she plays scenarios in her head
till she can’t distinguish
shades from fact or fiction
it started out all innocent
at first she didn’t sense the danger
she let her thoughts play drift
and skip ahead of herself
like an untended garden
the weeds soon taking over
she spirals down a private rabbit hole and
plays such games not meant for children
the type with hidden consequences
like mental variations of russian roulette
she’s gone offtrack
caught in a cycle
she’s really lost her way
it’s gone too far
i see her deteriorating
and i can’t save her
it breaks my heart to see her fear and mental anguish
that's sadly now her cross to bear
AP: 3rd place 2025, Honorable Mention 2025
Categories:
offtrack, anxiety, emotions, fantasy, fear,
Form: Free verse
*P - Pegasus
O - Other horses
Pegasus,
the winged horse
Olympus
flew off course
Stallion
horse that's male
land in
a grassy dale
horses
came up to him
sources
to say his name
P - Pegasus.
forwards a pony
addresses
O - Sounds Greek to me.
P - It should be,
P - I am from Greece,
P - by the Aegean Sea.
now all at peace.
P - But before I go home,
P - I go to La La Land,
P - then on to Rome.
O - That land is a dreamland,
O - but wait, you no go back,
O - you go to that place?
P - All roads lead home, no offtrack.
O - But, La La, Dream, it's out in space.
P - It's okay, I got wings.
O - Okay, take the second star to the right, ...
P - No attached strings?
O - No you'll be alright.
O - And then, straight on till morning ...
Categories:
offtrack, 2nd grade, 3rd grade,
Form: Rhyme
When things leads nowhere
And you are still caught
It's better to find a way.
When feelings are unknown
And there is still no urge
Its better to be known.
When you are not able to force
And its still the same always
Its better not to consider.
When you don't feel close
And you still can't
Its better to be away.
When you feel offtrack
And you just cant help it
Its better to find the track.
When you don't feel the present
And you are still in the past
Its better not to feel.
When things go ahead
And they can't remain the same
Its better to backtrack.
When you feel being trapped
And you feel that you are in trap
Its better to be free.
When you try being optimistic
But you still see pessimism
Its better to be realistic.
And...
When you feel you are trying
But you still don't feel
Its better to "Accept".
Categories:
offtrack, analogy, confidence, conflict, confusion,
Form: Concrete