a warm embrace
deflating the loneliness
of oncoming fall
AP: Honorable Mention 2026
Submitted on November 1, 2025 for contest 1423 SENRYU sponsored by BRIAN STRAND - RANKED 8TH
I asked for milk
You threw a stone
I asked for a friend
You made space for ALONE
I asked for connection
You showed me rejection
I asked for beauty
You tethered me to duty
I sat in my grief
Walls all around
My neck broke
Where I was bound
TRUTH arose out of lies
LOVE heard all of my cries
...but waited
No savior for this prison
RESTORATION has risen
...in the waiting
Every stone is a precious gem
Upon my fingers
All sorrow is gone
Not one whisper lingers
LOVE flows where HOPE remains
Written by Trudy Schrader on November 1, 2025
While I in solemn silence sit
Sad, forgotten and desolate
She comes and simply with her wit
Dispels the gloom, regret and hate.
But she lives only in my mind,
For in the grave she’s long confined.
November 1, 2025
Among 2nd Place
Bite Size Contest no127
Sponsored by Line Gauthier
Looking into pastimes with dreams,
Coming, clockwise rainbow schemes.
Needed joyful, graceful, dancers,
Floating paintings, awesome answers.
Pastimes, precious, moonbeam’s glow,
On glimmered, sparkling winter snow.
Nature’s glory, from heavenly hands,
Grateful living, sweet freedom’s land.
November 1, 2024 Poem 1
Joyful Jill is always glad*
In the Lord, she’s never sad
She does pray for Mom and Dad
To smile, even they are mad.
Joyful Jill hates being sad
And she likes Jack to feel glad
They both pray for Mom and Dad
For good health when they get mad.
*Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy...
November 1, 2024
4th place, "Jill Nursery Rhyme" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Charles Messina; judged on 11/18/2024
I check to see all that I need--
Some books and my favorite tweed--
Are all in their place,
My snacks in their case,
Now all I got to do is read.
I was on a holiday with Fred
“Let’s see who can pee farthest,” he said.
Imagine my surprise
When I opened my eyes
To find that I had peed on my bed.
I was at a beach with a friend
Admiring how the ladies bend.
Suddenly a fart,
I woke with a start--
My nose against my dog’s butt end.
I felt her hands putting some cream
On me as I lay near a stream,
Then, she’s on my head,
I fell off the bed--
I woke to find all was a dream.
It was a holiday indeed--
I went to places sans the need
To get off the bed
And fold the bedspread
As I lay with my favorite read.
November 1, 2024
Baguio City, Philippines
'Every man is proud of what he does well; and no man is proud of what
he does not do well. With the former, his heart is in his work; and he will
do twice as much of it with less fatigue. The latter performs a little imperfectly,
looks at it in disgust, turns from it, and imagines himself exceedingly tired.
The little he has done, comes to nothing, for want of finishing.'
Abraham Lincoln.
'When a man is led to believe that the pride in the work that he thought was done well, is undermined by himself, or others, for lack of instruction, where such instruction would not be rebuffed, then those whom could so instruct are just as responsible for the want of his finish. For when his heart is in his work and he seemed tireless in the pursuit of it's perfection, while knowing full well that nothing is perfect, when if fortunate enough, then his efforts could at the very least be perceived as his willingness to bring himself up from his past failure'.
James McLain Saturday, November 1, 2014
For special children to enjoy freedom flight
They need featherless angels with wings of love
Propelling them as they persevere to soar above
Expertly assisting their developmental height.
Optimizing daily promise of radiant hope
Neglected children cling to featherless angels’ care
Whose tender mercy warms hearts as laughter they share
In exercising faith and patience along peace-slope.
Beholding children’s milestones of delightful bliss
Featherless angels strengthened with grace
Praise God for strength* upon prayer brace
Midst their orphanage ministry from compassion’s abyss.
Maneuvering wheel chairs with careful zest
Featherless angels exude triumphant glow
In protecting children against hazards’ blow
Securing them joyously around kindness’ best.
*Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
November 1, 2023
3rd place, "Featherless Angels" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Ink Empress; judged on 11/6/2023
We're held by the reins of politics,
The lies, the truths and the deception,
The misguided pathways and the hell ways,
The unknown and the hidden facts.
Is there someone else behind the mask?
Or there're too much complexities woven in the tasks?
The society is overburdened,
The people are dispirited.
Trust yourself first and expect the unexpected
should be the watchword,
Then mayhem will not be a readily drawn sword,
Then we’ll find a road to cross.
There’s confusion at the centre,
The books don’t seem to proffer solutions,
The people seem to be accustomed to their hard ways,
Redemption is miles away.
November 1, 2023.
I've penned a sea of
words in this brief time
while putting love and
life to verse or rhyme
and yet no phrase or
poem approaches this -
the beauty of a sky ...
or child ... or kiss …
the human soul swims
deeper than the night
and grasps the things
we can not say or write
someday, ALL we create
will meet sweet death
I pray we choose a poem …
for our last breath.
Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, November 1, 2022
Take care of yourselves this holiday season.
This winter brings RSV, Covid and influenza,
so be calm and use your sense of reason!
Included….is an informational link below~
You can read it, and be calm! before the winter
snows.
Have a Healthy, Happy Holiday.. Pangie
Information available to search online:
“A tripledemic expected this winter”
Dated November 1, 2022 by UC Davis Health
November holidays in our country
Serve as fellowships for the ministry
Great gatherings toward revival bliss
Never can joyous worshipful hearts miss.
Midst “All Saints’ Day”* is women’s virtue time
Where Ladies’ conference resounds faith chime
Learning from Scriptures midst trust-propped ventures
Thanking God Who blesses kindness’ gestures.
On the scheduled “All Souls’ Day”** engagement
The men enjoy their soulwinning moment
Sharing the Gospel of Christ, marked by love
Granting peace and grace from Father above.
"Bonifacio Day"*** celebrates valor
Midst unity sans selfishness-pallor
Thus, church sportsfest presents good teamwork's zest
Blest well with camaraderie that's best.
Then as November birthday greetings flow
Thanksgiving along cheers of praises glow
Around prayer partnerships tied by care
While brethren gather for blessings to share.
*November 1; **November 2; ***November 30
****Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
November 24, 2022
A lithe performer with Cirque d’Soliel
First much oiled herself with Oil of Olay,
Then practiced her intense high wire plie
While clad only in a grand floral lei.
Her act was a graceful mid-air ballet
After, she rode off in a silver sleigh
Driven by a group of leprechaun fey
Audiences shouted a Spanish ole,
Overall, an awesome performance, eh?
THIRD PLACE WINNER
Written November 1, 2022
Submitted to “Monomixorhyme” Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Hilo Poet
[61 words. Nine 10-syllable lines checked by HMS.com
“plie” is a ballet term, pronounced two syllables “plea-aye.”]
"Give me coffee and no one gets hurt" Jim Davis's Garfield, the cat
I just woke up; it’s coffee time.
I’ve craved strong brew for fifty years.
With flavored creamer—Umm, sublime!
I just woke; it’s coffee time.
I’d lose my rhythm and my rhyme
without this serum that endears.
I just woke up; it’s coffee time.
I’ve craved strong brew for fifty years.
November 1, 2022
for the Writing Challenge--Unburden a "U" Word--Poetry Contest Placed 2nd
Sponsor: Constance LaFrance
“Jimmy, I have no pens,” Billy meant.
“May I borrow one, please?”~~Message sent.
Oh, how careless he’d been,
putting “i” after “n”!
The reply: “Dude, some things can’t be lent.”
used howmanysyllables.com
November 1, 2022
Contest: A Funny Limerick--Make Me laugh--Poetry Contest Placed 1st
Sponsor: Tania Kitchin
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