Otherwise Poems | Examples

List of Member Poems

A Couple, Otherwise Distracted

Stems of myrtle, mint
Bends and closer he.
One whiff, and delirious:
"Her loving feeling!"

Trunks of ficus*, fir
Draws and cooler she.
One hug, and proudly assured:
"His strength, sheltered in!"

*moreton bay fig

Premium Member UNLESS WE TEACH THEM OTHERWISE

As adults when we look out on our world
and pain and sadness are all we see
we need only look upon our children
to restore our faith in humanity 

And remember how children are accepting and generous…
how we see the kindness in their eyes 
and how they know nothing of prejudice and hate…
unless we teach them otherwise.

It Was To Late Unless Otherwise

Warnings came over and over and over again

To repent and come from all sins

It was ignored, until it was too late

The passing and non-repentance in the grave

Unknown, only Jesus above

If they repented on their last days at all

Jesus is the judge in this world

No Silver, Gold or even a Pearl

Can save you. You're being told

Be ready to enter into the Heaven Gate

Before it will be much too late.

***Please read: John 10:9.


Premium Member Right until proven otherwise

At times I've been known to share with anyone who'll listen
my belief on what people might say as they meet their fate
you know... perhaps a piano falling on their head
or the proverbial bus about to run them over

Yes, i've often thought that statistics should be kept
as they'd undoubtedly prove me right
my opinion is that in all probability
"Oh no" would probably come in a respectable second
while the more likely and less polite form "Oh sh*t"
would be the gold medal by a landslide



AP: 2nd place 2025

Premium Member Otherwise Shaped Hoop

In the year eighteen hundred and ninety-nine,
a Norwegian was patented for his design.
His name was John Vaaler, and we've great reliance
on his smart invention, a household appliance.

This smart little gizmo is made up of wire,
but power, electricity, doesn't require.
From springy material, an “otherwise shaped hoop,”
John's patent got the American scoop.

It holds things together; it's mostly for pages.
Its uses are endless: a tool for the ages.
In the days when a disk or a CD got stuck,
if you straightened out one, you might have some luck.

The oval-shaped double loop's truly a Gem;
I bet 'round your house you have hundreds of them.
This poem's near ended; I'd best let it slip.
It ought to be obvious: the paper clip.

Ode To the Dark Tempest

Oh!, thee temperamental fantasy!
no venture, since  when I cannot walk
to hazard?
nor life is a tale so to appear
oh!, put off thy fiery that now
may storm and stream these corners
that to thee I borrowed no such zeal?
nor rainbow that would be there to overwhelm?
not even a nightmare wakes to a risk?
nature serene the earth harmony
which fantasy I cannot?
due to relevance and love of refrain?.


Some Are Otherwise

From horizon to zenith's point and then to Crimson dusk he moved

While I kept watching leaves turning hues which now swim on blue water


(Two lines poetry challenge) 
22nd September, 2020

To Drunk But Otherwise Innocent-Black Man

If in your sleepy & drunk state, you do grab his TASER before he does do what he threatened - taser you - keep running. Do not look back.

An Otherwise Tale

a subtle ease hovered over me- 
but
she was encompassed by
messy hair and manic eyes

though she was complicated,
her muse was sempiternal

she craved inspiration
without motivation
longed for starvation
of finding alleviation

she wore a ball cap on her head;
usually maize or blue- (or both)
she was hiding her philosophy 
regarding her soul’s depth-
fearing that if someone saw
who she really was,
maybe her hourglass was not
as full as it should be…
or could be,
or as much as she wished it would be
(life’s empty glass shatters hope)

a subtle ease hovered over me-
but
her messy hair and manic eyes
told a tale of otherwise


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12.20.19
-luloo

Otherwise It's a Burden

She, life, is for living her, 
not for thinking her,
you have to forget yourself,
gliding in personal and 
societal  avenues, 
acting and reacting 
attracting and rejecting 
forgetting where and when 
was the start 
and where and when
it's the end. 
Live it like it's eternal,
die tomorrow but today 
plan what to do
the day after tomorrow.

Premium Member An Otherwise Perfect Day

How splendid to be fancy-free,

     A perfect morn upon the sea,

          Just the surf, my board and me,

               And yet, a murky form ...

                    Obscures the water, warm.



Angled shapes there, dark and grave,

     Hidden, deep inside the wave,

          As I use my board to shave

               Sea foam off the wake ...

                    A perfect turquoise break.



Sinister, and time to bide ...

     Shaped for speed, with silky hide,

          Churning shadows in the tide,

               Patient for a chance ...

                    To end my wavy dance.



No way in hell that I'll bequeath

     A piece of me to ragged teeth,

          Of somber bulk that looms beneath,

               This day is much too bright ...

                    To end ... in bloody fright.

Otherwise

Will you be there when I need you,
an everlasting lighthouse bright.
When things go bad for me a help,
your help is what I need these days.

Take my hand and give me your words
Will you be there when I need you,
How can I survive without you
I’ll hit the rocks without your light.

In the past you’ve helped me so much,
how can my failing faith not see.
Will you be there when I need you,
Give me the faith that overcomes.

In and of myself I do naught
My love for you makes me now ask
How can it be otherwise, Lord
Will you be there when I need you,

The Seeker, Otherwise the No God God

With Minuteness' you lived within me
Sustaining infinite thoughts, desires
I bestowed upon you all my experiences and
You knew many more from ages and species
Still to expand and further expand
Trying to diminish what you thought was wrong
Competing for more knowledge
Undeterred with the past, living with the present,
 Possibly with uncertainties of the future
Yet, looked upon with reverence & fear
And sometimes understood as an complex accident
 In apparent chaos, you had elements of regularity
And seem to move on in vastness and crave
For peace and peace and peace.

Otherwise Occupied

Not seeing me, you say
But I’m here everyday

Because you look with physical eyes 
You miss that which my soul disguise

But I’m still here, still living, still breathing
Other tasks to which my minds in-keeping

My priorities set, but better yet
Entwined in things I won’t regret

Make your mark
I’ll make mines’ too
But until then, do, stay true

Local Observations: Humorous Or Otherwise

I thank God for every idiot 
Who I come to meet;
Because idiots remind me,
It can never be too late 
For me to use a different street, 
Where I can find myself some much needed peace.

I thank God for every idiot 
Who I come to meet;
Because quite honestly,
Without idiots in my life
I'd only discuss philosophies, most of the time.

I thank God for every idiot 
Who I come to meet,
Because that's called comedy;
Sorry it wasn't a comedy that's actually funny 
- It really all depends on how you look at tragedy... 
...Now that's how ya make some pretty decent comedy!
The Comedian Assassinated by Apollinaire!

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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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