cheap here, in flows
Like the brook in Castle Combe
You don’t need a job to fill
A precious time you’ve got
Money comes just by the will
I’m not asking for a lot
Languidly, without fuss
The days and nights go by
Sitting back, I watch the stars
Falling from the sky.
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