Offbeat Poems | Examples

List of Member Poems

Premium Member Searching for a unicorn

Searching for a unicorn:
a fool’s errand at best.
That such a thought would come to mind,
I never would have guessed.

The likelihood one might be found
is quite small, at least soon.
It’s possible there’s only one
betwixt here and the moon.

Vivacious, oh so agile -
they’re light upon their feet.
From sturdy stock, not fragile
and quirky, fun, offbeat.

If you would chase a unicorn,
you’ll have to learn her haunts,
slip quiet to her secret place
to find out what she wants.

I’m dubious I’ll find again
a creature of such class;
I’m hoping if I manage to,
she’ll like a lowly ass.

Nothing is Not What I am Meant to be

my chest has been exploding for years,
no rhythm, the offbeat
heart thrums—
the eyes harp ocean water charged 
faux tears.
Who is this assailant wearing my
face?
she has no right to feel this way,
She is not
who
I
want
to
be.
sad little nothing, begging for love—
pleading for scraps
from siblings tongues
resign, release.
Please

Nothing is not what
I am meant to be.

Premium Member Offbeat Poetry and Me

             Archaic, outdated, obsolete
                 my tools of the trade, offbeat

             No electronic devices or other compromises for me
                 number two pencil and pink rubber eraser
                                                      ~ cover the letters, a to z


Premium Member B Side Myself

Never B Flat
Sometimes B Sharp 
Always B Natural

Orpheus and
Apollo and
The guided Muses

Octoecho
Dorian mode
Uneven float note

Thoth inventor
Ihy child
Lord of vibrations

True rhythm is
Jehovah’s biz
Created for us

Led by music
Offbeat, weak beat
Syncopated trope

Carnival Kids

I remember
when we were just little kids
we always spent the afternoon together
every year
like a pair of clubs and spades
at the holiday carnival
cruising The Paratrooper
as fast as a drop of a coin
masticating on heaps
of salted buttered popcorn
with steaming pepperoni pizzas
and cotton candy both pink and blue
saccharine and light as cirrus clouds
until our bellies erupted
splashy rainbows from
our lurid, esophageal dungeon
like two offbeat carnival kids
living up the holiday fun

Premium Member Traffic is Finally Moving

I’ve got nothing done today.
I’ll get nothing done tomorrow.

That is to say, not the normal.
Still, much was accomplished.

A gift dropped off. A photo moment.
A long talk with an emergent friend.

Cardio and Tai Chi; time outside,
where traffic is finally moving,

that is to say, streets with cars
and Queen of Hearts is open.

All in all, an uncommon day,
but productive and stupendous.

There is much to check off.
Tomorrow’s another offbeat day.


Amore

Amore is music to my ears
Soft as your breath
When the room goes quiet
And you’re all I hear
Amore is music to my heart
Little offbeat
But somehow in rhythm
Every time you touch me
Amore is music to my ears
Amore is music to my heart
Every little look
Every word you start
Amore is music to my ears
Amore is music to my heart
Amore is a box of chocolate
Half-melted in your car
We laugh as it stains our fingers
Say we’ll never wash it off
Amore is the wind that’s blowing
Through the open kitchen door
You dance with a chipped mug in your hand
Bare feet on the cold tile floor
Amore is the thunder
Lightning
Rolling wild above our roof
I count the seconds in the silence
Then I fall back into you

Premium Member Picky Eater

My sister's so picky 'bout what she'll eat.
Her food quirks are annoying and offbeat.
At breakfast and lunch
or Saturday brunch
we all roll our eyes and admit defeat!

Premium Member Wagon John

Wisdom he passed on to school children in his travels.
Active man with no pretenses.
Good Man that was a recovering alcoholic
Oasis of knowledge.
Nature had captivated his lifestyle.

 Joining him in his travels were Sugar Foot his saddle horse. 
Offbeat from the mainstream lifestyle.
His home, two covered wagons pulled by six mules.
Negativity had no part of his life.

Premium Member bluegrass

bluegrass belting out
its lonesome sultry offbeat ~
subtle jazzy roots

Premium Member A flutter of wings rattles heart strings

A flutter stirs in my chest,
Awaking it from its inattentive rest.
As a tiny butterfly wing unfurled,
To unleash a quake in nether world.

Such chaos reeks as tremor grows,
It billows and flaps as tempest bestows,
An effect far beyond what reason deserves,
From a flip of wing, hors d'oeuvres.

A simple glance, a glint from eye,
Triggers my heart to offbeat awry,
To blast a chain reaction melee!
All order is lost - May Day, May Day!

A wing flap in Brazil, a tornado in Texas brings,
A tiny ripple in the cosmos that sings,
A reverberating chaotic chorus to heart strings,
Tuned to quiver sympathetic, to resonant dings.

Premium Member EBONY WE ON THE WAY

EBONY WE ON THE WAY

Beating our drums
singing our songs
rhythmically
foot printing
our hued feet
with eyes
still on the prize
and the summit
brightly in sight
we be proudly
marching 
in blues-jazz
liberty 
faithfully assured
no sisyphus-like
rocky rolling
oppression tappings
can get us offbeat
in our sojourn
to mountain to
liberation
awaiting 
the dream’s 
reality
for the ebony we:-

Premium Member Origin of Those CA Wild Fires - Contest

    A California babe named Lizzy
    As hot as her best friend named Dizzy
       These two girls are on fire
       Desires climbing higher
     Fanning and licking flames ~ His name’s Izzy




  An 'offbeat entry' for "Dumpster Fire" contest
             Sponsor: Margaret Lillico
                Date: Jan. 14, 2025
                    Gershon Wolf

Premium Member Unstructured Grace

Sugar cubes and coffee grounds
May skies beckon birds soaring
Sunlit paths lead to fields of gold 
An exodus from darknesses’ gloom
Sail away to transitional fame 
In route to where u’re meant to be 
Appeal scorn’s judgement of you
A freedom sought is one to cherish 
Pages turn and chapters burn
Poetic notes break the mold
Offbeat tales bold and untold 
Dare to carve thru the untamed path
Play in the margins where rules decay 
Strive to recognize unstructured grace

Premium Member Tinseled Jesus

The tree looked magnificently gaudy.
I gave and received some offbeat gifts.
Some were expected; others highly inappropriate.
We snacked on strange potato chip dip and orange chocolate.
Baby Jesus was covered in tinsel, ribbons, and the aroma of honey-dipped ham.

Sub Categories

Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.

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